Intervention

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.

• Read the Full Report

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: American Indian ELL Students; Asian ELL Students; Intervention; Latino ELL Students; Other ELL Students (Middle Eastern, African, European, etc.); Rights, Students;

Target Population: All

Research Questions the Report Poses: What are the disparities in well-being among U.S racial and ethnic groups?

Findings:

Asian Americans in New Jersey, with the highest Index scores, experience levels of well-being that, if current trends continue, the country as a whole will reach in about fifty years. At the other end of the spectrum, Native Americans in South Dakota lag more than a half-century behind the rest of the nation in terms of health, education, and income. Asian Americans in New Jersey live, on average, an astonishing 26 years longer, are 11 times more likely to have a graduate degree, and earn $35,610 more per year than South Dakota Native Americans.
• Asian Americans live the longest (86.6 years), followed by Latinos (82.8 years);
• African American life expectancy today is on par with that of the average American three decades ago;
• Latinos outlive whites, on average, by over four years, and in all but four states, Latinos either equal or surpass the national average in life span.
• In no U.S. states do African Americans, Latinos, or Native Americans earn more than Asian Americans or whites;
• Asian Americans and whites earn the most; Latinos and Native Americans earn the least. Native Americans' median earnings are less than $22,000, while whites' are more than $30,000;
• African Americans in Maryland earn almost $16,000 a year more than African Americans in Louisiana.
• Nearly one in five Asian American adults has a graduate degree;
• Latinos lag in education; nearly four in ten adults age 25 and older did not complete high school;
• In Florida, Maryland, and Virginia, about one in five Latino adults age 25 and older have obtained at least a bachelor's degree.

• Read the Full Report

Lewis, K. & Burd-Sharps, S. (2010). A Century Apart: Revealing Alarming Disparities in Well-Being among U.S. Racial and Ethnic Groups. Brooklyn, NY: American Human Development Project.

Tags: Curriculum; Instructional Programs; Intervention;

Target Population: Preschool, Elementary, Middle, High School, Post-Secondary, and public in general.

Research Questions the Report Poses: This report analyzes the importance of time as the determining factor to close the educational gap that exists in minority groups — especially Latinos/Hispanics— and their peers.

Findings:

• Expanded learning time initiatives hold great promise for the rapidly growing population of school-aged English language learners.
• Among the schools profiled above that expanded learning time schoolwide, school staff stressed that the additional time was indispensable for their English learners, but that expanded learning time offers benefits for all students. The lengthened school day and week allowed for individualized or small-group instruction to target learning gaps depending on students' needs.
• Some of the best practices that have been identified to meet these challenges and support expanded learning time at the high school level are distance learning and apprenticeships, internships, and career academies that provide opportunities to earn money and school credit.
• Research on expanded learning time is limited, particularly as it pertains to English language learners. Yet initiatives and academic achievement outcomes at the schools highlighted in the report suggest that additional learning time as a whole-school reform strategy merits strong and careful consideration, particularly among schools with a large English language learner population.

Policy Recommendations:

The Center for American Progress recommends:

• the implementation of expanded learning time as a schoolwide strategy for all students.
• consideration of issues that are unique to ELLs and expanded learning, such as support of late-entrant ELLs in high schools
• support for high schools facing some unique hurdles in implementing an expanded day and year, such
• as supporting students who work after school, on weekends, and during the summer; or
• accommodating students who want to participate in extracurricular activities
• increased opportunities for distance learning, apprenticeships, internships, and career academies that provide opportunities to earn money and school credit.

• Read the Full Report

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
John Neurohr, Deputy Press Secretary 202-481-8182 or jneurohr@americanprogress.org

Lazarin, Melissa. (2008). A Race Against the Clock. Washington, D.C. Center for American Progress.

Tags: Asian ELL Students; Intervention; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA;

Target Population: All

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• What are the characteristics and data demographics of Asian Americans in the state of Washington?
• How can Asian American ELLs be better served to improve English proficiency, school achievement, and student outcomes?

Findings:

• They speak more than 100 languages and dialects with 40% speaking a language other than English as their primary language. The five largest language groups are Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese-Cantonese, Tagalog, and Khmer (Cambodian).
• There is much variability when it comes to income, family education, English proficiency, etc across the groups (ie: While 36.8% of Asian Americans hold a bachelor's degree or higher, only 6.6% of Cambodians do so, compared to 67% and 58% of Taiwanese and Asian Indians, respectively.)
• More than 30% of Asian Americans receive Free/Reduced Price Lunch and 14% are enrolled in Transitional Bilingual Instruction Program (TBIP).
• Asian American ELL students are underserved, undersupported, and experience academic difficulties. Only one third of Asian Non–Native English speakers are in ELL programs and few receive language assistance services in their native language.
• Asian American students experience alienation and marginalization in schools to varying degrees, but WASL data reveal that Filipino American and Southeast Asian American students are most at risk.

Policy Recommendations:

• Adopt a data collection, research, and evaluation plan.
• Create a seamless pipeline pre–k through 16, incorporating co-curricular activities and community involvement.
• Use a broader range of measurements to evaluate student performance.
• Foster culturally responsive approaches and practices.
• Adopt effective ell programs, including highly–trained and quality teachers.
• Engage Asian American families in schools with informational meetings and translated print materials.
• Strengthen school–community partnerships.

• Read the Full Report

Hune, S. and D. Takeuchi. (2008). Asian Americans in Washington State: Closing Their Hidden Achievement Gaps. A report submitted to The Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs. Seattle, WA: University of Washington.

Tags: Instructional Programs; Intervention; Latino ELL Students; Motivation;

Target Population: Post-Secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: What are ways to increase the number of Latino STEM graduates?

Findings:

• The U.S. Department of Education reports that nearly 60% of Latinos in the American higher education system are enrolled in a community college. Of these students, 56% attend Hispanic-serving community colleges.
• Recent data from NSF shows that nearly 44% of all STEM B.S. degree holders attend community college at some point in their career.

• Read The Full Report

Dowd, A.C., Malcom, L.E., & Bensimon, E.M. (2009). Benchmarking the success of Latino and Latina students in STEM to achieve national graduation goals. Los Angeles, CA: University of Southern California.

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

Target Population: High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: Which practices best support effective instruction of adolescent ELLs?

Findings:
A number of principles and practices support improved achievement for adolescent ELLs as well as for their native-English-speaking peers:

• A schoolwide, team-based support network: all school educators must assume shared responsibility for the achievement of ELLs
• A dual curriculum that promotes the language development of ELLs as well as their general academic needs
• Global community classrooms that find a middle ground between integrating ELLs who are recent immigrants with the general school population and segregating them in self-contained classrooms or schools
• Extended time to learn: all available time in ELLs' school day should be used for effective instruction-including the idea of implementing flexible student pathwasy
• Individual progress records: maintenance of records of individual ELLs' linguistic and academic history and ongoing progress, with easy availability teachers and other key personnel

• Read the Full Report

Rance-Roney, J. (2009, April). “Best Practices for Adolescent ELLs.” Educational Leadership. 66(7). 32-37.

Tags: Intervention; Motivation;

Target Population: High School, Post-secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: What are some of the challenges Latino students face in graduating from high school, enrolling in college, completing a college education, and advancing in the workforce?

Findings:

• 86% of Escalera students from the 2008 cohort graduated from high school or obtained a General Equivalency Diploma (GED).
• 95% of eligible Escalera students from the 2009 cohort enrolled in college.
• 99% of Escalera graduates from the 2008 cohort persist in college past year one.
• Escalera students have more work experience and career knowledge than their non-Escalera peers.
• Students who have access to college and career exploration activities have a greater knowledge of career paths and associated academic requirements.

• Read the Full Report

Mirabal, F.A., Lucero, S. (2010). Beyond the Classroom: Creating Pathways to College and Careers for Latino Youth. Washington, DC: National Council of La Raza.

Tags: Intervention; Motivation; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA; Transfer of Literacy Skills;

Target Population: Post-secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: What are the promising practices for transferring students from two-year to four-year institutions?

Findings:
A Structured Academic Pathway:

• Institutional Articulation Agreements
• Dual Enrollment
• Developmental coursework initiatives
• Active learning

• Customer service forums
• Trio Student Support Services (SSS)
• Specialized advising
• Flexible scheduling
• First-year Seminar
• Learning communities
• Student engagement in campus life

• Staff and faculty role modeling
• Strategic planning
• Outreach

• Read the Full Report

Smith, C.T., Miller, A., & Bermeo, C.A. (2009). Bridging the Gaps to Success-Promising Practices for Promoting Transfer Among Low-Income and First-Generation Students. The Pell Institute. Retrieved January 10, 2011 from: http://www.pellinstitute.org/pdf/COE_Pell_Report_layout_3.pdf

Tags: Comprehension; Intervention; Language Proficiency; Struggling Readers;

Target Population: Post-secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: What policies are practices exist/should be developed to ensure to success of adolescent second-language learners?

Findings:

• Building Human Capital: Providing Educators with Tools to Support ELLs
• Meeting the Demand for ESL Specialists
• The Role of Partnerships and Cross-Systems Collaboration
• Recognizing the Diversity of the ELL Population and Differentiating Support
• College Access for ELL Students

Policy Recommendations:

• Build the capacity of all educators, including content-area teachers, to provide effective instruction for ELLs
• Support programs that develop a pipeline of educators who are trained and certified to specialize in ESL instruction
• Promote institutional partnerships and cross-systems collaboration
• Ensure that policies are responsive to the diversity of the ELL population.
• Support opportunities for postsecondary education and careers for immigrant students.

• Read the Full Report

Building Capacity to Promote College- and Career Readiness for Secondary English Language Learners: Policy Briefing featuring Austin, Texas. (2010.) Washington, DC: American Youth Policy Forum. Retrieved August 2, 2010 from: http://www.aypf.org/tripreports/2010/documents/Austin%20Building%20Capacity%20for%20ELLs%20Iss

Tags: Intervention; Motivation; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA;

Target Population: Post-secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: What are the ways immigrant workers educate themselves/get themselves to college/post-secondary opportunities?

Findings:

• A clear pathway to employment and/or job advancement is a critical part of the process;
• Employer investments are essential, although they may take different forms;
• Community college innovation is important, but "reinventing" the college is not required;
• Community partnerships are necessary to expand the boundaries of the program, a key element for recruitment and retention; and
• A clear and focused commitment to harness the potential of working Hispanic immigrants is required.

• Read the Full Report

Gershwin, M., Coxen, T., Kelley, B., & Yakimov. G. (2007, March). Building Tomorrow’s Workforce: Promoting the Education & Advancement of Hispanic Immigrant Workers in America. Corporation for a Skilled Workforce. Retrieved January, 4, 2011 from: http://www.skilledwork.org/sites/default/files/Lumina_Jan809.pdf

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

• Purchase article

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.

Tags: Books and Other Reading Materials; Instructional Programs; Intervention; Placement; Rights, Students;

Target Population: All

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• What are the demographics of LEP and LEP students with disabilities?
• What kind of instructional services do LEP and LEP with disabilities receive, and how do they align with statewide standards?
• What are the outcomes of LEP and LEP with disabilities?

