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Research & Reports

Access, Equity, and Adequacy

¿Qué Pasa? Are English Language Learning Students Remaining In English Classes Too Long?

by The Tomás Rivera Policy Institute

Flores, E., Painter, G., Harlow-Nash, Z., & Pachon, H. (1999, October). Que pasa? Are English language learning students remaining in English learning classes too long? The Tomas Rivera Policy Institute, Retrieved from http://www.trpi.org/PDFs/LAUSD%20Policy%20Brief.pdf

Topics Covered: About ELLs; Access, Equity, and Adequacy; Data (Demographics, Facts, and Figures);

Tags: Differentiated Instruction; Instructional Programs; Intervention; Placement;

Target Population: Elementary and Middle School

Research Questions the Report Poses: Are English language learning students remaining in English learning classes too long? What is the benefit of transferring ELLs into mainstream English classes?

Summary: This study utilized an analysis of the records provided by the Los Angeles Unified School District on all non-special education students who were in 6th grade in 1999. The Tomás Rivera Policy Institute studied whether or not a transfer from English language learning classes to mainstream English classes (reclassification) would improve academic achievement. Six indicators determined the impact of reclassification: SAT9 Math and Reading scores in 8th grade, failing the 9th grade, dropping out, passing the California High School Exit Exam, and ever taking an Advanced Placement Course. The following was also taken into consideration: percent of full credentialed teachers, percent of the school that is ELL, percent of school receiving free or reduced lunch; as well as nativity, socio-economics, and prior performance.

Findings:

  • Improved academic outcomes in high school are associated with reclassification into mainstream English classes.
  • Reclassification as late as 8th grade is still proven to be effective in improved academic outcomes.
  • A large number of students who were not reclassified by 8th grade have been in the same school district since at least 1st grade.
  • Students who are reclassified ELLs outperform English only students on important indicators.
  • Reclassified ELLs performed better on standardized exams, were less likely to drop out of high school, and more likely to take an AP exam.

Policy Recommendations:

  • Increase the amount of resources to help early English language learning.
  • Persist with English language learning in middle school.
  • Emphasize reclassification into mainstream English classrooms.

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
For the full report, please visit www.trpi.org

Are California's Reading Textbooks Adequate for Teaching English Learners?

by University of California's Linguistic Minority Research Institute / Robert Calfee

Calfee, R. (2006). Are California's Reading Textbooks Adequate for Teaching English Learners? University of California Linguistic Minority Research Institute: Santa Barbara, CA.

Topics Covered: Access, Equity, and Adequacy;

Tags: Bilingual Instruction; Comprehension; Curriculum; Differentiated Instruction; Fluency; Instructional Programs; Rights, Students; Struggling Readers; Transfer of Literacy Skills; Vocabulary; Writing;

Target Population: Elementary School

Research Questions the Report Poses: Are California's Reading Textbooks Adequate for Teaching English Learners?

Summary: In 2002, the California State Board of Education adopted programs that required publishers to meet the language arts needs of ELLs. This article is a review of the ELL supplement, the Teacher's Edition for the supplement, and two of the reading series included with the supplement. It also surveys 57 elementary school teachers on their experiences with the materials and the related professional development.

Findings:

  • The materials offered little specific ELL assistance to students of teachers, and what was offered was contrary to best practice.
  • The professional development for ELL instruction was limited in both time and scope.
  • The "supplement strategy" mandated by the Board was practically unworkable.

Policy Recommendations:

  • Design an instructional support system that helps teachers deal with student diversity
  • Directly address the issues of effective instruction for ELL students
  • Advise how to manage student differences and time allocation
  • Develop a program of ongoing professional development

Bilingual Education and Latino Civil Rights

by Susan Baker and Kenji Hakuta, Stanford University

Baker, S. and Hakuta, K. (1997). Bilingual education and Latino civil rights. Cambridge, MA: Civil Rights Project Harvard University.

Topics Covered: About ELLs; Access, Equity, and Adequacy; Bilingual Education; Multicultural Education / Diversity / Culturally-Responsive Inst;

Tags: Bilingual Instruction; Bilingualism / Biliteracy; Latino ELL Students;

Target Population: Preschool, Elementary School, Middle School, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: Descriptive report, no research question

Summary: The article examines the history of civil rights for language minority children and assumptions behind attacks on bilingual education. After an introduction to numbers of ELL and immigrant students in the U.S. and California, the authors describe a brief history of congressional and judiciary decisions to institute and eliminate bilingual education. They cite major research findings from bilingual and English immersion programs.

Policy Recommendations:

  • English language learners should be assessed and supported in more ways than just in English language development.
  • Research should be sensitive to local goals, resources, and populations.

California's Commitment to Adult English Learners: Caught Between Funding and Need

by Public Policy Institute of California / Arturo Gonzalez

Gonzalez, A. California's Commitment to Adult English Learners: Caught Between Funding and Need. (2007). San Francisco, CA: Public Policy Institute of California.

