Study of Practices for English Learners

English learners (ELs) overcome a variety of educational challenges, as they master subject-matter content while also developing English proficiency.

The Study of Practices for English Learners was funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (U.S. Department of Education), and examined key policies, practices, and activities related to ELs nationwide. The study consisted of several key tasks:

• An implementation study of Title III policies and practices that drew on nationally representative surveys of state administrators, district officials, and school leaders to assess and describe the implementation of EL programs at the state and local level.
• An evaluation of the National Professional Development Program that drew from a review of grantee applications, a survey of project directors, and a survey of grant program participants who are pre-service and in-service teachers.
• A feasibility study that identified potentially promising approaches to addressing EL needs and developed research design options for testing their effectiveness in a future impact evaluation.
• Analyses of how states held schools accountable for the academic performance of ELs under ESSA.