Findings:

• In 2001–02, LEP comprised 8.4 % of the student population, with the majority in lower elementary grades.
• Spanish is the most common native language of LEP by far.
• Although the largest portion of the LEP student population is enrolled within only a few districts, there are many districts across the U.S. serving small numbers of LEP students.
• Instructional services for LEP vary greatly, especially in the areas of extent of services provided, and extent of use of native language, and for Sp–Ed LEP–services provided outside vs. inside the classroom.
• There has been a shift in the past 10 years in LEP instructional services toward services provided in English.
• There has been a dramatic increase (350%) in the number of teachers who work with at least one LEP student from '92–'02.
• 6/10 teachers who worked with three or more LEP students reported a median of four hours of relevant in–service training.
• District coordinators reported that the instruction LEP and Sp–Ed LEP students received was less aligned with State standards than that of non–LEP students.
• Many school districts and schools had considerable difficulty in providing a count of SpEd–MEP students.
• Fewer LEP students were in special education than the entire student population as a whole. (9.2& vs. 13.5%)
• Compared to LEP students, SpEd–MEP students are less likely to receive LEP instructional services, and more likely to receive instruction in English.
• Instructional services for Spanish–language SpEd–MEP students differed from services received by SpEd–MEP students from other language backgrounds.

Policy Recommendations:

• As mainstream classes become more diverse, in ethnicity, English proficiency, and instruction, teachers and aides face new challenges, which should be answered with additional training.
• Districts should keep better records on LEP and former LEPs, and consider both when analyzing student outcomes.
• Schools need to determine as early as possible if students' difficulties stem from second language learning or from a disability, and provide support accordingly.
• Further efforts are needed to define effective instruction for SpEd–MEP students, and to promote increased collaboration across the LEP and special education programs in providing SpEd–MEP services.

• Read the Full Report

U.S. Department of Education. (2002). To assure the free appropriate public education of all children with disabilities: Twenty-fourth annual report to Congress on the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Act. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.

Zehler, A. M., Fleischman, H. L., Hopstock, P. J., Pendzick, M. L., & Stephenson, T. G. (2003). Descriptive study of services to LEP students and LEP students with disabilities (No. 4 Special topic report: findings on special education LEP students). Development Associates, Inc.: Arlington, VA.

Tags: Bilingual Instruction; Bilingualism / Biliteracy; Comprehension; Content Areas: Math; Content Areas: Science; Content Areas: Social Studies; Content Areas: The Arts; Curriculum; Differentiated Instruction; Fluency; Instructional Programs; Intervention; Language of Instruction; Language Proficiency; Phonics; Phonological Awareness; Placement; Vocabulary; Writing;

Target Population: Preschool, Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: How do ELL students acquire literacy in a second language?

Findings:

• Instructional approaches that focus on phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension-have clear benefits for ELLs. Like their native English speaking peers, ELLs benefit from these strategies as well as writing instruction.
• For students to become literate in English several instructional qualities need to be met including: content coverage, intensity and thorough instruction,
• ELL specific instruction, monitoring learning, and teacher preparation.
• Oral proficiency and literacy in the first language can be used to facilitate literacy development in English.
• Researchers have documented few sociocultural impacts on literacy achievement or development. However, researchers have found that home language experiences can have a positive impact on literacy achievement.

• Link to Full Report

August, D. and Shanahan, T. (2006). Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners: Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth. Center for Applied Linguistics, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: Mahwah, NJ.

Tags: Intervention; Latino ELL Students; Motivation; Rights, Students;

Target Population: Post-Secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: How can data be used to determine ways to improve students’ success in community colleges in California?

Findings:

• Students who followed certain enrollment patterns did much better (i.e. earning at least 20 credits within the first year.) Unfortunately few students followed those patterns; therefore efforts should be made to encourage those habits/trends.
• There are bleak disparities between races/ethnicities (i.e., even lower success rate among blacks and Latinos) and given demographics trends (i.e., increase in Latinos) solving this problem is critical for our nation.
• Too many students fail to attain their 2-year degree. (After 6 years of enrollment 70% of students-80% of Latinos had not finished, and only 15% were still enrolled.)
• Transfer success is low. (Only 23% ultimately transferred to a 4-year university; and of Latinos specifically only 14%).
• Completion rates and levels of disparity vary widely across comparable colleges; therefore some colleges do actually find ways to promote completion, while others are lacking.
• For-profit sector's role is growing. (More students are transferring into for-profit sector.)

Policy Recommendations:

• Collect data and act upon it.
• Create a public agenda for higher education.
• Develop a reward system for student success.
• Maintain transfer function of community colleges so successful students will continue on to a state university.

• Read the Full Report

Moore, C. & Shulock, N. (2010). Divided We Fail: Improving Completion and Closing Racial Gaps in California’s Community Colleges. Sacramento, CA: California State University’s Institute for Higher Education Leadership & Policy.

Tags: Intervention; Placement;

Target Population: Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: There are large differences across countries in instructional time in schooling institutions. Can these differences explain some of the differences across countries in pupils’ achievements in different subjects?

Findings:

• The evidence from a sample of 15 year olds from over fifty countries and from a sample of 10 and 13 year olds in Israel consistently show that instructional time has a positive and significant effect on test scores.
• The effect of instructional time can be considered moderate or even large relative to other school level interventions for which we have reliable evidence.
• The estimated effect of instructional time is much lower in the sample of developing countries that participated in PISA 2006. The estimated effect of instructional time in this sample is only half of the effect size in the developed countries. The developing countries included in the PISA sample, for example Chile, Argentina or Thailand, are much more developed than the "typical" developing country. Given the recent evidence from India, Kenya and other very poor developing countries about the high rate of absenteeism of teachers from work, we can expect that the productivity of instructional time in the poorest developing counties in Africa and in South East Asia is even lower than in our sample of developing countries.

• Read the Full Report

Lavy, V. (2010, July). Do Differences in School's Instruction Time Explain International Achievement Gaps in Math, Science, and Reading? Evidence from Developed and Developing Countries. National Bureau of Economic Research. Retrieved January 6, 2011 from: http://www.nber.org/papers/w16227.pdf?new_window=1

Tags: Curriculum; Fluency; Instructional Programs; Intervention; Language Proficiency; Struggling Readers;

• Read the full report

Short, D., & Fitzsimmons, S. (2007). Double the Work: Challenges and solutions to acquiring language and academic literacy for adolescent English language learners– A report to Carnegie Corporation of New York. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education.

Tags: Intervention; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA; Struggling Readers;

Target Population: All

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• Is there a difference in academic achievement between mobile and non-mobile students?
• Is there a difference in academic achievement of mobile students who are low–income versus mobile students who are not? Does the effect of mobility on academic achievement vary according to student's income level?
• Are there differences in academic achievement of fourth grade students based on the mobility level of the school they attend?

Findings:

• A significant difference was found between academic achievement of mobile and non–mobile students, in both math and language arts.
• Economically disadvantaged students were found to suffer greater (negative) effects from mobility than students that were not categorized as economically disadvantaged.
• Mean mobility level of school was found to (negatively) affect academic outcomes.
• One explanation for the reduced academic performance is loss of social capital (ie lack of social support and low parental involvement).

Policy Recommendations:

• Mobility rates are higher among elementary school children than high school students, and there is greater mobility within the same district. Therefore policies considered for implementation to help mobile students should begin at the elementary level.
• Educators should consider developing protocols that identify students in need of additional support and provide relevant programs appropriate to address student needs.
• Educators should have a system in place that: (a) monitors student records to ensure appropriate placement; (b) provides both social and academic support for new students; (c) provides support for parents and families new to the school; and (d) provides support in developing curricula for transitioning students.

• Read the Full Report

Eddy, Lisa, "THE EFFECT OF STUDENT MOBILITY ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT" (2011). Doctoral Dissertations. Paper 177.

Tags: Differentiated Instruction; Intervention; Placement;

Target Population: All

Research Questions the Report Poses: Regardless of language of instruction, what are the most effective practices for teaching English language learners that will produce the most successful long–term outcomes?

Findings:

• Within the long–term English learners classification exist other categories of English learners with very different needs: special education students, those incorrectly labeled English proficient, migrants (within the U.S.), transitional students (return to and attend school in native country at least part of the year), recent immigrants (who have experience with core subjects but still need to learn academic English vocabulary and usage), and refugee children (who have never attended school.)
• Based on recent findings, what matters most in educating English learners is the quality of instruction, not the language. Certain salient features stand out as quality instruction practices: school structures and leadership; language and literacy instruction; integration of language, literacy, and content instruction in secondary schools; cooperative learning; professional development; parent and family support teams; tutoring; and monitoring implementation and outcomes.

Policy Recommendations:

• Reform and intervention should begin at early grades when children's needs are much more manageable and teachers are imparting new skills rather than remediating gaps.

• Read the Full Report

Calderon, M., Slavin, R., Sanchez, M. (2011). "Effective Instruction for English Learners." Immigrant Children 21 (1). The Future of Children. Retrieved from: http://www.futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=74&articleid=542

Tags: Differentiated Instruction; Intervention;

Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School

Findings:

• While the needs of Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFEs) may overlap with ELLs, SIFEs often need more additional support and remedial instruction than ELLs with a formal educational background.
• A well-designed program for SIFEs includes thematically organized literacy and content courses; small class size; and opportunities for teacher collaboration across ESL and content areas.
• After-school and Saturday programs can help students compensate for lost learning time and receive individualized instruction.
• Best practices for ensuring that SIFEs have access to the full curriculum include sheltered instruction, content-based ESL, standards-based learning, and collaborative learning.

Policy Recommendations:
N/A

• Read the Full Report

Office of English Language Learning & Migrant Education, Indiana Department of Education. (2007). Effective Programs for English Language Learners (ELL) with Interrupted Formal Education. Indianapolis, IN: Indiana Department of Education.

Tags: Intervention;

Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School

• Read the Full Report

American Federation of Teachers. (2007). English Language Learners and NCLB Testing Requirements. Washington, DC.

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

Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School

Findings:

• English language learners who need special education services are disadvantaged by the shortage of special educators who are trained to address their language- and disability-related needs simultaneously
• Improving the academic performance of students from non-English backgrounds requires a focus on the prevention of failure and on early intervention for struggling learners

• Read the Full Report

Ortiz, A. (2001). English Language Learners with Special Needs: Effective Instructional Strategies. Austin, TX: University of Texas.

Tags: Bilingual Instruction; Bilingualism / Biliteracy; Comprehension; Curriculum; Differentiated Instruction; Fluency; Instructional Programs; Intervention; Language of Instruction; Language Proficiency; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA; Struggling Readers; Transfer of Literacy Skills; Vocabulary; Writing;

Target Population: Preschool, Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: The paper provides an overview of research and knowledge that educators can use to create schools in which English learners thrive and achieve at high levels.

Policy Recommendations:

• Invest in building a qualified educator workforce;
• Build a meaningful accountability system for English learners;
• Assure that educators have the materials they need to deliver high quality English Language Development; and
• Demonstrate new models of successful schools for English learners

• Link to Full Report

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

Olsen, L. (2006). Ensuring Academic Success for English Learners. University of California: Linguistic Minority Research Institute.