Topics Covered: Access, Equity, and Adequacy; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Adult;

Tags: Bilingual Instruction; Language of Instruction; Language Proficiency; Latino ELL Students; Motivation; Reading;

Target Population: High school, post-secondary (non-collegiate)

Research Questions the Report Poses:

  1. What is the policy background for the provision of ESL courses in California? What distinguishes adult schools from other providers?
  2. How has the ESL target population changed throughout the state since 1980? What is the level of predicted enrollment and what demographic changes affect enrollment in ESL courses?
  3. What are the trends in the provision of ESL courses by adult schools and community colleges statewide and in the different regions of the state? Does the adult school funding formula limit adult school enrollment? To what extent do adult school districts exceed their level of funding?
  4. What do adult schools that exceed their funding limit forgo in terms of quality of adult education classes and future growth of adult education programs? How much does the redistribution of unused funding alleviate the challenges facing high-demand regions? How would adult education providers benefit from increased funding?

Summary: 75% of adults enrolled in ESL programs in the state of California participate in these programs through adult schools. The issue that this report talks about is the conundrum facing adult schools. These schools have two choices: leave some seeking ESL programs without service and stay under the enrollment growth-cap linked to state funds or take in all individuals seeking to be enrolled in an ESL program, go over the cap, and pay the difference between allotted state funds and actual capital spent out of the school's own budget. The article cites a $15.7 million gap between money spent by adult schools on ESL programs and money awarded to these schools by the state of California.

Findings:

  • There is a $15.7 million gap between money spent by adult schools on ESL programs and money awarded to these schools by the state of California
  • Though the adult ELL demographic is growing within the state, it is growing at different rates in different parts of the state.
  • Close to 60 percent of adult schools in California exceed their funding limit.
  • Among adult schools that do over-enroll students, nearly 80 percent exceed their funding limit by over 2.5 percent.

Policy Recommendations:

  • Increase overall funding to adult ESL programs
  • Create more mechanisms for distributing funds for ESL programs to areas and schools that have more of a demand from adult ESL students
  • Increase the enrollment cap so that schools do not have to pay out of their own pocket to have adult ESL programs

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
Public Policy Institute of California
500 Washington Street
Suite 800
San Francisco, California 94111
Telephone: (415) 291-4400
Fax: (415) 291-4401

Closing the Gap: Addressing the Vocabulary Needs of English-Language Learners in Bilingual and Mainstream Classrooms

Carlo, M.S., August, D., McLaughlin, B., Snow, C.E., Dressler, C., Lippman, D.N., Lively, T.J., & White, C.E. (2004). Closing the gap: Addressing the vocabulary needs of English-language learners in bilingual and mainstream classrooms. Reading Research Quarterly, 39, 188-215.

Topics Covered: About ELLs; Access, Equity, and Adequacy; Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development; Bilingual Education; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Upper Elementary (4-6);

Tags: Bilingual Instruction; Instructional Programs; Intervention; Reading; Vocabulary;

Summary: Gaps in reading performance between Anglo and Latino children are associated with gaps in vocabulary knowledge. An intervention was designed to enhance fifth graders' academic vocabulary. The meanings of academically useful words were taught together with strategies for using information from context, from morphology, from knowledge about multiple meanings, and from cognates to infer word meaning. Among the principles underlying the intervention were that new words should be encountered in meaningful text, that native Spanish speakers should have access to the text's meaning through Spanish, that words should be encountered in varying contexts, and that word knowledge involves spelling, pronunciation, morphology, and syntax as well as depth of meaning.


Fifth graders in the intervention group showed greater growth than the comparison group on knowledge of the words taught, on depth of vocabulary knowledge, on understanding multiple meanings, and on reading comprehension. The intervention effects were as large for the English-language learners (ELLs) as for the English-only speakers (EOs), though the ELLs scored lower on all pre- and posttest measures. The results show the feasibility of improving comprehension outcomes for students in mixed ELL-EO classes, by teaching word analysis and vocabulary learning strategies.

Dimensions of Children's Motivation for Reading and Their Relations to Reading Activity and Reading Achievement

Baker, L., & Wigfield, A. (1999). Dimensions of children's motivation for reading and their relations to reading activity and reading achievement. Reading Research Quarterly,34, 452-477.

Topics Covered: Access, Equity, and Adequacy; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Early (Pre-K); Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Early Elementary (K-3); Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Upper Elementary (4-6);

Tags: Instructional Programs; Intervention; Reading;

Summary:

This study was designed to assess dimensions of reading motivation and examine how these dimensions related to students' reading activity and achievement. A heterogeneous urban sample of fifth- and sixth-grade children completed the Motivation for Reading Questionnaire (MRQ; Wigfield & Guthrie, 1997), a questionnaire designed to assess 11 possible dimensions of reading motivation, including self-efficacy, several types of intrinsic and extrinsic reading motives, social aspects of reading, and the desire to avoid reading. The students also completed several different measures of reading activity and reading achievement. Confirmatory factor analyses demonstrated that the proposed dimensions of children's reading motivation could be identified and measured reliably.

Scales based on the different dimensions related positively to one another and negatively to the desire to avoid reading. Mean scale scores on most of the dimensions differed by gender and ethnicity, with girls and African Americans reporting stronger motivation. Mean scale scores on most of the dimensions were similar for fifth- and sixth-grade students and for low and middle income students. All of the scales related to children's reports of their reading activity and several to their reading achievement. The strength of the relations between reading motivation and reading achievement was greater for girls and for white students. Cluster analyses revealed seven distinct groupings of children based on their motivational profiles that were related to reading activity and, to a lesser extent, to reading achievement. The study demonstrates that reading motivation is multidimensional and should be regarded as such in research and in practice.

