English Learners in Select States: Demographics, Outcomes, and State Accountability Policies
English Learner students in the 25 states with the largest such populations lag behind peers on tests and graduation rates.
As states shape and implement policies that hold K-12 schools and districts accountable for meeting federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) mandates regarding the education of English Learners (ELs), this series of fact sheets provides an overview of EL student demographics and outcomes in select states. It aims to build understanding among parents, educators, community advocates, and others of the characteristics of ELs in their states, of achievement gaps between ELs and their peers, and of the accountability policies states are designing to monitor their progress. Understanding and tracking these trends will be important for efforts to identify system weaknesses and better target actions to address them.
This series draws on data from state departments of education and the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 American Community Survey to examine the demographics of immigrant and EL students, covering everything from changes in population size to poverty levels, languages spoken at home, and which school districts have the most ELs. The fact sheets also provide an overview of EL student outcomes as measured by standardized tests and graduation rates. The 25 states selected are those that have the largest EL populations and that provide detailed data on them.
Read the state fact sheets below:
Table of Contents
I. Demographic Overview of Foreign-Born and EL Populations
II. EL Student Outcomes
III. Accountability under ESSA
A. Identification and Reclassification of ELs
B. Accountability for English Language Proficiency
C. Accountability for EL Academic Achievement
About the National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy
The Center is a national hub connecting policymakers, educators, community leaders, and service providers with evidence-informed policy research, technical assistance, and data to advance effective immigrant integration at U.S., state, and local levels.
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