English Language Learners

This report provides a profile of 38 schools and details how these schools have implemented strategies to promote and advance college readiness. The report outlines each school, characteristics that make the school unique, and lessons learned from undertaking particular strategies. The report is organized into six sections: 1) alternative schools, 2) charter schools, 3) comprehensive schools, 4) early college high schools, 5) magnet schools, and 6) private schools. In several cases, schools may have utilized more than one strategy to achieve their goal.

This policy brief discusses the growing second-language learner population in schools. Through case studies of schools in Austin and the Rio Grande Valley region of Texas, it provides state and federal policymakers recommendations for policy changes that can help schools increase student achievement among this population.

EPIC's 2010 Annual Report focuses on the work being done in a range of topics such as comprehension assessment, out-of-school learning, writing in adolescence, literacy coaching standards, instructional needs of second language learners, and literacy. The report introduces EPIC's CollegeCareerReadyTM System and provides overviews of key projects with the goal of enabling more students to enter college ready to succeed.

This report from Jobs for the Future highlights successful practices from North Carolina’s early college high schools. The report examines the effects these practices have had on students successfully completing the schools’ requirements. Successful practices include collaborative group work, literacy groups, and classroom conversations, among others.

This report discusses barriers to high school graduation rates and college readiness for Latinas. The author examines the challenges facing Latinos to achieve a high school degree and continuing on to higher education. The resource provides recommendations for federal, state, and local policy makers including additional funding, providing mentors, and ensuring that the school environment is culturally inclusive.

This policy brief focuses on state implementation of Title III from the No Child Left Behind Act, which covers English language learners. This brief summarizes state actions to date to implement those provisions, and outlines key benefits and challenges that have emerged.

This report discusses the importance of early literacy in order to prepare adolescents to be college and career ready. It states that literacy crosses over into other subject areas such as science and math and problem solving skills in life. The authors suggest that linking instruction to the growing knowledge base on literacy and using current outcome data and best practices can help bridge this gap and lead to more prepared students.

Response to Intervention (RTI) has emerged as a method for providing early academic assistance to students with difficulty learning. This brief outlines the tiered structure of RTI and how it can be implemented as an effective technique for teaching English learners who are having difficulty making academic progress.

This policy brief provides state-level examples of efforts to improve the assessment and reporting of data. This brief also showcases effective partnerships between state departments and the Regional Comprehensive Centers (RCCs) in strengthening educational outcomes for English language learners (ELLs) on the secondary school level.

This randomized controlled trial evaluation examined the impact of Upward Bound. Although students could participate in the program for three to four years, the study found that 35 percent left after the first year and it is estimated that another 20 percent left before they graduated from high school. Furthermore, the study only had a few positive impacts on students during high school. For example, in comparison to the control group, students in the treatment group were expected to complete more years in high school and obtain more credits in math and social studies.