Tags: Books and Other Reading Materials; Curriculum; Differentiated Instruction; Intervention; Language Proficiency; Motivation; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA; Reading;

Target Population: Preschool, Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: What strategies or programs can educators adopt to create schools in which ELLs learn and thrive?

Findings:
A comprehensive system of schooling for ELLS includes the following nine elements:

• High quality and accessible preschool education
• Supports for newcomers to meet needs of transition
• A comprehensive program of English Language development
• A program providing full access to challenging curriculum
• High quality instruction and materials
• Inclusive and affirming school climate
• Valid, comprehensive, and useful assessments
• Strong family and community partnerships
• Schools structured to meet the particular needs of English learners.

Policy Recommendations:

• Invest in building a qualified educator workforce;
• Build a meaningful accountability system for English learners;
• Assure that educators have the materials they need to deliver high quality English Language Development;
• Demonstrate new models of successful schools for English learners

• Read the full report (128KB PDF)*

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:

University of California

Linguistic Minority Research Institute

4722 South Hall

Santa Barbara, CA 93106-3220

Olsen, L. (2006). Ensuring Academic Success for English Learners. University of California: Linguistic Minority Research Institute.

Tags: Intervention; Motivation; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA; Rights, Students;

Target Population: All

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• In what ways and to what extent are today's children underserved by parents and adults in general?
• What are the essential resources children require that will assure their success in the future?
• How can parents and communities work to provide these resources to all children?

Findings:

• Children who enjoy the sustained and cumulative benefit of having at least four of the Five Promises across various contexts of their lives are much more likely to be academically successful, civically engaged and socially competent, regardless of their race or family income.
• Having enough of the Five Promises helps to mitigate the disparities among our nation's young people, for instance those based on race/ ethnicity or family income. Though access to these resources remains deeply unequal in America, their presence in critical mass can be a great equalizer. Regardless of race, gender or family income level, children who enjoy at least four of these five core resources are more likely to thrive.
• Only 31% of young people today are receiving enough of the developmental resources that will give them genuine reason for confidence about their success as adults.
• 21% —or over 10 million 6–to–17–year&ndash'olds— have a very low chance of success.
• The stereotype of children and teens as slackers with a weak work ethic is a myth. Young people are looking for more help from adults, but not a handout. They are willing to work hard to reach their goals.
• The greatest returns to society result from a balanced investment strategy throughout childhood, not just in early childhood. The biggest economic benefits result from targeting interventions toward underserved youth. These returns take the form of increased high school graduation rates and college enrollment, reduced involvement with the criminal justice system and reduced welfare dependency, which in turn provide direct and indirect economic benefits to our nation.
• Some of the areas that access to the 5 Promises positively effects are: overall health, grade and school attendance, drug use, social competence, school dropout rates, crime.

Policy Recommendations:

• The bottom–line implication from this research is clear: For maximum return, start investing in young people at an early age—and don't stop.
• Consider the "Whole Child" ie educational reforms should go beyond the school.
• Engage all sectors of society.
• View investments as more than programs—without minimizing their role: Cost–effective, targeted programs may offer the best strategy for mitigating the risk factors otherwise working against children placed at major disadvantages.
• Focus attention on the young people who are most underserved.

• Read the Full Report

"Every Child Every Promise: Turning Failure Into Action." Washington, DC: America's Promise Alliance. Retrieved from http://www.americaspromise.org/Resources/Research-and-Reports/~/media/Files/About/ECEP%20-%20Full%20Report.aspx

Tags: Intervention;

Target Population: All

Research Questions the Report Poses: What are the features of state response to intervention initiatives as evidenced by publicly available information from state education agencies?

Findings:

• An RTI framework typically contains 8 core features outlined by the National Re-search Center on Learning Disabilities: high quality classroom instruction, research–based instruction, assessment of classroom performance, universal screening, continuous progress monitoring, research–based interventions, progress monitoring during interventions, and fidelity measures.
• 7 of the 9 jurisdictions in the region have developed state documents on RTI that address core features of RTI identified in the literature. These 7 jurisdictions—CT, ME, MA, NH, NY, RI, and VT—use or promote RTI as an approach to supporting struggling students in general education or to determine eligibility for special education at the local level.
• While there was no evidence of RTI policies or procedures in Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands, that is not evidence that these two jurisdictions do not allow RTI.
• Of the 7 states that support RTI initiatives, all require or recommend a three–tiered model of intervention; 5 require or recommend use of a readiness self–assessment or plan (ME, NH, NY, RI, and VT), and 4 have appropriated funds for RTI pilot or demonstration sites (NH, NY, RI, and VT).

• Read the Full Report

Bocala, C., Mello, D., Reedy, K., and Lacireno-Paquet, N. (2009). Features of state response to intervention initiatives in Northeast and Islands Region states (Issues & Answers Report, REL 2009–No. 083). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast and Islands. Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs.

Tags: Books and Other Reading Materials; Intervention; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA;

Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: Which media are young people using, and how much? How does media use vary across ages and races?

Findings:

• Kids are using media more than ever in the past.
• Media consumption varies by age: 11-14-year-olds consume the most by far (12 hours a day); younger kids (8-10-year-olds) read more than older kids; older teenagers (15-18-year-olds) listen to more music than anyone else.
• Boys consume more media than girls, especially in video games and computers, though girls spend more time on social media, music, and print media.
• The disparity in media use between races has drastically increased (doubled) since 2004- Minority kids (Black and Hispanic) use 4.5 hours more of media than do white kids.

Policy Recommendations:
The findings should be used by policymakers addressing national media policies, parents curious of their children’s media habits, and educators, advocates, and public health groups concerned with the impact of media on youth, and those interested in the educational and informational potential of media in young people’s lives.

• Read the Full Report

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
orders@kff.org

Rideout, V.J., Foehr U.G., & Roberts D.F. (2010) Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8-to 18-Year-OIds. Washington, D.C.: Kaiser Family Foundation.

Tags: Intervention; Latino ELL Students; Motivation; Rights, Students;

Target Population: Post-Secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• How does the educational attainment vary among subgroups of immigrants?
• What factors account for these differences?
• What barriers do some immigrant students face? What is the payoff to postsecondary education in U.S. society?

Findings:

• Mexican and Latin American immigrants have, on average, relatively low rates of participation and success in postsecondary education.
• Language barriers and lack of familiarity with U.S. social institutions create difficulties, but it is not immigrant status per se that explains the unsatisfactory outcomes for these immigrant populations.
• Overall, immigrants and their children are actually more likely than natives (of the same countries of origin) to earn college degrees.
• The gaps among groups from different countries of origin are large. Those from China, Japan, and many African countries have high success rates. Those from Mexico, Guatemala, Haiti, Laos, and Cambodia fare less well.
• The children of immigrants who benefited from postsecondary education in their countries of origin are likely to succeed in the United States. The children of parents who are not in a position to help them prepare for and navigate the postsecondary system are likely to struggle.

Policy Recommendations:

• Because immigration has become such a divisive political issue in the United States, focusing on the benefits to society of opening doors to higher education for all is the most promising strategy.
• Sometimes, changes in motivation and behavior resulting from financial incentives, rather than the extra funds themselves, can be central to improved postsecondary success. Judith Scott–Clayton, for example, found that West Virginia's state grant program increases college completion rates by establishing clear academic goals and providing incentives to meet them.
• Policies to improve the elementary and secondary school experiences of all children are likely the most important components of a strategy to improve the postsecondary success of immigrant children.

• Read the Full Report

Baum, S., Flores, S.M. (2011.) "Higher Education and Children in Immigrant Families." Immigrant Children 21 (1). The Future of Children. Retrieved from: http://www.futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=74&articleid=545.

Tags: Intervention; Latino ELL Students;

Target Population: High School, Post-secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: What are the current statistics for Latinos, high school dropouts and the GED?

Findings:

• As of 2008, Hispanic adults with a GED had a higher unemployment rate than Hispanic adults with a high school diploma - 9% versus 7%.
• However, Hispanic full-time, full-year workers with a GED had about the same mean annual earnings ($33,504) as Hispanics full-time, full-year workers with a high school diploma ($32,972).

• Read the Full Report

Fry, R. (2010). Hispanics, High School Dropouts and the GED. Pew Hispanic Center. Retrieved January 7, 2011 from: http://pewhispanic.org/files/reports/122.pdf

Tags: Content Areas: Math; Intervention; Language Proficiency; Latino ELL Students; Rights, Students;

Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: How Far Behind in Math and Reading are English Language Learners?

Findings:

• The ELL achievement gap widens at higher grades.
• Nationally, ELL students tend to trail further behind their peers in reading than in math.

Policy Recommendations:
None given

• Link to Full Report

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

Fry, R. (2007). How Far Behind in Math and Reading are English Language Learners? Pew Hispanic Center: Washington, D.C.

Tags: Differentiated Instruction; Instructional Programs; Intervention;

Target Population: High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: How do high schools with exemplary achievement growth achieve such results? In particular, how do they improve instruction?

Findings:

• Accepted their responsibility to lead the change process.
• Declared the purposes of the work in mission statements that focused on a few key ideas and priorities that stakeholders could understand and embrace.
• Designed strategies, plans, capacity, and incentives for broadly inclusive adult learning.
• Developed and refined quality standards for judging teacher and student work.
• Skillfully and relentlessly implemented plans, monitored quality, and provided appropriate supports and incentives.

• Read the Full Report

How High Schools Become Exemplary: Ways That Leadership Raises Achievement and Narrows Gaps by Improving Instruction in 15 Public High Schools. (2009). Achievement Gap Initiative (AGI) at Harvard University. Retrieved January 6, 2011 from: http://www.agi.harvard.edu/events/2009Conference/2009AGIConferenceReport6-30-2010web.pdf

Tags: Intervention; Other ELL Students (Middle Eastern, African, European, etc.); Rights, Parents; Rights, Students;

Target Population: All

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• In what conditions do children of immigrants to America live?
• How can their well–being be improved?

Findings:

• Depending on their country of origin, immigrant children vary widely in their educational achievement, legal and health status, living arrangements and economic resources.
• Although participation in early childhood education programs can offset multifarious problems, immigrant children attend such programs at lower rates than do native children due to various barriers.
• Performance of immigrant children in K–12 education varies by generational status and national origin. Poor parental education, poor–quality schools, and segregated neighborhoods, however, pose risk factors for immigrant children generally.
• Youths from Asia and the Middle East are better represented in postsecondary educational institutions than those from Latin America, Laos, and Cambodia.
• There are formidable barriers to postsecondary education for youth who lack legal status despite having attending U.S. schools previously and qualifying for admission to college.
• Achievement disparities between immigrant children who do not speak English fluently and English–proficient students are wide and persistent.
• Immigrant children are less likely than native children to have health insurance and regular access to medical care.
• Although disadvantaged immigrant families face formidable barriers to upward mobility, their children can overcome these obstacles through simultaneously learning the language and culture of the host society while preserving their home country language, values, and customs.

Policy Recommendations:

• The U.S. should invest in immigrant youth to enable them to contribute to national prosperity.
• Strengthen immigrant children's access to high–quality education: enable more immigrant children to attend preschool, offer effective English language instruction, and reduce financial and nonfinancial barriers to participation in college.
• Resolve legal status issues of immigrant children.

