ELL Research: California

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?

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.

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

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

Tags: Curriculum; Reading; Writing;

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Copyright 2007 by the National Council of Teachers of English. Used with permission. Olson, C.B. and Land, R. (2007). A Cognitive Strategies Approach to Reading and Writing Instruction for English Language Learners in Secondary School. Research in the Teaching of English, 41(3), http://www.ncte.org/pubs/journals/rte/articles/126617.htm.

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?

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 across 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:

The authors recommend:

• Increased overall funding to adult ESL programs
• More mechanisms for distributing funds for ESL programs to areas and schools that have high demand
• Increasd enrollment caps so that schools do not have to pay out of their own pocket to have adult ESL programs

• Link to Full Report

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
Public Policy Institute of California 500 Washington Street Suite 800 San Francisco, California 94111

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

Tags: Comprehension; Language Proficiency; Transfer of Literacy Skills;

Target Population: Preschool, Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: How long does it take English language learners to develop oral proficiency and academic proficiency in English?

Findings:

• Rapid English language acquisition is unrealistic.
• The two California districts used in the sample are considered the most successful teaching English to limited English proficient students. In these high performing districts:
  • Oral proficiency takes 3 to 5 years to develop; and
  • Academic English proficiency takes 4 to 7 years to develop

Policy Recommendations:
California should begin a longitudinal survey to track the normative development of ELL students.

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To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
The University of California Linguistic Minority Research Institute University of California, Santa Barbara 4722 South Hall, MC 3220 Santa Barbara, CA 93106-3220

Hakuta, K., Butler, Y.G., and Witt, D. (2000, January). How long does it take English language learners to develop oral proficiency and academic proficiency in English? Stanford, CA: University of California Linguistic Minority Research Institute.

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 whether state assessments are appropriate accountability measures for English language learners.

Findings:
N/A

Policy Recommendations:
N/A

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

Tags: Language Proficiency; Latino ELL Students; Motivation; Reading; Transfer of Literacy Skills; Vocabulary; Writing;

Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• Who are immigrant students and students who do not speak English well?
• Where are they from, and what is their family background (social, economic, linguistic, etc.)?
• How well do they do in school?
• Do their literacy levels prepare them to take part in higher education and a skilled workforce?"

Findings:

• ELL populations are growing faster than general student populations
• The growth of ELL populations in different states varies widely
• Students in California are more likely to be "linguistically isolated" than students across the country or in the other three states studied
• 57% of ELLs across the country were born in the United States
• 70% of ELLs in grades 6-12 speak Spanish
• NAEP data examined for 8th grade ELLs shows that only 4% and 6% of ELLs scored proficient in reading and math, respectively
• ELLs performed radically different on state math and reading assessments from state to state
• There is a wide achievement gap between ELL and non-ELL students on the 8th grade NAEP as well as state standardized tests
• Former ELL students and non-ELL students scored roughly the same on NAEP and state assessments

Policy Recommendations:

• "Reexamine whether Census data accurately capture the [ELL] population"
• "Examine how varying state exclusion rates for ELL students affect NAEP results"
• "Explore the literacy trajectories of former [ELL] students"
• "Document how states vary in their testing and monitoring practices for ELL students who parents opt out of language instruction services"
• "Leverage the research opportunities that multi-state English proficiency tests offer for analyzing ELL outcomes"

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To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
http://www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/index.php

Batalova, J., Fix, M., and Murray, J. (2007). Measures of Change: The Demography and Literacy of Adolescent English Learners. Migration Policy Institute, Carnegie Corporation of New York: New York, NY.

Tags: Instructional Programs; Latino ELL Students; Motivation; Rights, 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)?

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

• Link to Full Report

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

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

Tags: Latino ELL Students; Motivation; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA; Rights, Parents; Rights, Students;

Target Population: Post-Secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: Are Hispanic students well-informed about their financial aid options for higher education? How does knowledge about financial aid affect Hispanic students' choices to pursue higher education?