Improving Academic Preparation for College: What We Know and How State and Federal Policy Can Help

by Robin Chait & Andrea Venezia. Center for American Progress.

Chait, Robin and Andrea Venezia. (2009). Improving Academic Preparation for College: What We Know and How State and Federal Policy Can Help. Washington, D.C.: Center for American Progress.

Topics Covered: Access, Equity, and Adequacy; Higher Education and Careers; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Adolescent (7-12); Multicultural Education / Diversity / Culturally-Responsive Inst;

Tags: American Indian ELL Students; Asian ELL Students; Curriculum; Instructional Programs; Latino ELL Students; Other ELL Students (Middle Eastern, African, European, etc.);

Target Population: This article targets the general population, especially those Latino and minority groups in high school or first year in college.

Research Questions the Report Poses: This article raises the question of students' academic preparation to transition from high school to postsecondary education.

Summary: This article discusses students' academic performance during high school to prepare them for college. This article supports current survey results that show that students are interested in pursuing a college degree; however, the transition can be difficult due to their poor academic preparation. In the article, the authors discuss what it has been done now to improve academic preparation and the role of the federal and state policymakers to make a different in students' lives as prospect college students.

Findings:

  • Poor academic performance during high school due to poor academic preparation for college can predetermine the failure of students during college.
  • Current research shows that to make a different in academic preparation, school administrations and teachers have to create a rigorous academic program that needs to be continuous and based on rich coursework.
  • Organizations like Achieve, ACT, and the Education Policy Improvement Center are providing feedbacks for students to better their transition from high school to college.

Policy Recommendations:

  • Policymakers should begin to address the importance of academic preparation for students, especially in high school, entering college.
  • The federal government should be responsible of distributing and communicating the general public the steps to take to gain greater academic preparation and skills in schools.
  • Policymakers should propose and manage the strategies implemented to guarantee the success of the programs.

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
Center for American Progress 1333 H Street, NW, 10th Floor, Washington, DC 20005

Language Test

by National School Boards Association, Naomi Dillon

Dillon, N. (2005). Language Test. American School Board Journal, 192(8). National School Boards Association.

Topics Covered: Access, Equity, and Adequacy; NCLB and AYP;

Tags: Bilingual Instruction; Bilingualism / Biliteracy; Comprehension; Content Areas: Math; Content Areas: Science; Content Areas: Social Studies; Content Areas: The Arts; Curriculum; Instructional Programs; Intervention; Language of Instruction; Language Proficiency;

Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: The report uses the example of Coachella school district's legal battle to examine if state assessments fair to English language learners.

Summary: The report examines the challenges associated with preparing a population that is 70 percent ELL to meet the demands of state and federal laws. Under California law, all ELL students must take state tests in English after only one year of instruction — a requirement that perpetually leaves districts like Coachella "in need of improvement." The report uses the Coachella district's case as a lens to examine the challenges we face in preparing ELL students to perform highly as well as the advantages and disadvantages of different types of assessment and accounting formulae to determine performance.

Findings:
n/a

Policy Recommendations:

  • The lawsuit asks the state to develop primary language tests for students who have recently arrived or enrolled in bilingual classrooms—an NCLB supported provision.
  • The suit also calls for a new standardized test that is more linguistically friendly and appropriate.

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
n/a

Listening to Latinas: Barriers for High School Graduation

by National Women's Law Center & Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund

National Women’'s Law Center & Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund. Listening to Latinas: barriers to high school graduation. (2009, August). Retrieved from: http://maldef.org/assets/pdf/ListeningtoLatinas.pdf

Topics Covered: Access, Equity, and Adequacy; Data (Demographics, Facts, and Figures); Higher Education and Careers; Parent Outreach;

Tags: American Indian ELL Students; Asian ELL Students; Intervention; Latino ELL Students; Motivation; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA;

Target Population: High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: How do female high school Latina students overcome obstacles in order to graduate from high school?

Summary: 41% of Latina girls fail to graduate from high school and almost half of Latinas between 25 – 64 who lack a diploma make only $15,000 annually. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, along with the National Women's Law Center, conducted a qualitative study on obstacles Latina girls face to graduate from high school. The two organizations, with the help of teachers, case managers, principals, etc. sent out over 1,000 surveys to Latina students all over the country. Following the surveys, they had follow-up interviews with 21 Latina girls and conducted focus group discussions with 26 additional students. Additionally, they surveyed 45 adult program staff working with Latina students, college access programs and schools, and then conducted in-depth follow up interviews with 15 of these individuals. There was also extensive literature research on Latina students.

Findings:

Latinas have high aspirations and goals but often are unable to reach them because of academic and social barriers such as:

  • Poverty
  • Immigration status
  • Language barriers
  • Lack of parental involvement
  • Teenage pregnancy

Policy Recommendations:

  • Invest in the future of Latinas. Congress should put more money into providing child care, early childhood education, health care, nutrition assistance, and tax benefits.
  • Provide Latina girls with role models and set up programs that help them reach their goals. More money should be put into mentoring programs, school counseling, and college access programs.
  • Make sure that all Latina girls are prepared for any post-secondary education opportunity.
  • Ensure that schools are free of racial and gender discrimination. Schools should also make sure that they enforce and promote dual language programs for ELLs.
  • Aid in gaining more Latino parental involvement. The government and schools should fund more programs to help parents become more active in schools.
  • Fund more efforts to prevent teenage pregnancy, including implementing sex education programs.
  • Support students who are pregnant or who are currently parenting.
  • Schools should require better data collection and promote school accountability.