• Read the Full Report

Tienda, M., Haskins, R. (2011) "Immigrant Children: Introducing the Issue." Immigrant Children 21 (1). The Future of Children. Retrieved from: http://www.futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=74&articleid=538.

Tags: Intervention; Language Proficiency;

Target Population: Post-secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• What are the opportunities and challenges that immigrant children present to community colleges?
• What strategies can community colleges use to serve the rapidly growing population of immigrants more effectively?

Findings:

• Immigrant students experience different challenges based on when they arrived in the country and consequently how academically prepared they are (either in their home country or U.S.)
• College participation varies greatly among immigrant students based on ethnic background.
• For all high school graduates, immigrants were more likely than native–born students of the same racial or ethnic group to enroll in any form of postsecondary education.
• Immigrant college students are at higher risk of dropping out of college than native–born students. Some of the risk factors for dropping out are: enrolling at age 24 and up, having dependents, working part– or full–time, and familial obligations.
• Many immigrant students are not well prepared academically for college coursework, so they frequently need remedial education, often as a result of deficient English proficiency, before they can enroll in college–level courses.
• One of the greatest needs of immigrant students is to improve their English–language skills.
• Many immigrant students have great financial need but often lack information about how to finance college costs, and consequently they underuse financial aid resources.

Policy Recommendations:

• Outreach programs to assists students and families with academic and financial planning, help students complete college applications, and conduct college visits and educational field trips.
• Accelerated "pathways to college" programs that combine high–intensity instruction with curricular and precollege efforts aim to improve academic preparation for immigrant students during high school while strengthening their postsecondary aspirations and expectations.
• Aside from legislation and federal aid, community colleges themselves can assist students: by conducting fundraising campaigns for scholarships, and by providing services such as transportation and child care.
• Reform is needed so that federal and state aid can cover tuition for English as a Second Language (ESL) courses and remediation. The use of Pell grants to finance ESL instruction should be broadened.
• Within community colleges themselves, high-intensity language programs can extend students' learning outside the classroom by using different curricula to meet the needs of various types of immigrant students (ie seeking immediate job marketability vs. planning for eventual transfer to academic courses.
• Community colleges should also take action to hire more ESL faculty and to improve their preparation for teaching English to immigrant students.
• Community colleges should provide counseling, orientation, and academic planning tailored to the needs of immigrant students.

• Read the Full Report

Teranishi, R.T., Suarez–Orozco, C., Suarez–Orozco, M. (2011) "Immigrants in Community Colleges." Immigrant Children 21 (1). The Future of Children. Retrieved from: http://www.futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=74&articleid=544.

Tags: Instructional Programs; Intervention; Language Proficiency; Latino ELL Students; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA; Placement; Rights, Students;

Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: This issue brief is designed to help inform future dialogue on assessment and accountability. The brief examines the progress and manner in which states have implemented the federal law's accountability and testing provisions with respect to ELLs.

Findings:
NCLB implementation with respect to ELLs has failed to live up to the law's promise. State and district accountability systems not only must include ELLs, they must be implemented in a way that effectively closes the existing academic achievement gap for ELLs.

Policy Recommendations:

• The U.S. Department of Education should increase research and investment in the development of a range of appropriate assessments and testing accommodations, including native-language and simplified English tests for ELLs.
• The U.S. Department of Education should provide firm guidance to states regarding the law's directive to assess ELLs "to the extent practicable, in the language and form most likely to yield accurate data."
• With enforcement by the U.S. Department of Education, states and districts must continue to assess ELLs and include them in AYP determinations.
• The Administration and Congress should fine-tune the definition of AYP for ELLs.
• The U.S. Department of Education and Congress should enhance accountability measures for secondary ELLs, particularly late-entrant ELLs. The U.S. Department of Education, states, and districts should improve reporting of assessment data and other AYP indicators to parents of ELLs.
• The U.S. Department of Education and Congress should ensure equitable access to supplemental services for ELLs.
• The President and Congress must increase the federal investment in English language learner programs (Title III).
• The U.S. Department of Education should increase its investment in the development of assessments for ELLs The President and Congress should increase federal support for Parent Assistance Programs.
• States should ensure fiscal equity in their education finance systems, with adequate inclusion of resources for ELLs.

• Go to full report

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
The National Council of La Raza (NCLR)
Attention: Office of Publications
Raul Yzaguirre Building
1126 16th Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
Tel: 202.785.1670
Fax: 202.776.1794

Lazarín, M. (2006). Improving Assessment and Accountability for English Language Learners in the No Child Left Behind Act. National Council of La Raza: Washington, DC.

Tags: Comprehension; Instructional Programs; Intervention; Language Proficiency; Latino ELL Students; Placement; Writing;

Target Population: Middle, High School, Post-Secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: What issues should states consider to improve schooling for English language learners?

Findings:

• ELLs need high quality instruction focused on advanced literacy skills and not just on language acquisition; and
• Immersion-only programs lead to increased special education placements
• Latino ELLs are overrepresented in special education and lower tracked classrooms;

Policy Recommendations:

• States and districts need to redesign literacy work for ELLs in high schools to change from remediation to academic enrichment; and
• States and districts need to ensure that ELLs participate in rigorous, college preparation courses and receive support so that they can succeed in these courses

• Link to Full Report

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

Koelsch, N. (2006). Improving literacy outcomes for English language learners in high school: Considerations for states and districts in developing a coherent policy Framework. National High School Center .

Tags: Intervention; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA;

Target Population: All

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• What are the main patterns of K–12 experience for immigrant youth?
• What is the "immigrant paradox" and how broadly applicable is it?

Findings:

• The "immigrant paradox" is the trend that that immigrant youth enjoy academic advantages in the relative absence of the socioeconomic advantages, such as high parental education and income, which are usually associated with school success.
• This apparent advantage, however, is more pronounced among the children of Asian and African immigrants than other groups, among boys than girls, and in secondary than elementary school.
• With support from families, schools, and communities, therefore, fluency in multiple languages has academic advantages that likely factor into the immigrant paradox.
• Overall, strong family ties and parental attachment and support are resources for immigrant youth, providing the security and assistance they need to meet the challenges of school, even though this support comes in less obvious means.
• Although many immigrant youth more problematic schools that pose academic risks that could impair academic performance, such risks seem to affect these immigrant youth less than students with native–born parents, suggesting that they may be more resilient in problematic schools than their peers.
• Indeed, ECLS–K teachers rated the children of both Hispanic and Asian immigrants as better adjusted than children of U.S.–born white, Asian, Hispanic, and black parents.

Policy Recommendations:

• Targeting the Latino population is one way for policy makers to address numerous kinds of educational disparities. Moreover, given the many community and family strengths of Latin American immigrants, this population has potential to respond positively to interventions targeting these related disparities.
• Efforts by policy makers to promote college–going among immigrant youth must focus on coursework as well as on other areas of college preparation that require inside knowledge, such as knowing how to apply for aid.
• Because a lack of contact between immigrant families and schools might contribute to immigrant risks and undercut immigrant advantages, efforts to open dialogue between the two could be valuable.
• Policy–makers should seek to increase parental involvement by initiating efforts grounded in the lives of families, flexible to language and schedule barriers.

• Read the Full Report

Crosnoe, R. and Lopez Turley, R. "K–12 Educational Outcomes of Immigrant Youth." Immigrant Children 21 (1). The Future of Children. Retrieved from: http://www.futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=74&articleid=543.

Tags: Intervention; Struggling Readers;

Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• What are the numbers and characteristics of students who change schools, and what are the reasons students change schools?
• What is known about the effects of mobility on student outcomes, including academic achievement, behavior, and other outcomes?
• What challenges does student mobility present for schools in meeting the educational needs of students who change schools?
• What key federal programs are schools using to address the needs of mobile students?

Findings:

• Students who change schools often face challenges due to differences in what is taught and how it is taught
• Students may arrive without records or with incomplete records, making it difficult for teachers to make placement decisions and identify special education needs.
• Teachers and principals told us that schools face challenges in supporting the needs of these students' families, the circumstances of which often underlie frequent school changes.
• These schools face the dual challenge of educating a mobile student population, as well as a general student population, that is often largely low-income and disadvantaged
• Teachers and principals told us that mobile students are often eligible for and benefit from federal programs for low-income, disadvantaged students, such as Title 1, Part A of ESEA which funds tutoring and after-school instruction.
• Rely on the McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program, which provides such things as clothing and school supplies to homeless students and requires schools to provide transportation for homeless students who lack permanent residence so they can avoid changing schools.

• Read the Full Report

K-12 Education: Many Challenges Arise in Educating Students Who Change Schools Frequently. (2010). U.S Government Accountability Office. Retrieved January 13, 2011 from: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d1140.pdf

Tags: Intervention;

Target Population: Elementary

Findings:

• While many ELLs may fall behind due to a lack of English proficiency, their placement rates in special education are higher than they should be, and research suggests that many ELLs are inappropriately placed in special education because they have not received appropriate instruction.
• The identification of ELLs for special education presents confounding factors that may distort the truth about their levels of proficiency in first and second languages as well as their academic skills.
• Interventions that have most successfully advanced the reading skills of both at-risk ELLs and ELLs with an identified language or reading disability align very closely with interventions proven effective with monolingual English speakers who are struggling to read.
• Building teachers' capacity through teacher education programs, professional development agencies, and ongoing support to implement instructional practices designed to serve ELLs is as significant a priority as designing effective instructional approaches.

• Read the Full Report

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
Not specified

Rivera, M. O., Moughamian, A. C., Lesaux, N. K., & Francis, D. J. (2008). Language and reading interventions for English language learners and English language learners with disabilities. Portsmouth, NH: RMC Research Corporation, Center on Instruction.

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

• Purchase Report

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

Tags: Intervention; Motivation; Struggling Readers; Transfer of Literacy Skills;

Target Population: Elementary, Middle school

Research Questions the Report Poses: What are the long-term educational consequences of summer learning differences based on family socioeconomic level?

Findings:

• Prior to high school, the achievement gap by family SES traces substantially to unequal learning opportunities in children's home and community environments.
• With learning gains across social lines more nearly equal during the school year, the experience of schooling tends to offset the unequalizing press of children's out-of-school learning environments. Schooling thus appears to play a compensatory role, though there may still be unequal access to resources or opportunities even in school.
• Summer learning differences during the foundational early grades help explain achievement-dependent outcome differences across social lines in the upper grades; this includes the transition out of high school and, for some, into college, which is oftentimes determined by whether a student is in on a college-prep track, which itself is determined by class placement based on freshman test performance.
• Since it is low SES youth specifically whose out-of-school learning lags behind, this summer shortfall relative to better-off children contributes to the perpetuation of family advantage and disadvantage across generations.
• The fact that achievement gaps are smaller during the school year than the summer shows that 2 common assumptions are false: that minority students have less ability to achieve and that school systems are failing.

Policy Recommendations:

• Early interventions to keep the achievement gap from opening wide in the first place should be a high priority, and the earlier the better, with the kinds of preschool compensatory education initiatives that have proven effective.
• Once in school, disadvantaged children need year-round, supplemental programming to counter the continuing press of family and community conditions that hold them back.
• Create summer schools that incorporate so-called best practice principles that target disadvantaged students specifically.
• An accountability system that monitors progress fall to spring, perhaps relative to an expected summer gain baseline be more appropriate for gauging a school's effectiveness. The current arrangement under NCLB is useful for identifying need, but little more, and certainly not for apportioning blame.