Findings:

• 98% of respondents in the survey said that they felt it was important to have a college education
• 38% of respondents did not feel the benefits of college outweigh the costs
• Not being able to work and incurring debt were the opportunity costs associated with going to college
• The opportunity costs associated with going to college were not being able to work and incurring debt
• More than 50% of the respondents incorrectly thought students have to be U.S. citizens to apply for college financial aid
• Few respondents could accurately estimate the cost of attending either the University of California or California State University
• Overall, respondents demonstrated a lack of familiarity with government grants for education

Policy Recommendations:

• Students need to be better informed about the "less tangible, but real, social status differences that exist between the college-educated and the non-college educated" so that they feel that the opportunity costs of attending college are worth paying
• Because of misperceptions about how much college actually costs, Latino students may continue to be underrepresented on college campuses. To this end, perceptions must be corrected by presenting students with information about the realistic costs of attending college.
• Latino students need to be better informed about Cal Grants and Pell Grants, as well as other grant and loan opportunities available through state and federal government.
• Students and their parents both need to be educated about the system of college finances, including scholarships, loans, grants, and government guaranteed loans.
• Student perceptions about the significance of legal residency status vs. U.S. citizenship status need to be corrected, especially given the citizenship status of many students' parents

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

Zarate, E.Z., and Pachon, H.P. (2006). Perceptions of College Financial Aid Among California Latino Youth. Tomas Rivera Policy Institute: Los Angeles, CA.

Tags: Differentiated Instruction; Language Proficiency; Placement;

Target Population: middle and high school

Research Questions the Report Poses: What policy steps should occur in California to improve the education of secondary English Language Learners?

Findings:
A number of themes emerged from the panel discussants including:

• the need for identifying ELL students better; inadequate existing programs for ELL secondary students;
• the need for more teachers and administrators who are knowledgeable about the needs of secondary ELL students; and
• the importance of advocacy and staying on-message to improve ELL education.

Policy Recommendations:
The report adopts five policy steps that should occur including:

• Convene a panel of experts;
• Promote pilot programs;
• Develop an effective ELL assessment system;
• Establish a committee in the CA legislature to recruit and retain highly skilled ELL teachers and administrators; and
• Organize a summit to bring attention and focus to the need for improved ELL secondary education.

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To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
NA

Maxwell-Jolly, J., Gandara, P. & Benavidez L. M. (2005). Promoting academic literacy among secondary English language learners: A synthesis of research and practice. Davis, CA: UC Davis School of Education.

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?

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.

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

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

Tags: Curriculum; Instructional Programs; Language Proficiency; Latino ELL Students;

Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: "Why do California elementary schools serving similar proportions of low-income, Spanish speaking EL students differ by over 250 points on California's new EL Academic Performance Index score? What school practices can help explain this API gap?"

Findings:

• One practice strongly correlated with a higher EL-API among our sample of elementary schools was the extensive use of student assessment data by the district and the principal in an effort to improve instruction and student learning.
• EL-API performance was higher in schools where principals reported that a larger proportion of their teaching staff had qualities such as a demonstrated ability to raise student achievement, strong content knowledge, and others.
• Higher EL-API was correlated with schools in which teachers reported most strongly that there is school-wide instructional consistency within grades, curricular alignment from grade-to-grade, and that instruction is based upon state academic standards.
• A shared culture within the school regarding the value of improving student achievement and a sense of shared responsibility for it seems to distinguish the higher performing schools in our sample based on EL—APIs.
• A school's outreach to parents, encouragement of teacher collaboration, and enforcement of positive student behaviors (like attendance and tolerance) have long been recognized as important contributors to the student and professional culture at a school.

Policy Recommendations:

• California should "stay the course with its reforms" to make sure that "curriculum programs and state standards tests are well aligned with the state's academic standards."
• School districts need to provide "better assessment and other data on their students in easy-to-access formats"
• Hire more administrators to try to adjust the highest-in-the-nation pupil-to-administrator ratio in the country
• Professional development needs to provided to ensure that teachers have the resources they need to effectively combat the challenges that educating ELL students provides

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n/a

Williams, T., Hakuta, K., Haertel, E., et al. (2007). Similar English Learner Students, Different Results: Why Do Some Schools Do Better? A follow-up analysis, based on a large-scale survey of California elementary schools serving low-income and EL students. Mountain View, CA: EdSource.

Tags: Comprehension; Language of Instruction; Language Proficiency;

Target Population: High School

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• How are high school exit exams affecting districts, teachers, and students?
• How fair is it for states to require ELLs to pass an exit exam in order to graduate?
• What are the most effective strategies to help ELLs succeed on these exams?
• How are states accommodating ELLs on the exit exams?