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
MALDEF: http://maldef.org/contact/

Not a Great Beginning to the School Year: Despite New Regulation Immigrant Parents Still Face Major Language Barriers

by Advocates for Children of New York and The New York Immigration Coalition

Advocates for Children of New York and The New York Immigration Coalition. (2006, September). Not a Great Beginning to the School Year: Despite New Regulation Immigrant Parents Still Face Major Language Barriers. New York, New York: Advocates for Children of New York.

Topics Covered: Access, Equity, and Adequacy; Parent Outreach;

Tags: Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA; Rights, Parents;

Target Population: Preschool, Elementary school, Middle school, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: How effective was the New York City Chancellor's Regulation A-663 in providing translated materials to immigrant parents?

Summary: Half of the students in the New York City school system, the "largest and most diverse" system in the country, come from homes where English is not the primary language. Department of Education Chancellor Joel Klein put into place Regulation A-663 which required school materials to be available in both English and the next eight most prevalent languages in the school system. Upon investigation of 13 of 15 registration centers before the 2006-2007 school year started, the study finds that the centers were in various states of preparedness. Many centers, says the report, were not adequately prepared and lacked foreign language materials in any language other than Spanish. Some of the most important school documents were only available in English. The report concludes that while the regulation was an important "step in the right direction" more has to be done to make sure that schools follow through with adherence to the policy.

Findings:

  • 13 of 15 registration centers were investigated and most were found to be unprepared to offer parents materials related to their children's education in any language other than English.
  • Many parents were unaware that they were entitled to receive educational materials in a language that they were most comfortable with

Policy Recommendations:

  • Better advertisement of the regulation to parents so that they know that they are entitled to receive materials in a language that they are most comfortable with
  • Follow through with various schools and registration centers to make sure that the regulations are being followed through with and not paid lip service.

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
Advocates for Children of New York
151 West 30th Street — 5th Floor
New York, NY 10001
E-Mail: info@advocatesforchildren.org
Phone: (212)-947-9779
Fax: (212)-947-9790

Out-of-School Immigrant Youth

by Public Policy Institute of California / Laura E. Hill and Joseph M. Hayes

Hill, Laura., and Hayes, Joseph. (2007). Out-of-School Immigrant Youth. San Francisco, California: Public Policy Institute of California.

Topics Covered: Access, Equity, and Adequacy; Data (Demographics, Facts, and Figures);

Tags: Instructional Programs; Latino ELL Students;

Target Population: High school

Research Questions the Report Poses: How well served are out-of-school immigrant youths in the state of California in general? How well served are out-of-school immigrant youths who receive services and resources from California's Migrant Education Program (MEP)?

Summary: This report considers the approximately 265,000 out-of-school immigrant youths (OSYs) in the state of California. This demographic is defined as individuals between the ages of 13 and 22 not currently enrolled in a school and without a high school diploma or GED. These individuals face many hardships, including high rates of poverty, lack of access to health care, and low incomes. Even though they do not have access to educational resources, OSYs remain a group of individuals who are very eager to both learn English and obtain their GEDs.

Findings:

  • Though the California Migrant Education Program's attempts to offer educational resources to OSYs, its limited funds and eligibility requirements only allow it to service about 80,000 OSYs.
  • California OSYs are some of the most disadvantaged individuals in the state because their legal statuses often make access to public services difficult.
  • California OSYs are very eager to continue their education, but they are often unable to do so because of a need to work.
  • Approximately 80% of OSYs said their families depended on their incomes to survive.

Policy Recommendations:

  • Increase funding to the California MEP
  • Change eligibility requirements for receiving MEP funds so that more OSYs are able to receive them
  • Offer educational opportunities that allow OSYs to both work and learn

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
Public Policy Institute of California
500 Washington Street
Suite 800
San Francisco, California 94111
E-Mail:merina@ppic.org
Telephone: (415) 291-4400
Fax: (415) 291-4401

Pre-K and Latinos: The Foundation for America's Future

Garcia, E.E., Gonzales, D.M. (2006). Pre-K and Latinos: The Foundation for America's Future. Pre-K Now Research Series: Washington, DC.

Topics Covered: Access, Equity, and Adequacy; Data (Demographics, Facts, and Figures); Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Early (Pre-K); Parent Outreach;

Tags: Bilingual Instruction; Bilingualism / Biliteracy; Latino ELL Students; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA; Reading;

Summary:

Latino families care about education, but many do not participate in preschool programs. Although Latinos are at great risk for school failure, research shows that they benefit more from Pre-K programs than children of other ethnic groups. This report from Pre-K Now discusses how to make preschool effective and accessible so that all Latino children get a strong foundation for learning.

Putting English Language Learners on the Educational Map: The No Child Left Behind Act Implemented

by Clemencia Consentino de Cohen and Beatriz Chu Clewell.