• Read the Full Report

Alexander, K.L., Entwisle, D.R., & Olson, L.S. (2007). Lasting consequences of the summer learning gap. American Sociological Review, 72. Retrieved from http://brettberk.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/april07asrfeature.pdf

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

Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: What elements of the Healthy School Community (HSC) project yield the best results for improving school health?

Findings:

• The single most important factor is having an engaged and effective principal who fully embraces the HSC model, actively participating but also distributing tasks among a team.
• Collaboration of various forms is crucial. This includes letting parents have a say in matters, getting community members involved and personally invested in the success of the school, and networking with other healthy schools for strategies.
• "Healthy" schools that focus on the "whole child" are the best kind because teachers can teach to their fullest abilities and students can learn to their highest potential.

Policy Recommendations:

• Build a team dedicated to improving school health that is led by a principal but broken into teams, which incorporates parents, teachers, and stakeholders of the community.
• Enact systemic, rather than programmatic change, by making foundational changes such as rewriting mission/goals and getting everyone involved in changes as opposed to the principal making decisions singlehandedly.

• Read the Full Report

ASCD (2010). Learning, Teaching, and Leading in Healthy School Communities. Alexandria, VA: ACSD.

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?

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.

• Read the Full Report

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

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

Tags: Curriculum; Intervention;

Target Population: All

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• What is the nature of summer learning loss?
• Are summer learning programs effective in improving student achievement?
• What are the elements of effective summer programs?
• How much do summer learning programs cost?
• What are the facilitators and challenges to implementing summer programs?

Findings:

• Summer learning loss, which is disproportionate and cumulative, contributes substantially to the achievement gap.
• Students who attend summer programs have better outcomes than similar peers who do not attend these programs.
• Strategies for maximizing quality, enrollment, and attendance to achieving benefits.
• Cost is the main barrier to implementing summer learning programs.
• Districts question the cost–effectiveness of summer learning programs, and many have discontinued them in response to budget cuts.
• Partnerships can strengthen summer learning programs.
• Developing and sustaining district-based voluntary summer learning programs is challenging but feasible.

Policy Recommendations:

• Invest in highly qualified staff and early planning.
• Embed promising practices into summer learning programs (such as smaller class sizes, involving parents, individualized instruction, maximizing attendance, aligning school and summer curricula, etc)
• Consider partnerships when developing summer learning programs.
• Think creatively about funding.
• Extend the research base: (study multiple outcomes beyond academic performance, cost-effectiveness, how to attract consecutive attendees, etc)
• Support consistent funding sources for summer learning programs.
• Provide clear guidance regarding the use of scarce funds.

• Read the Full Report

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
To order RAND documents or to obtain additional information, contact Distribution Services: Telephone: (310) 451.7002; Fax: (310) 451.6915; Email: order@rand.org

McCombs, J.S., Augustine, C.H., Schwartz, H.L., Bodilly, S.J., McInnis, B., Lichter, D.S. and Cross, A.B. (2011) Making Summer Count: How Summer Programs Can Boost Children's Learning. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. Retrieved from http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG1120.

Tags: Content Areas: Math; Content Areas: Science; Content Areas: Social Studies; Differentiated Instruction; Intervention; Motivation; Placement; Reading; Struggling Readers; Transfer of Literacy Skills; Vocabulary; Writing;

Target Population: Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: What instructional practices dovetail in both the ELL adolescent literacy literature and non-ELL adolescent literacy literature?

Findings:
Eight instructional approaches are supported in both literatures (what's good for ELL adolescents and adolescent native English speakers):

1. teacher modeling, strategy instruction, and using multiple forms of assessment;
2. emphasis on reading and writing;
3. emphasis on speaking and listening/viewing;
4. emphasis on thinking;
5. creating a learner-centered classroom;
6. recognizing and analyzing content-area discourse features;
7. understanding text structures within the content areas; and
8. vocabulary development.

Policy Recommendations:
Any intervention aimed at ELLs should also benefit under–served learners generally.

• Link to Full Report

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
The Education Alliance at Brown
222 Richmond Street, Suite 300
Providence, RI 02903-4226
Phone: 800.521.9550
Fax: 401.421.7650
E-mail: info@alliance.brown.edu

Meltzer, J. & Hamann, E. (2004). Meeting the literacy development needs of adolescent English language learners. Part two: Focus on classroom teaching and learning strategies. Northeast and Islands Regional Educational Laboratory .

Tags: Intervention; Language Proficiency; Motivation; Placement; Struggling Readers;

Target Population: Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• What is the best middle to high school transitions for ELLs?
• What happens to the ELL moving from eighth to ninth grade in a SLC?
• How are his or her unique educational needs considered?
• Is the instructional program designed to seamlessly integrate English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) instruction with the SLC or ninth?grade transitional programs?
• Is the student required to choose between accessing linguistically appropriate instruction and accessing the benefits of a career or technical academy?
• Does the student's de facto status as an ELL preclude him or her from taking part in programs and courses within the SLC schools?

Findings:

• In order to ensure that ELL students catch up with their peers, the school must place emphasis on intense ELD instruction.
• Teachers should use specialized instructional methodologies to build their abilities to teach content to ELL students.
• Beneficial to ELL transitions are the flexible delivery and scheduling of academic and non-academic supports.
• It does not appear that any one school is implementing a coherent service delivery plan. Instead, there are examples of isolated implementation of best practices in a given area, but not across the school or for all ELL students

• Read the Full Report

Lara, J., & Harford, S. (n.d.). Middle-to-High School Transition for English Language Learners: Promising School-Based Practices. Smaller Learning Communities Program. Retrieved January 13, 2011 from: http://www.edweek.org/media/final-middletohighschool.pdf

Tags: Intervention; Libraries; Rights, Students;

Target Population: All

Research Questions the Report Poses: Are provided resources to migrant children equal to those provided to non-migrant children?

Findings:

• Migrant children consistently achieve at lower levels than their counterparts.
• Professional staffing levels are generally higher at schools with large numbers of migrant children, and there are lower student-teacher ratios.
• Schools with large numbers of migrant children engaged in a number of special schooling initiatives.
• Regarding library books and computer technology, there was no consistent pattern that favored either group of children.
• There were no reports from the principals of schools that children at schools with no migrant children were being afforded disproportionate resources by the district at the expense of migrant children.

Policy Recommendations:
It is time to consider other and different institutional and structural changes apart from what has been offered in the past in order to truly provide migrant children true equal education opportunity in our public schools.

• Read the Full Report

Migrant Students: Resources for Migrant Children Similar to Other Students but Achievement Still Lags. (2007). Florida State Advisory Committee.

Tags: Intervention; Language Proficiency; Latino ELL Students; Placement;

Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: Do "excellence gaps" exist? (differences in achievement between subgroups of students performing at the highest levels)

Findings:

• There are in fact notable and statistically significant excellence gaps between student subgroups, the largest being between native English speakers and English language learners; the smallest being between male and female.
• Proficiency scores indicate the gap is worse in math, while percentile comparisons suggest reading. National data is more reliable and standardized, though state data also suggests the presence of excellence gaps.
• While test scores are increasing overall, high-performance students fall, in disproportionate numbers, into the "overrepresented" categories (i.e., white, affluent, English-proficient.)
• The results suggest that focus on minimum competency gaps (i.e., No Child Left Behind Act) put high-performing students at a disadvantage, and further increases the excellence gap.

Policy Recommendations:

• Make closing the excellence gap and promoting advanced academic programs a priority at the national and state levels (not just local, where they are pushed aside.)
• Consider performance of advanced students in common standards, rather than focusing on minimum competency.
• Conduct more research on talent development; specifically U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation could allot preexisting money for it.

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Plucker, Burroughs, Song (2010). Mind the (Other) Gap! The Growing Excellence Gap in K-12 Education. Center for Evaluation & Education Policy: Bloomington, Indiana.

Tags: Intervention; Rights, Students; Struggling Readers;

Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• Have gaps in performance between student groups decreased over time?
• Have all groups of students gained over time?
• What is the magnitude of the gap between groups?
• How does each group of students currently perform relative to their counterparts in other schools, districts, or states?

Findings:

• Six states-Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, New York, and West Virginia-and the District of Columbia narrowed more of the gaps between student groups than did most other states. On the other hand, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, and Washington were least likely to have closed gaps and, in fact, saw more gap widening than anywhere else in the nation.
• Student groups in Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, and the District of Columbia were more likely to have improved than their peers in other states. In contrast, student groups in Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina and West Virginia were more likely to have declined.
• Eight states stand out for smaller-than-average gaps: Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, Oklahoma, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Five others, however-California, Connecticut, Illinois, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin-as well as the District of Columbia, have gaps between groups that are much wider than the national average.
• Low-income and minority students in Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, and Vermont typically perform higher than such students in other states. At the same time, low-income students and students of color in Arizona, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Nevada typically perform below their peers elsewhere
• Ed Trust analysts combined the results from all four of these perspectives and found four states were making the most progress. Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, and Texas emerge as frontrunners for earning top scores on the gap-closing sections of their RTT applications, along with Vermont-a racially homogenous state that nevertheless generally performs well across the income spectrum. They differ greatly in size, diversity, and a host of other measures, but each state's recent performance on the achievement gap is among the best in the nation.
• However, an analysis of the four perspectives shows the outlook isn't as rosy elsewhere. Arizona, California, Michigan, Mississippi, and Rhode Island have some of the worst track records in the country when it comes to closing the gap, which should net them a big goose-egg in some sections of the RTT scoring rubric.

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New Achievement Gap Analysis Suggests Four Ways to Gain a More Comprehensive Picture of Equity. (2010). The Education Trust. Retrieved January 10, 2011 from: http://www.edtrust.org/sites/edtrust.org/files/publications/files/NAEP%20Gap_0.pdf

Tags: Instructional Programs; Intervention; Rights, Students;

Target Population: All

Research Questions the Report Poses: What are the individual states' policies on English language learners and how are they impacting ELLs' achievement?

• Read the Full Report

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
Purchase a copy for $6.00 at www.edweek.org/go/buyQC or by calling 1-800-445-8250. Or subscribe to Education Week: www.edweek.org/go/subscribe.

Education Week. (2009). Portrait of a Population: How English Language Learners are Putting Schools to the Test. Bethesda, Maryland.

Tags: Intervention;

Target Population: All

Research Questions the Report Poses: Does exposure to a disadvantaged background affect immigrant children and native children differently?

Findings:

• The public assistance program participation rate is significantly higher for immigrant children than for native children (Nearly half of immigrant households, compared to one–third of native.)
• These native–immigrant differences persist into young adulthood.
• It is not possible, however, to tell whether the link between childhood and young adult poverty results from a long–term persistence in socioeconomic outcomes or is a causal effect of the adverse exposure that occurs during the childhood years.
• Foreign–born children have the highest measured poverty rate but that U.S.–born children with immigrant parents have the highest program participation rate, most likely because citizen children qualify for more public assistance.
• The national origin groups with the largest measured poverty and program participation rates also tend to be the largest immigrant groups.
• The typical immigrant worker in the United States suffers a sizable earnings disadvantage (relative to native–born workers) upon arrival, but some of this disadvantage disappears with time spent in the United States.
• Skills differ across immigrant cohorts, with more recent cohorts being relatively less skilled than earlier cohorts.