Findings:

• Innovative programs and policies are beginning to spring up in states with exit exams.
• Over the past year, states have developed more supports for students and committed more funds to help students pass exit exams.
• Initial pass rates and achievement gaps have proved to be stubborn to move, especially in states where exit exams have been in place for several years.
• States are improving their ability to track and report on student–level data, which should help in the future to clear up some nagging questions about the impacts of exit exams on dropouts and achievement.
• Resolving fundamental questions about the fairness of exit exams and appropriateness of supports for English language learners is crucial if this reform is to succeed in helping all students.
• Rather than developing waivers or exemptions from exit exam requirements specifically for English language learners, states are choosing to require ELLs to pass exit exams, albeit with test accommodations.
• Evidence from New York and California indicates that former ELLs–students who become proficient in English and exit ELL status–are more likely to pass exit exams and are more likely to graduate than students as a whole.

Policy Recommendations:

• New strategies, which are mostly in the research stage, could increase the validity of exit exam scores for ELLs.
• New support policies and funding are necessary to improve achievement for these students and can lead to positive outcomes for ELLs.

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n/a

Sullivan, P., Yeager, M., Chudowsky, N., Kober, N., O'Brien, E., Gayler, K. (2005). State high school exit exams: States try harder, but gaps persist. Center on Education Policy: Washington, DC. Retrieved from: http://alaskateacher.org/downloads/exit_exam_8_12_05.pdf

Tags: Language Proficiency;

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?

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

• Read the Full Report

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)

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.

Tags: Bilingual Instruction; Differentiated Instruction; Language of Instruction; Placement;

Target Population: Elementary School

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• What are the key elements of successful bilingual schools?
• How do these six high–achieving bilingual schools implement those strategies?

Findings:
Among the features of effective schools and effective programs for English learner found in these six schools were:

• The bilingual programs were a school-wide effort.
• Teachers collaborated and team–taught, particularly for ELD instruction.
• Staff demonstrated extensive language and cultural competence.
• Staff displayed overall support for language and cultural diversity.
• Staff demonstrated a focus on the individual student and differentiated instruction.
• The school culture emphasized consistent monitoring of students' progress and teaching to rigorous academic standards.
• Staff articulated rigorous expectations of staff and students.
• Consistent leadership supported and benefited programs and instruction.
• Staff demonstrated a focus on consistent, coherent program design.

Policy Recommendations:

• Rather than debate the best approach for all English learners, we should improve schools by employing the most effective practices, whether using only English or with some form of bilingual instruction.
• Staff should identify areas of strength already in place at their own school, and then decide which paradigm features schools might improve their school.
• Additional research should be conducted, making use of the tools developed by the five–year Proposition 227 study to identify other successful schools with large proportions of English learners. Additional documentation of successful schools can counterbalance the impact of state and federal accountability systems that more often emphasize the schools that fail to perform to standards.

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Gold, N. (2006) Successful Bilingual Schools: Six Effective Programs in California. San Diego, CA: San Diego County Office of Education.

Tags: Bilingual Instruction; Bilingualism / Biliteracy; Curriculum; Instructional Programs; Language of Instruction;

Target Population: Preschool, Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• What types of programs should we provide for ELLs?
• Which programs are effective?
• How long should children be in these programs?
• Has Proposition 227 in California created gains for ELL students in the state?

Findings:

• Reviewing California data indicates that Proposition 227 has not resulted in major gains for ELLs.
• The implementation of one-year English immersion programs raises "significant legal questions" as well as civil rights questions.
• Inappropriate assessment for ELLs can result in students not receiving appropriate services and instruction and may also affect a student's likelihood of graduating from high school.

Policy Recommendations:

The authors recommend:

• Including language support programs as part of a comprehensive ELL strategy.
• Giving parents and schools flexible options for implementing language support programs.
• Clarifying the goals of federal language support programs so that schools can align instruction.
• Supporting appropriate evaluations to determine when children are ready to transition out of ELL/bilingual classes.
• Increasing accountability for schools and districts regarding achievement, assessment, and graduation rates.
• Focusing on improved instruction for ELLs and additional funding to support better instruction / professional development
• Supporting additional research to evaluate language support programs, assessment, and accommodations.
• Disseminate research-based information to policymakers.

• Link to Full Report

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
The Civil Rights Project 124 Mount Auburn Street, 500 North Cambridge, MA 02138

Ma, J. (2002, September). What works for the children? What we know and don't know about bilingual education. Cambridge, MA: The Civil Rights Project Harvard University.