Consentino de Cohen, Clemencia and Beatriz Chu Clewell. (2007). Putting English Language Learners on the Education Map: The No Child Left Behind Act Implemented. Washington, D.C. The Urban Institute.

Topics Covered: About ELLs; Access, Equity, and Adequacy; Assessment and Accommodations; Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development; Bilingual Education; Data (Demographics, Facts, and Figures); Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Early (Pre-K); Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Early Elementary (K-3); Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Upper Elementary (4-6); Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Adolescent (7-12); Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Adult; Multicultural Education / Diversity / Culturally-Responsive Inst; Parent Outreach;

Tags: American Indian ELL Students; Asian ELL Students; Bilingual Instruction; Bilingualism / Biliteracy; Curriculum; Latino ELL Students; Other ELL Students (Middle Eastern, African, European, etc.); Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA; Placement; Rights, Parents; Rights, Students;

Target Population:

  • All students in preschool, elementary, middle or high school in the Latino community.
  • Parents of students attending preschool, elementary, middle or high school in the Latino community.

Research Questions the Report Poses: This article raises the question of the importance of the No Child Left Behind Act to improve the education for limited English proficient students in the Latino community.

Summary: This article discusses the improvements in education since the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act in the United States. According to this article, the Latino community has seen a greater raise in student achievement and educational assistance before and after school. Early Childhood education has also benefited from the results by providing more advanced education at an early age.

Findings:

  • Limited English Proficiency students are the fastest growing population in elementary schools in the US.
  • Limited English proficient students are concentrated in a few states but are spreading rapidly throughout the nation.
  • While five states—California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois—are home to almost 70 percent of all LEP students in elementary school, growth in this student population has been more rapid in other destinations.
  • The majority of LEP elementary school students are concentrated in a small number of schools: nearly 70 percent of the nation’s LEP students enroll in only 10 percent of elementary schools.
  • The incidence of poverty and health problems is significantly higher in high-LEP than in other schools.
  • Instructional contexts vary significantly across schools: high-LEP schools are more likely to offer support and remedial programs (pre-K, enrichment, after-school, summer school).
  • Native language instruction is more prevalent in high- than low-LEP schools. The difference in use of other LEP-targeted instructional techniques, though significant, is less marked.
  • High-LEP schools face more difficulties filling teaching vacancies and are more likely to rely on unqualified and substitute teachers than schools with few or no LEP children.
  • High-LEP schools are more likely to be involved in parental outreach and support activities than schools with lower concentrations of LEP students.
  • Teachers in high-LEP schools are more likely to hold ESL/bilingual certification in addition to their main certification.
  • Teachers in high-LEP schools are more likely to have provisional, emergency, or temporary certification than are those in other schools.
  • High-LEP schools have more new teachers than schools with fewer or no LEP students, and these teachers are substantially more likely to be uncertified than those at other schools.
  • Teachers in high-LEP schools tend to report receiving more professional development than do teachers in other types of schools.
  • There was a great deal of variation in the way districts with high-LEP schools implemented NCLB testing requirements in both subject areas and ELP (English Language Proficiency).
  • Parents of ELL students in high-LEP enrollment schools professed to have very little knowledge of the requirements of NCLB.

Policy Recommendations:

  • The U.S. Department of Education should make the development of an appropriate English language proficiency test a national priority and require its use by all states and districts.
  • States should ensure that (a) policies are in place to conduct subject matter testing of ELL students using appropriate tests and accommodations and (b) reasonable exemptions are granted.
  • The inclusion of pre-K education should be considered in the reauthorization of NCLB. While it is evident from our study that NCLB is changing pre-K education in high-LEP schools, including this component of the educational system in the law would enforce and standardize these changes across all districts and states.
  • The NCLB provisions for school choice and Supplemental Educational Services (SES) should be reexamined. These provisions do not seem to be having the intended effect and their feasibility and effectiveness should be studied.
  • Teacher Quality
  • Districts should assume responsibility for the training and professional development of teachers—including bilingual/ESL teachers—to assist them in meeting the NCLB requirements for high-quality teachers. This assistance might include working with local colleges to increase the production of high-quality bilingual/ESL teachers and to offer courses in areas where current teachers need to acquire credits for certification. Local colleges and alternative certification programs should be encouraged to incorporate courses on ELL instruction as part of the required general teacher education curriculum. These courses should be required for certification or employment of all teachers, at least in high-ELL-enrollment districts but preferably in all districts.
  • More effective strategies are needed for conducting parental outreach and information efforts with parents of ELL students. Districts and schools must acquire a greater understanding of effective strategies to reach this group of parents, who face many barriers to understanding the requirements of NCLB and their role in supporting its goals.

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
The Urban Institute 2100 M Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037

Report on the Status of Hispanics in Education: Overcoming a History of Neglect

by National Education Association; Richard Verdugo

Verdugo, Richard R. (2006. "Report on the Status of Hispanics in Education: Overcoming a History of Neglect." National Education Association.

Topics Covered: About ELLs; Access, Equity, and Adequacy; Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development; Multicultural Education / Diversity / Culturally-Responsive Inst;

Tags: Instructional Programs; Latino ELL Students;

Target Population: Preschool; Elementary; Middle; High School; Post-Secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: What are the issues facing Hispanic students? How can educators, researchers, communities and policy-makers help Hispanic students overcome these barriers?