• Read the Full Report

Borjas, G. (2011) "Poverty and Program Participation Among Immigrant Children." Immigrant Children 21 (1). The Future of Children. Retrieved from: http://www.futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=74&articleid=548

Tags: American Indian ELL Students; Asian ELL Students; Comprehension; Content Areas: Math; Fluency; Instructional Programs; Intervention; Language of Instruction; Language Proficiency; Latino ELL Students; Other ELL Students (Middle Eastern, African, European, etc.); Phonics; Phonological Awareness; Reading; Struggling Readers; Vocabulary; Writing;

Target Population: Elementary School, Middle School, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: What students are classified as being English Language Learners? How are they best identified, and what recommendations should be made to more adequately instruct possible ELL students to prevent further learning difficulties?

Findings:

• Statistics for ELLs may be hard to obtain or may be inaccurate since many ELL students go without being properly identified
• ELL students can better from more individualized instruction
• Mastery of academic language is necessary for academic success, which can prove to be difficult even for English speaking proficient ELLs
• In order to provide effective support of reading comprehension to ELLs educators must have an understanding of the child's individual needs
• In addition to reading comprehension it is crucial for students to become proficient in mathematics

Policy Recommendations:
While the article did not have any specific policy recommendations the recommendations listed in the article could be taken as such and thus included in this section.

Recommendations for Reading Instruction and interventions:

• ELLs need early, explicit, and intensive instruction in phonological awareness and phonics in order to build decoding skills.
• K-12 classrooms across the nation must increase opportunities for ELLs to develop sophisticated vocabulary knowledge.
• Reading instruction in K-12 classrooms must equip ELLs with strategies and knowledge to comprehend and analyze challenging narrative and expository texts.
• Instruction and intervention to promote ELLs' reading fluency must focus on vocabulary and increased exposure to print.
• In all K-12 classrooms across the U.S., ELLs need significant opportunities to engage in structured, academic talk.
• Independent reading is only beneficial when it is structured and purposeful, and there is a good reader-text match.

• ELLs need early explicit and intensive instruction and intervention in basic mathematics concepts and skill.
• Academic language is as central to mathematics as it is to other academic areas. It is a significant source of difficulty for many ELLs who struggle with mathematics.
• ELLs need academic language support to understand and solve the word problems that are often used for mathematics assessment and instruction.

• Link to Full Report

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

Francis, David J., Mabel Rivera, Nonie Lesaux, and Hector Rivera. (2006). Research-Based Recommendations for Instruction and Academic Interventions. Practical Guidelines for the Education of English Language Learners, Retrieved April 11,2008, from http://www.centeroninstruction.org/files/ELL1-Interventions.pdf

Tags: Intervention;

Target Population: High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: How many U.S. students graduated from high school and how many dropped out before completion in the 2008-09 school year?

Findings:

• The average graduation rate is 76%, with the lowest in Nevada (56%) and highest in Wisconsin (91%).
• The AFGR for the various ethnic groups are: Asian/Pacific Islander 92%, White 82%, Hispanic 66%, 65% American Indian/Alaska Native 65%, Black 64%.
• The average dropout rate in the 08-09 schoolyear was 4.1%. Wyoming had lowest (1.1%) and Illinois the highest (11.5%).
• Dropout rate was lowest in grade 9 and highest in grade 12.
• Dropout rate was higher for males (3.6%) than females (2.7%) in all states.

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To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
NCES, IES, U.S. Department of Education 1990 K St NW Washington, DC 20006-5651

Stillwell, R., Sable, J., and Plotts, C. (2011). Public School Graduates and Dropouts From the Common Core of Data: School Year 2008-09 (NCES 2011-312. U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved June 14, 2011 from: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2011/2011312.pdf

Tags: Intervention; Rights, Parents; Rights, Students;

Target Population: All

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• If discrimination doesn't play a role in the achievement gap in the 21st century then what does?
• What efforts have been undertaken to close the gap in the past; and learning from those efforts, how can we close the gap in the future?

Findings:

• The problem of the 21st century is the problem of the skill gap.
• Eliminating the racial skill gap will likely have important impacts on income inequality, unemployment, incarceration, health, and other important social and economic indices.
• We now know that with some combination of investments, high achievement is possible for all students.
• Closing the racial achievement gap is the most important civil rights battle of the twenty-first century.

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Fryer, R.G. (2010, August). Racial Inequality in the 21st Century: The Declining Significance of Discrimination. National Bureau of Economic Research. Retrieved January 5, 2011 from: http://www.nber.org/papers/w16256.pdf?new_window=1

Tags: Fluency; Intervention; Language Proficiency; Placement; Struggling Readers; Transfer of Literacy Skills;

Target Population: Secondary, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: Which of the English learners are left behind? What steps can be taken to prevent this?

Findings:

• The majority (59%) of secondary school English Learners are "Long Term English Learners" (in United States schools for more than six years without reaching sufficient English proficiency to be reclassified). In one out of three districts, more than 75% of their English Learners are Long Term.
• California school districts do not have a shared definition of "Long Term English Learners." Most districts lack any definition or means of identifying or monitoring the progress and achievement of this population. Only one in four districts has a formal definition or designation for identifying, counting, serving or monitoring services for these students - and their definitions vary in the number of years considered "normative" for how soon English Learners should have reached proficiency (range from five to ten years).
• English Learners become "Long Term" English Learners in the course of their schooling experience. Several factors seem to contribute to becoming a Long Term English Learner: receiving no language development program at all; being given elementary school curricula and materials that weren't designed to meet English Learner needs; enrollment in weak language development program models and poorly implemented English Learner programs; histories of inconsistent programs; provision of narrowed curricula and only partial access to the full curriculum; social segregation and linguistic isolation; and, cycles of transnational moves.
• By the time Long Term English Learners arrive in secondary schools, there is a set of characteristics that describe their overall profile. These students struggle academically. They have distinct language issues, including: high functioning social language, very weak academic language, and significant deficits in reading and writing skills. The majority of Long Term English Learners are "stuck" at Intermediate levels of English proficiency or below, although others reach higher levels of English proficiency without attaining the academic language to be reclassified. Long Term English Learners have significant gaps in academic background knowledge. In addition, many have developed habits of non-engagement, learned passivity and invisibility in school. The majority of Long Term English Learners wants to go to college, and are unaware that their academic skills, record and courses are not preparing them to reach that goal. Neither students, their parents nor their community realizes that they are in academic jeopardy.

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Olsen, L. (2010). Reparable Harm: Fulfilling the Unkept Promise of Educational Opportunity for California's Long Term English Learners. Californians Together. Retrieved January 6, 2011 from: http://www.californianstogether.org/

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.

• Read the Full Report

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; Intervention;

Target Population: Preschool, Early Education

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• What is the relationship between children's school readiness skills at kindergarten entry and reading and mathematics achievement through the fifth grade?
• What kindergarten program factors predict the development of nonacademic school readiness skills?
• In particular, is attendance at a full–day program related to nonacademic school readiness?

Findings:

• After controlling for nonacademic readiness at kindergarten, children who had attended a full–day program at kindergarten showed poorer mathematics performance in fifth grade than did children who had attended a part–day kindergarten program.
• Attendance in a full–day kindergarten program was negatively associated with attitudes toward learning, self–control, and interpersonal skills, and was positively related toward internalizing (measured by a scale indicating presence of anxiety, loneliness, low self–esteem, and sadness) and externalizing behaviors.
• With the exception of class size (the effect of which was counterintuitive), few kindergarten program features were related to nonacademic readiness skills.
• Instead, positive home background factors, such as higher income and higher parental involvement with the school, were associated with all five dimensions of nonacademic school readiness skills.
• Higher income and more parental involvement were positively related to a child's attitudes toward learning, self–control, and interpersonal skills and negatively predictive of internalizing and externalizing actions.
• Our analyses reinforce the findings of earlier studies that suggest that full–day kindergarten programs may not enhance achievement in the long term. Furthermore, our study raises the possibility that full–day kindergarten programs may actually be detrimental to mathematics performance and nonacademic readiness skills.
• Our results also suggest that investments in the development of nonacademic school readiness skills may not only raise overall achievement but may also narrow the achievement gap between minority and white students. Indeed, on average, white students enter kindergarten with better nonacademic skills than do blacks and Hispanics.

Policy Recommendations:

• This suggests that interventions that aim to improve family circumstances, including programs designed to enhance parenting may be one way of improving children's academic success.
• Focus on enhancing nonacademic readiness skills of minority students in order to narrow the achievement gap.
• Ultimately, the decision of where policymakers should direct funds needs to be guided by a cost–benefit analysis that compares investments in full–day kindergarten programs with investments in other potential types of interventions, such as those that promote nonacademic readiness skills.

• Read the Full Report

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
To order RAND documents or to obtain additional information, contact Distribution Services: Telephone: (310) 451.7002; Fax: (310) 451.6915; Email: order@rand.org

Le, V., Kirby, S.N., Barney, H., Setodji, C.M., Gershwin, D. (2006). "School Readiness, Full–Day Kindergarten, and Student Achievement." Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. Retrieved from http://www.aecf.org/upload/publicationfiles/ec3624j67.pdf.

Tags: Intervention; 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?

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.

• Link to Full Report

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

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.

Tags: Asian ELL Students; Intervention; Rights, Students;

Target Population: All

Research Questions the Report Poses: What general circumstances do Southeastern Asian Americans tend to experience?

Findings:

• Limited English skills
• Systematic communication between students, parents, and teachers
• Discrimination
• Widespread feelings of alienation from mainstream schools

Policy Recommendations:

• Disaggregate and disseminate more data.
• Promote Southeast Asian studies, courses, and personnel.
• Support community organizations.
• Create new systems for financial and technical support.

• Read the Full Report

Yang, K.Y. (2004) “Southeast Asian American Children: Not the ‘Model Minority.’” Children of Immigrant Families 14 (2). The Future of Children. Retrieved from http://futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=39&articleid=129&sectionid=850.

Tags: Intervention; Latino ELL Students; Motivation; Rights, Students;

Target Population: Middle, High School, Post-Secondary (all adolescents)

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• How do Latino adolescents navigate the different social settings and institutions that they encounter in life?
• Within the current environment, are school and work viewed by Latino youth as a great "equalizer," part of an opportunity structure that can give them the tools and security to succeed and progress?
• Or, do Latino youth perceive these settings as further reinforcing the broader inequalities that they already face?
• Do young Latinos feel that they are treated differently within such settings, and if so, in which specific ways do they experience and interpret these differences?
• Broadly speaking, how do young Latinos' interactions within all of these systems affect their sense of well-being, identity, and belonging in U.S. society?

Findings:

• Latino youth tend to have an optimistic outlook on the role of education and a strong desire to achieve successful careers. These attitudes are often associated with the hopes and expectations of their immigrant parents and with their own desire to contribute to their community and nation.
• Despite these optimistic attitudes, the teenagers expressed a pervasive sense of being negatively stereotyped by institutional actors as varied as teachers, employers, and police officers. They described how assumptions about Hispanic youth and Latinos in general are manifested within the different social settings discussed.
• Latino youth report significant ethnic stereotyping at school by teachers, administrators, and peers. Such stereotyping, they feel, often leads Hispanic students to be overlooked, excluded, or negatively tracked, and results in unequal educational opportunities.
• The youth often perceive the workplace as a site of unfair practices based on racial and ethnic assumptions on the part of employers. Many of these youth's perceptions of discrimination in the workforce were directly related to the experiences of their parents and other community members.
• Across all focus groups, the youth emphatically described feeling unfairly and habitually profiled by law enforcement as a result of negative assumptions regarding Hispanic youth, gangs, and immigrants. Such regular contact with the police, which takes place in a variety of spaces, compounds feelings of vulnerability and distrust in their communities.
• One of the most consistent findings across the focus groups was the teenagers' pervasive sense of being racialized-or constructed as different, as "other"-on a regular basis, and in practically all realms of experience.

• Read the Full Report

Foxen, P. (2010, October, 21)."Speaking Out: Latino Youth on Discrimination in the United States" National Council of La Raza. Retrieved January 3, 2011, from: http://www.nclr.org/index.php/publications/speaking_out_latino_youth_on_discrimination_in_the_united_states/

Tags: Intervention; Rights, Students; Struggling Readers;

Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: What progress has been made in raising achievement among ELLs?

Findings:

• Overall, the study finds that ELLs have made progress in reaching state proficiency benchmarks in reading and math in elementary, middle, and high school, although more gains were made at the elementary and middle school levels. In grade 4, increasing percentages of ELLs have reached three achievement levels-basic, proficient, and advanced- with the highest proportion of states making gains at the proficient level.
• However, according to the study, very large differences in percentages proficient exist between ELLs and non-ELLs. In high school reading, for example, 27 states have differences of more than 30 percentage points between ELLs and non-ELLs, and 18 states have differences of more than 40 percentage points. Differences in test performance for high school students are smaller, however, in math than in reading.

• Read the Full Report

Chudowsky, N. & Chudowsky, V. (2010, April 7). State Test Score Trends Through 2007-08: Has Progress Been Made in Raising Achievement for English Language Learners?. Center on Education Policy (CEP). Retrieved January 6, 2011 from: http://www.cep-dc.org/index.cfm?DocumentSubTopicID=34

Tags: Bilingual Instruction; Bilingualism / Biliteracy; Differentiated Instruction; Fluency; Instructional Programs; Intervention; Language of Instruction; Language Proficiency; Placement; Reading; Struggling Readers; Transfer of Literacy Skills; Vocabulary;

Target Population: Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: How accommodated are Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFEs) in NYC public schools? Why SIFEs are struggling academically and what are can be done to improve it?

Findings:

• SIFEs often have poor literary skills in any language, and are likely behind their age level in knowledge-content.
• SIFEs have complex social and psychological needs due to multiple factors including migration, unfamiliarity with surroundings, etc.
• SIFEs need more English language support, and often more individualized instruction to make progress.
• SIFEs lack foundational skills for academic work in English and in most cases their native language.
• Many SIFEs are not steered towards programs that can help them, and the schools they are placed in don't have the resources to teach them properly.
• Many SIFEs as often classified as having disabilities when cases show that this is typically not the case.

• Read the Full Report

Students with Interrupted Education: A Challenge for New York City Public Schools. (2010, May). Advocates for Children of New York. Retrieved July 28, 2010 from http://advocatesforchildren.org/SIFE%20Paper%20final.pdf

Tags: Curriculum; Intervention; Latino ELL Students;

Target Population: High School, Post-Secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: not specified

Findings:

• 158,000 Hispanic students took the ACT in 2010, an increase of 84% since 2006. Hispanic students represent 10% of the ACT-tested graduates.
• 68% of ACT-tested Hispanic high school graduates took at least a minimum core high school curriculum to prepare them for college, compared to 74% of whites and 81% of Asian American/Pacific Islander ACT-tested high school graduates.
• Average ACT Composite scores for Hispanic graduates' remained the same while American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian American/Pacific Islander, and White graduates increased between 2006 and 2010.
• None of the College Readiness Benchmarks were met by at least 50% of Hispanic graduates. While 39% of Asian American graduates and 30% of White graduates met benchmarks in all four subjects, only 11% of Hispanic graduates attained such.
• 77% of Hispanic graduates aspired to attain either a graduate/professional or a bachelor's degree, compared to 85% of white graduates.

Policy Recommendations:

• States should adopt fewer-but essential-learning standards as their new high school graduation standards, and those they adopt must lead to college and career readiness.
• States should adopt a rigorous core curriculum for all high school students whether they are bound for college or work.
• States must define "how good is good enough" for college and career readiness.
• Having appropriate and aligned standards, coupled with a core curriculum, will adequately prepare high school students only if the courses are truly challenging.
• States should begin monitoring student academic performance early to make sure younger students are on target to be ready for college and career.
• States need to establish longitudinal P-16 data systems.

• Read the Full Report

ACT Inc. (2010). The condition of college & career readiness: 2010. ACT Inc. Retrieved from: http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/cccr10/pdf/ConditionofCollegeandCareerReadiness2010.pdf

Tags: Instructional Programs; Intervention;

Target Population: Middle, High School

Findings:

• Long-term ELLs speak different languages and come from all over the world.
• They are often orally bilingual but have limited literacy skills in their native language and limited academic literacy skills in English.
• They generally fall into two main groups, transnationals who have moved back and forth between countries, and students with inconsistent schooling in the U.S.
• They struggle in content areas and are at high risk for dropping out and have different needs from newly arrived ELLs.
• Literacy skills that students learn in their native languages transfer to English, but long-term ELLs rarely have had the opportunity to hone their native language skills.
• Foreign language classes in long-term ELL students' native languages can be used strategically to develop the students' native language literacy skills and to address their gaps in schooling.

Policy Recommendations:

• Bilingualism and biliteracy development should be promoted in grades K-12.
• Secondary schools must develop specialized programs for long-term ELLs, tailor ESL classes to students' needs, and focus on literacy development across content areas and languages.
• A program targeted at long-term ELLs should include classes that help to develop a strong foundation in academic language in both English and the students' native languages, and content-area courses that focus simultaneously on content and literacy learning.
• U.S. schools must develop more coherent language policies to reduce the movement in and out of bilingual education, ESL, and mainstream programs. In the meantime, schools must take it upon themselves to learn more about the educational backgrounds of their incoming students.

• Read the Full Report

Menken, K. & Kleyn, T. (2009, April). "The Difficult Road for Long-Term English Learners." Educational Leadership. 66(7).

Tags: Intervention; Motivation; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA; Rights, Students;

Target Population: Post-Secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: How can community colleges increase the number of students who apply for financial aid?

Findings:
It is not the lack of available information on filing for FAFSA to blame for the lower percentages of community college students applying for financial aid, but rather the failure of community colleges to disseminate information and reach out to students individually and proactively. Because community colleges face funding limitations themselves, they must use more creative methods to reach students. Community colleges must consider their respective circumstances and student populations; however the most consistently applicable strategies are initiating personal interactions and suggesting practical solutions.

Policy Recommendations:
Short-Term:

• Increase student access to financial aid information (ie bilingual services and materials; evening and weekend office hours; multimedia.)
• Involve the community (ie inform parents, coordinate with high schools, collaborate with community organizations that provide the same help.)
• Link financial aid application with college registration
• Conduct workshops/information sessions about financial aid geared to specific audiences

• Survey students on how they get their community information.
• Establish a common/statewide system for financial aid administration.
• Establish mentor and then transition programs in high schools.

• Read the Full Report

College Board Advocacy & Policy Center. (2010). The Financial Aid Challenge: Successful Practices that Address the Underutilization of Financial Aid in Community Colleges. New York, New York: College Board.

Tags: Intervention; Rights, Students;

Target Population: All

Research Questions the Report Poses: How do “economic models of segregation, information-based discrimination, peer dynamics, and identity” relate to/affect the achievement gap between blacks and whites?

Findings:

• Segregation is an unlikely answer unless one finds evidence that suggests the price of segregation changed drastically over the relevant time period.
• Models of information-based discrimination are also unlikely to explain the trends in the racial achievement gap. This class of models has the troubling feature that the return on investment is lower for the group who is discriminated against. Yet, data suggest the opposite.
• Models of peer dynamics and identity -both relatively new to the field of social economics-have the potential to explain the data. Their differences are subtle: the identity model depends on a shift in preferences which eschews achievement; a peer dynamic framework predicts that achievement and social mobility will be negatively correlated. Further data and refinement of these models are needed to eventually solve this important puzzle.

• Read the Full Report

Fryer, R.G. (2010, August). The Importance of Segregation, Discrimination, Peer Dynamics, and Identity in Explaining Trends in the Racial Achievement Gap. National Bureau of Economic Research. Retrieved January 5, 2011 from: http://www.nber.org/papers/w16257

Tags: Asian ELL Students; Intervention; Latino ELL Students; Other ELL Students (Middle Eastern, African, European, etc.); Rights, Parents; Rights, Students;

Target Population: All

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• What challenges and risk factors do immigrant children face?
• What are the implications of the living arrangements of immigrant children, especially of the three most vulnerable groups (Mexican, Southeast Asian, and Black-Caribbean)?
• What unique qualities of immigrant families work to children's advantages?
• How do U.S. immigrant and integration policies shape immigrant families' circumstances?

Findings:

• Recent immigrants are more likely than more settled immigrants to live in extended families, and these are more often of lateral extension (ie co–residence with a relative in a similar stage of life) than vertical extension adults with their parents). While this offers support in the short–term, it does not have long–term benefits.
• Single–parent families have markedly higher child poverty rates than married–parent families; Cohabiting–couple families generally have child poverty rates between the two.
• Children of immigrants are considerably more likely to live with married parents than are children of natives.
• Compared to native children of their same race, immigrant children are more likely to live with extended family, but less likely to live with grandparents.
• The major challenge facing Mexican immigrants and their children is their limited opportunity for economic integration, owing in large part to their low education, skills, and financial resources, coupled with limited English proficiency and, frequently, unauthorized legal status.
• Recent Mexican immigrants are far more likely to have two–parent families, and this tendency decreases with each generation.
• Living arrangements and challenges especially vary among Southeast Asian immigrants, based on origin, refugee/nonrefugee status, and generation of arrival.
• Black Caribbean immigrant children are far more likely than other ethnicities to live in single–parent homes, specifically female–headed families due to demographics and norms in their home countries.

Policy Recommendations:

• The office of Citizenship and Immigration should work to reduce backlogs of immigrants awaiting citizenship so as to reduce time of separation within families and improve children's lives.
• To reduce immigration backlogs: adequate staffing; affording some citizens' privileges to Legal Permanent Residents, specifically reduced waiting time to bring over children and spouses, even if not parents.
• Current admission criteria need to be reevaluated and updated to account for more recent trends.
• Decrease workforce raids, and deportation in general, when children are involved.
• Though complicated and difficult, it would be very advantageous to develop policies to reduce marital dissolution and nonmarital childbearing.
• More attention and resources should be directed toward immigrant settlement. Legal immigrants and their children should be granted greater access to the social safety net regardless of citizenship status. At the very least, immigrant parents need accurate information about social welfare benefits for which they and their children are eligible.