Summary: Hispanic students often face unique challenges in student achievement. Because of high levels of poverty, limited English language skills, and immigration factors, Hispanic students must overcome socioeconomic, language, cultural and barriers to succeed in school.

Findings:
The report outlines six key issues in the education of the Hispanic population:

  • Innovative classroom strategies including culturally responsive and technology enriched teaching.
  • School funding equity
  • Professional development for teachers
  • Early education and post-secondary education
  • The politics of immigration, and migrant education
  • Educator recruitment and retention

Policy Recommendations:

  • Analyze barriers that Hispanic students face in gaining access to college
  • Provide parents with financial information that can be used for students' college education
  • Improve teacher's education programs. Teachers are not well prepared for teaching Hispanic students, especially Hispanic ELL students.
  • Reduce class sizes, improve student resources, and student social services
  • Teachers should be exposed to a curriculum during their university years that teachers them cultural understanding and sensitivity
  • Work to pass legislation that changes property tax laws and state laws to broaden the school funding base

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
Visit www.nea.org or call (202) 833-4000

Resource Needs for California's English Learners

by University of California Linguistic Minority Research Institute/ Patricia Gándara and Russell W. Rumberger

Gandara, P. & Rumberger, R. W. (2007, March). Resource needs for California's English learners. Stanford, CA: University of California Linguistic Minority Research Institute.

Topics Covered: About ELLs; Access, Equity, and Adequacy;

Tags: Intervention; Language Proficiency;

Target Population: Preschool, Elementary, Middle, High School, Post-Secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses:

  1. What are the demographic characteristics and academic performance outcomes of language minority and English learner students in California public schools?
  2. What conceptual framework is appropriate for analyzing the resource needs of linguistic minority students?
  3. What resources are needed to provide an adequate education for California English learners?
  4. How have past studies estimated the cost of these resource needs?
  5. What approach do the authors recommend for estimating the cost of educating English learners and linguistic minority students in California?

Summary: Linguistic minorities are students who come from households where English is not the main language spoken. Most of these students do not come to school proficient in English. There is a learning gap between many linguistic minorities and native English speakers that can persist throughout school. Most linguistic minorities require additional resources and support to be successful in school.

Findings:

  • Socioeconomic differences do not account for all differences in the needs of all ELL students
  • Gaps in poverty are harder to close than gaps in language
  • Resources that would help ELL students achieve English and academic proficiency include:
    1. Primary language materials (student's home language)
    2. Assessments in the primary language; and
    3. teachers and staff who speak the languages of the students

Policy Recommendations:

  • A sufficient number of teachers who have specific knowledge about the structure of language, know how to use assessments to measure language proficiency, and are bilingual;
  • Extra support personnel;
  • Appropriate instructional materials;
  • Valid and comprehensive assessments;
  • Effective school organization that provides EL students with a safe, controlled space in which to use English;
  • Effective school leadership; and
  • Appropriate district and state support.

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
n/a

Sharp Growth in Suburban Minority Enrollment Yields Modest Gains in School Diversity

by Richard Fry, Pew Hispanic Center

Fry, Richard. (2009). Sharp Growth in Suburban Minority Enrollment Yields Modest Gains in School Diversity. Washington, D.C. Pew Hispanic Center.

Topics Covered: About ELLs; Access, Equity, and Adequacy; Bilingual Education; Data (Demographics, Facts, and Figures); Multicultural Education / Diversity / Culturally-Responsive Inst;

Tags: American Indian ELL Students; Asian ELL Students; Bilingualism / Biliteracy; Latino ELL Students; Other ELL Students (Middle Eastern, African, European, etc.);

Target Population: General, especially U.S. minority groups

Research Questions the Report Poses: This report analyzes the demographic trends as more minority students attend suburban school districts in the United States. In addition, the researchers examined a number of individual school districts with high rates of change.

Summary: This article analyzes the increased number of minority groups now attending suburban school districts and the benefits gain from current programs available. Recent data demonstrates how cities like Knoxville, Memphis, and Nashville are now facing "hyper-growth" in the Latino population. While the increased numbers of minority students in suburban schools has slightly reduced ethnic and racial segregation in the nation's public schools, trends vary for different minority groups, community types, school districts and individual schools.

Findings:

  • Suburban schools have become increasingly important educators of the nation's minority student populations.
  • Every individual suburban school district experienced minority student growth slightly differently.
  • As a result of the rapid growth in minority students and flat growth among white students, 287 of the nation's 2,808 suburban school districts have become majority-minority school districts since 1993-94.
  • The vast majority (18) of the fastest-growing suburban districts in terms of black enrollment are in the Midwest.
  • Several school districts in suburban Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville experienced hyper-growth in their Hispanic student populations since 1993-94. Among Asian suburban students, numerous school districts in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta metro areas are among the 25 fastest-growing suburban school districts.
  • Though there has been a marked diversification of many of the nation’s suburban school districts, this does not necessarily mean that suburban students are experiencing greater racial/ethnic interaction at the level of the individual school.
  • If suburban schools are highly segregated, with whites attending one set of schools and minority students a different set of schools, then minority student growth will not result in suburban white students attending schools with greater proportions of minority students and will not increase the exposure of white students to non-white students.
  • When students of different racial/ethnic background do not attend the same schools, the potential exists that they also may not attend the same type of schools, i.e., schools of similar quality and level of resources.
  • Some evidence suggests that racial imbalances in peers have significant effects on minority student achievement (Hanushek and Rivkin, 2006; Harris, 2006).
  • Public opinion surveys reveal that adults by large margins support having America's racial/ethnic mix represented in the student bodies of public schools (Elam, Rose and Gallup, 1996).

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
Pew Research Center 1615 L Street, NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC 20036-5610

So Many Schools, So Few Options: How Mayor Bloomberg's Small High School Reforms Deny Full Access to English Language Learners

by The New York Immigration Coalition and Advocates for Children of New York

The New York Immigration Coalition and Advocates for Children of New York. (2006, November). So Many Schools, So Few Options: How Mayor Bloomberg's Small High School Reforms Deny Full Access to English Language Learners. New York, NY: The New York Immigration Coalition and Advocates for Children of New York.

Topics Covered: Access, Equity, and Adequacy;

Tags: Curriculum; Latino ELL Students; Placement; Rights, Students;

Target Population: High school

Research Questions the Report Poses: To what extent, if any, have ELLs actually been included in New York City's small high schools reform initiative?

Summary: Although ELLs make up about 11.4% of the New York City high school population, in 2005-2006, 93 of 183 schools examined in this report had less than 5% of ELLs in their student body. This means that more than half of the high schools in the city had a very small ELL population. A policy that the NYC Department of Education has in place is to "allow small schools to exclude ELLs in [their] first two years of operation" (p. 7). Failure to follow required accommodation laws is also keeping ELLs out of many NYC high schools. In the borough of Queens, which has the most ELL students, only 7% of new high schools were built. Overall, the new plan toward having smaller schools in New York City is keeping ELLs from getting equal access to quality instruction because resources for ELL instruction are not prevalent.

Findings:

  • As a result of the new schools program, ELL students are largely sequestered to a few schools with high percentages of ELLs while many other schools offer very little, if any, instruction or resources for ELLs.
  • Because new schools are not being built in areas where ELLs are highly concentrated, ELLs are being kept from new schools.
  • Most schools classified as small by this report (about 500 students) fail to provide adequate resources for ELL instruction.
  • Because small schools are inadequately prepared to instruct ELLs, these students are forced to go to large, failing schools, which are the type of schools that the new schools plan was supposed to cut down on.

Policy Recommendations:

  • Increase ELLs' access to small schools by building more small schools in areas where ELLs most commonly reside.
  • Improve the high school admissions process so that ELLs are not excluded or kept out of small schools because of their ELL status.

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
Advocates for Children of New York
151 West 30th Street — 5th Floor
New York, NY 10001
E-Mail: info@advocatesforchildren.org
Phone: (212)-947-9779
Fax: (212)-947-9790

Succeeding With English Language Learners: Lessons Learned from the Great City Schools

by The Council of the Great City Schools Authors: Amanda Rose Horwitz; Gabriela Uro; Ricki Price-Baugh; Candace Simon; Renata Uzzell; Sharon Lewis; Michael Casserly

Horowitz, A.R., et al. (2009). Succeeding with English Language Learners: Lessons learned from the Great City Schools. Washington, D.C.: The Council of the Great City Schools.

Topics Covered: Access, Equity, and Adequacy; Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development;

Tags: Bilingual Instruction;

Target Population: K-12 Urban Districts

Research Questions the Report Poses:

  • Can we identify school districts that have experienced improved student achievement among ELLs?
  • What is the historical, administrative, and programmatic context within which ELL student achievement is improving in these districts?
  • What district-level strategies are being used to improve ELL student achievement and reduce disparities between ELL and non-ELLs?
  • What is the connection between policies, practices, and strategies at the district level and actual changes in teaching and learning experienced by ELLs in their schools and classrooms?
  • In what ways do the experiences and strategies of improving
  • districts differ from those of school systems that serve similar populations, but that have yet to make similar progress?

Summary: The study looked at district-level policies and practices, historical, administrative, and programmatic contexts of four school systems with ELL student achievement growth between 2002 and 2006. This context was contrasted to two districts with minimal growth in ELL achievement. This examination of instructional reform strategies shed light on the experiences of large urban districts and highlighted specific strategies for reform. Even with considerable diversity in the districts, practices and preconditions in improving districts were fairly consistent. Striking contrasts emerged between the districts with indicated improvements for ELL students and those without.

Findings:

Contextual Features

  • Shared Vision for Reform
  • Leadership and Advocacy on Behalf of ELLs
  • Empowerment of the ELL Office
  • External Forces as Catalyst for Reforms

Promising Practices

  • Comprehensive Planning and Adoption of Language Development Strategies for ELLs
  • Extensive and Continuous Support for Implementation
  • A Culture of Collaboration and Shared Accountability
  • Hybrid Models of Instructional Management and Local Empowerment
  • Strategic School Staffing
  • High Quality, Relevant Professional Development
  • The Use of Student Data
  • Reallocation and Strategic Use of ELL Funds