• Read the Full Report

Landale, N., Thomas, K., Van Hook, J. (2011). "Demography of Immigrant Youth: Past, Present, and Future." Immigrant Children 21 (1). The Future of Children. Retrieved from: http://www.futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=74&articleid=540.

Tags: Intervention; Rights, Parents; Rights, Students;

Target Population: All

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• What are the current circumstances of health status among immigrant youths?
• What are the policy implications of these troubling trends and how can they be reversed?

Findings:

• Foreign–born children face several risk factors: poverty, family separation, political violence, and low rates of health insurance coverage and health care use.
• Nevertheless, researchers consistently find an immigrant health advantage across a variety of medical outcomes, for three proposed reasons:
  1. 1) Foreign–born immigrant children engage in more positive health behaviors than their U.S.–born peers (ex. Drinking and smoking less);
  2. 2) Foreign–born children tend to live in two–parent and multigenerational households with high levels of family and social support.
  3. 3) Children who immigrate may be a selectively healthy group as compared to those who stay in their home country despite problematic situations.
• The current evidence clearly indicates a link between racial discrimination and health: Youth who experience discrimination report more anxiety, more depressive symptoms, more risky health behaviors, lower self–esteem, and reduced academic motivations and expectations. There is also a link to physical health outcomes in minority children, including conditions associated with high rates of coronary heart disease and inflammatory disorders.
• Children who immigrate at younger ages have health–risk profiles similar to children born in the United States to foreign–born parents: They tend to adopt more risky health behaviors such as alcohol use, smoking, and early sexual activity, and they face a higher risk of psychiatric disorders such as depression.
• Foreign–born children experience better outcomes than do children in U.S.–born families, but this advantage fades over time and across generations.
• While first– and second–generation children fare well on many aspects of physical well–being, this advantage relative to their native peers does not always translate into good mental health.
• In 2008, nearly 45 percent of noncitizen U.S. residents, 18 percent of naturalized citizens, and 13 percent of U.S.–born citizens lacked health insurance coverage. Because most children depend on their parents to obtain health insurance, parental citizenship and immigration status can influence children's health insurance status.
• Parents of U.S. citizen children may forgo public health insurance and other services because of their own legal status and mistaken fears that they will be deemed a "public charge" if their children receive public health insurance benefits. Immigrants deemed a public charge can be denied U.S. citizenship or prohibited from sponsoring the immigration of a family member.
• When immigrants face challenges obtaining physician–based medical care, they may turn to complementary and alternative medical providers such as acupuncturists or spiritual healers.

Policy Recommendations:

• To better understand the developmental consequences of migration, national longitudinal data on the children of immigrants are also sorely needed.
• Health care providers need to be sensitive to immigrants' cultures and their preferences for particular modes of delivery (that is, times, locations, and language). For example:
  1. 1) Lay health adviser programs to educate natural leaders in immigrant communities.
  2. 2) Improved access by locating clinics within immigrant communities or near public transportation.
  3. 3) Clinic hours that extend beyond the standard 9–5 schedule.
• Policy makers need to reduce additional structural barriers limiting the ability of immigrant children and their parents to access care.
• Policy makers can also remove state and local ordinances requiring a patient to show proof of citizenship before receiving care provided by local public health departments and community clinics.
• States need to invest in outreach to increase enrollment in health insurance programs and use of existing services.

• Read the Full Report

Perreira, K.M., Ornelas, I.J. (2011) "The Physical and Psychological Well–Being of Immigrant Children." Immigrant Children 21 (1). The Future of Children. Retrieved from: http://www.futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/journals/article/index.xml?journalid=74&articleid=546.

Tags: Intervention; Rights, Students;

Target Population: Post-secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: How do grant aid limit college assess and persistence among low-income and moderate income graduates?

Findings:

• Large-scale mismatches exist and are growing between the aspirations and qualifications of these high school graduates and where they are able financially to enroll in college.
• Triggered by increasing family financial concerns about college expenses and financial aid, these mismatches are shifting initial enrollment of qualified students away from 4-year colleges.
• Shifts in initial enrollment are consequential because where qualified high school graduates are able to start college (access) largely determines their likelihood of success (persistence).
• Exacerbating the negative impact of enrollment shifts, persistence rates today appear to be lower, especially for qualified high school graduates who are unable financially to start at a 4-year college.
• Maintaining financial access to 4-year public colleges for qualified high school graduates is of paramount policy importance.
• Between 1992 and 2004, initial enrollment rates of academically qualified low- and moderate-income high school graduates in 4-year colleges shifted downward: from 54 percent to 40 percent, and from 59 percent to 53 percent, respectively.
• The cause appears to have been an increase in the importance of college expenses and financial aid to parents and students between 1992 and 2004 (Table 4, page 17). Differences in family financial concerns accounted for 45 percentage points difference in 4-year college enrollment for in 2004.
• High school graduates from low-income families who started at a 4-year college earned a bachelor's degree over three times more often than their peers who started at a 2-year college, 62 percent vs. 20 percent. Their peers from moderate-income income families earned the degree nearly twice as often, 67 percent vs. 34 percent (table 7, page 26). Given current policies, shifts in enrollment from 4-year to 2-year colleges have implications for degree completion.
• Persistence of low-income high school graduates five years after starting at a 4-year college has fallen from 78 percent to 75 percent; for those from moderate-income families, persistence has remained at 81 percent (figure 25, page 27). For those starting at a 2-year college, persistence has fallen significantly .

Policy Recommendations:

• In addition, given steadily rising net prices and cumulative loan burdens, and the considerable impact of parent financial concerns in 10th grade on college enrollment behavior, a national experiment is required. Its purpose would be to determine the impact on family financial concerns of current features of the federal student loan programs - in particular, the income-contingency and forgiveness provisions. This study should determine how the programs might be improved to offset the negative effects of financial concerns on students taking the steps of testing, applying, and enrolling in a 4-year college (exhibit five, page 35).
• Improving academic preparation alone might raise the rates to only 27 percent and 39 percent, respectively (table 13, page 37).
• Improving access (enrollment) alone might raise the rates to only 33 percent and 42 percent, respectively (table 14, page 38).
• Improving persistence alone might raise the rates to only 34 percent and 45 percent, respectively (table 15, page 39).
• Conduct a National Loan Experiment.
• Implement a Comprehensive Federal Strategy.

• Read the Full Report

“The Rising Price of Inequality: How Inadequate Grant Aid Limits College Access and Persistence”. (2010). Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance. Retrieved August 3, 2010 from: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2010/2010015.pdf

Tags: Content Areas: Math; Intervention; Language Proficiency;

Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: What is the extent of ELL concentration in low-achieving public schools, and to what degree does this isolation contribute to the large achievement gap in math between ELLs and other student groups?

Findings:

• The achievement gap between ELLs and English-speakers is significantly larger in schools where the concentration (%) of ELLs is high, as opposed to narrower gaps in schools with a lower proportion of ELLs.
• Therefore lag in test score achievement of ELLs is attributable in part to the characteristics of the public schools they attend.
• White and black students who attend the public schools in which ELL students are concentrated are doing worse than their peers who attend public schools with few English language learner students. (for example, in California, 75% of white 3rd graders and 46% of black 3rd graders performed at or above state math proficiency, in schools below the "minimum threshold level" of ELLs, whereas only 67% white and 34% black achieved the same in schools with more ELLs (above that minimum threshold level).
• Nationally, the ELL student population is expected to grow rapidly, from 12.3 million in 2005 to a projected 17.9 million in 2020; a significant portion of these children of immigrants will likely require ELL services.
• In the 5 states with large ELL student populations, the proportion of ELL students scoring at or above math proficiency is often below that of black students. (e.g. 22% of 8th grade ELLs in Texas versus 44% of black 8th graders.)
• In both elementary and middle school grades in these states ELL students are much less likely than white students to score at or above math proficiency, with gaps in the double-digits.
• Common composition of the public schools with ELL concentrations: in central cities, higher enrollment than other public schools in the same state, higher student-to-teacher ratios, greater proportion of students qualifying for free or reduced-price school lunches, more likely designated a Title I school (large proportion of economically disadvantaged, receive federal funding).

• Read the Full Report

Richard Fry. The Role of Schools in the English Language Learner Achievement Gap. Washington, DC: Pew Hispanic Center, June 2008. Retrieved from: http://pewhispanic.org/files/reports/89.pdf

Tags: Comprehension; Content Areas: Math; Intervention; Latino ELL Students;

Target Population: Elementary

Research Questions the Report Poses:

• How do the two contrasting frameworks pertain to Latino children's social competencies?
• What is the role played by social class in shaping risks (which may vary by Latino subgroup) conditioned by cultural heritage and persistence of family strengths for Latinos?
• What is the relationship between social competence and growth in mathematical understanding?

Findings:

The authors write:

• "Latino children from low-income, but not middle-class, families display weaker social competencies vis-á-vis White children (all relationships p _ .05). Social competence levels contribute to Latino children's cognitive growth, which is shaped most strongly by positive approaches to learning.
• The disparities in competencies observed for Latino children from poor families, relative to White children, are significant yet much smaller than gaps in baseline levels of mathematical understanding. We discuss how the consonance or mismatch between competencies acquired at home and those valued by teachers must consider cultural differences, social-class position, and variation among diverse Latino subgroups.

Policy Recommendations:
The authors recommend that policy analysts and educators take "greater care in distinguishing between the social and cognitive domains of development," as well as in efforts to understand young Latinos' diversity and social competencies upon entering school.

• Read the Full Report

Galindo, C., Fuller B. (2010). The Social Competence of Latino Kindergartners and Growth in Mathematical Understanding. American Psychological Association. Retrieved January 14, 2011 from: http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/dev-46-3-579.pdf

Tags: Comprehension; Curriculum; Differentiated Instruction; Fluency; Instructional Programs; Intervention; Language Proficiency; Phonics; Phonological Awareness; Reading; Struggling Readers; Transfer of Literacy Skills; Vocabulary;

Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: What does research tell us about teaching reading to English Language Learners?

Findings:

• Literacy in the native language is an advantage.
• ELLs cannot develop phonological awareness in English until they are familiar with the sounds of English; once phonological awareness has developed in any language, it transfers to other languages that are learned.
• Systematic phonics instruction can be very effective in helping ELLs learn to decode words: the most effective reading programs for ELLs combine systematic phonics instruction with a print-rich environment that provides exposure to appealing reading materials in varied genres.
• ELLs cannot achieve fluency in oral reading before they have achieved fluency in speaking: self-consciousness about accents and errors can affect reading fluency.
• ELLs need more vocabulary instruction than their native-speaking peers, with different vocabulary words and vocabulary teaching techniques.
• ELLs are more likely than native speakers to lack the background knowledge necessary for understanding texts

Policy Recommendations:

• Substantial coverage of the five essential elements of reading instruction-phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension-helps.
• Reading programs for ELLs should include intensive language development as well as instruction in literacy strategies and skills.
• Instruction needs to be adjusted to meet the needs of ELLs.

Irujo, S. (2007). What Does Research Tell Us About Teaching Reading to English Language Learners? Haverhill, MA: The ELL Outlook.