Limiting Factors

  • No Coherent Vision or Strategy for the Instruction of ELLs System-wide
  • Site-Based Management without Support, Oversight, or Explicit Accountability for Student Progress
  • Lack of Access to the General Curriculum
  • No Systematic Use of Disaggregated Student Data
  • Inconsistent Leadership
  • No Systemic Efforts to Build ELL Staff Capacity
  • Compartmentalization of ELL Departments and Staff
  • The ELL Office Lacked Capacity and Authority

Policy Recommendations:

Contextual Recommendations

  • Develop clear instructional vision and high expectations for ELLs
  • Approach external pressure to improve services for ELLs and other students as an asset rather than a liability
  • Incorporate accountability for ELLs organizationally into the broader instructional operation of the school district
  • Empower strong ELL program administrators to oversee progress
  • Pursue community support for initiatives designed to accelerate achievement among English language learners

Strategic and Instructional Recommendations

  • Review general education and ELL programs to ensure that there is an explicit focus on building academic literacy and cultivating English language development
  • Ensure that all teachers of ELLs have access to high quality
  • professional development that provides differentiated instructional strategies, promotes the effective use of student assessment data, and develops skills for supporting second-language acquisition across the curriculum
  • Assess district standards for hiring, placing, and retaining teachers, paraprofessionals, and staff members who work directly with ELLs to ensure that these students have access to highly qualified personnel
  • Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the level of access that ELLs have to the entire spectrum of district course offerings, including gifted and talented programs and special education
  • Ensure that resources generated by and allocated for English language learners are properly and effectively expended to provide quality ELL instruction and services
  • Develop a system for tracking multiple measures of ELLs' educational progress

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
The Council of the Great City Schools 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 702 Washington, DC 20004 202-393-2427 202-393-2400 (fax)

The Return to English in a Non-English Speaking Country: Russian Immigrants and Native Israelis in Israel

by Kevin Lang and Erez Siniver/National Bureau of Economic Research

Lang, Kevin and Siniver, Erez, The Return to English in a Non-English Speaking Country: Russian Immigrants and Native Israelis in Israel (August 2006). NBER Working Paper No. W12464.

Topics Covered: About ELLs; Access, Equity, and Adequacy; Data (Demographics, Facts, and Figures); Higher Education and Careers;

Tags: Bilingualism / Biliteracy; Fluency; Language Proficiency; Other ELL Students (Middle Eastern, African, European, etc.);

Target Population: High School, Post-Secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: What role does English play for Russian immigrants to Israel and Israel natives? How does this role differ?

Summary: The purpose of the study presented is to examine the return to English knowledge by reviewing samples of Russian immigrants and Israeli natives. The importance of such data as cited by the article is 1) due to the high level of press on/about globalization and the importance of foreign language knowledge, 2) that examining the Hebrew acquisition as well as the English acquisition among Russian immigrants to Israel they are addressing the criticism of literature on the role of host-country language acquisition on assimilation, and 3) to contribute to other literature showing language-skill complementarities.

Findings:
Below are the findings as listed in the report (p. 2):

  • In cross-section estimates there is a significant return to English knowledge for both immigrants and natives with high levels of education.
  • Language acquisition is an important element in immigrant/native earnings convergence, but most of this convergence is explained by factors other language acquisition.
  • The results are confirmed using panel data on wages and knowledge of Hebrew and English over time.
  • The benefits of English knowledge vary across occupations in ways that are largely consistent with past evidence on language-skill complementarities.
  • Natives and immigrants with high levels of education benefit similarly from knowing English. While immigrants with low levels of education do not benefit from knowledge of English, there is some evidence that native Israelis do.
  • Conditional on occupation the rate at which immigrants learn English and Hebrew are largely orthogonal. Therefore earlier work on the importance of knowledge of the host country language (Hebrew) does not appear to be significantly biased by the absence of measures of English knowledge.

Policy Recommendations:
N/A

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
N/A

Who's Hispanic?

by Jeffrey Passel and Paul Taylor Pew Hispanic Center

Passel, Jeffrey and Paul Taylor. (2009). Who's Hispanic? Washington, D.C. Pew Hispanic Center.

Topics Covered: About ELLs; Access, Equity, and Adequacy; Parent Outreach;

Tags: Latino ELL Students; Rights, Parents; Rights, Students; Vocabulary;

Target Population: General

Research Questions the Report Poses: This article raises the question of what constitutes the Hispanic/Latino/Spanish ethnicity based on the definition adopted by the US Congress in 1976.

Summary: This article discusses the definitions reached by the U.S. Congress before deciding which categories describe a person from a Hispanic background. This article uses the example of Sonia Sotomayor to explain why she will be considered the first Hispanic Justice on the Supreme Court. The article also highlights the importance of knowing who is considered Hispanic under the U.S. Congress and how Congress will determine who is Hispanic during the 2010 Census done in the United States.

Findings:

  • The 1976 U.S. Congress act defines Hispanic/Latino/Spanish to be "Americans of Spanish origin and descent." (Passel and Taylor, 2009).
  • The upcoming 2010 Census will count as Hispanic/Latino/Spanish all persons who say they are. The Census will consider their origins, but it will take their word as the determining factor.
  • The 1976 U.S. Congress act defines Sonia Sotomayor as the first Hispanic/Latina/Spanish to be a leader in the Supreme Court.

Policy Recommendations:
N/A

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
Pew Hispanic Center 1615 L Street, NW Suite 700 Washington, DC 20036-5610