English Learners

In 2013, 4.4 million U.S. public school students were classified as English learners (ELs). These students come to school with the benefit of speaking a language other than English. All the while, they face the challenge of acquiring content knowledge in English at the same time as they acquire English as an additional language. They are held to the same graduation requirements and accountability standards as their English-proficient peers. English learners can be supported by conducting rigorous research and evaluation to improve instruction and learning, evaluating policy to inform decision-making, and enhancing EL practice at the district, school, and classroom level.

Boy writing

The Center for English Learners

The core of AIR's work supporting ELs is done through the Center for English Learners.

Read more about the Center's work >>

 

Featured Work

Math and English Language Development for English Language Learners: (Project MELD)

Mastering math and the academic language of math is essential for all students, but especially for ELs, who are acquiring content knowledge and English proficiency concurrently. The goal of this five-year study was to enable sixth-grade Spanish-speaking ELs to acquire the skills and knowledge they need to meet the new Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS-M) and Literacy in the Technical Subjects (CCSS-L). During the first phase of the study an iterative development process was used to refine the intervention, leading to a pilot study in the final study year.

A practitioner manual, which displays and describes the instructional materials and methods used in MELD, is now available. The practitioner manual includes a description of the MELD materials and methods.

  • Appendix A displays a MELD lesson consisting of digital teaching slides. Each digital teaching slide is accompanied by guidance for teachers and activities for students.
  • Appendix B displays three lessons teachers can use to support students in engaging in academic conversations with classmates, and in using cognates knowledge and knowledge of prefixes and suffixes to uncover the meanings of unknown words.

Latest Work

Image of Hispanic family reading together at home
3 Dec 2020
In the Field

Strategies for Supporting Young Students’ Home-Language Development During COVID-19—and Beyond

With COVID-19 still affecting in-person education across the country, early childhood educators have had to find new ways to give students, especially those who are dual-language learners, early, rich linguistic experiences. AIR Senior Researcher Lisa Hsin describes a number of ways early childhood educators can help families foster their children’s home language development, while also preparing them to succeed when they’re back in the classroom.
18 Nov 2020 | 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Event

Cultivating Oral Language and Literacy Talent in Students: Supporting Young Dual Language Learners

On November 18, 2020 the Center for English Learners at AIR hosted a webinar, Cultivating Oral Language and Literacy Talent in Students, about supporting language and literacy for young dual language learners (DLLs). The webinar presented findings from a recent study focused on supporting preschool DLLs.
22 Oct 2020 | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Event

Resources for Recovery: A Conversation on the Education Landscape

The 2020‒21 school year has begun like no other in the recent history as millions of students are learning online and the services and supports that schools can offer are limited due to concerns about COVID-19. Educators, practitioners and policymakers are invited to join AIR and colleagues from across the country to share stories, challenges, and solutions for serving students and communities this school year at the next Resources for Recovery: A Conversation on the Education Landscape online event, on October 22, 1-3 p.m. ET.
21 Oct 2020 | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Event

How COVID-19 Affected Education for Students with Disabilities and English Learners: The Latest Results from a National Survey

The widespread closure of school buildings and the shift to virtual learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic has affected some students more profoundly than others. On Wednesday, Oct. 21, AIR hosted a webinar in which we explored new survey data on how the pandemic impacted the education of students with disabilities and English learners.
Illustration of Josh Polanin
16 Sep 2020
Q & A

Meet the Expert: Joshua R. Polanin

In this Q&A, Josh Polanin, principal researcher and project director for AIR’s What Works Clearinghouse, discusses his experience in quantitative methodology, particularly systematic review and meta-analysis, which allows him to design and lead studies across the field of education research.
Project

Impact of COVID-19 on Early Learning and Care in California

The COVID-19 crisis has taken a toll on California's early learning and care system, and early learning providers need more support. In order to understand the ways in which programs have adapted, the services they provide, and the challenges they are facing, AIR and Early Edge California collected data from early learning programs throughout the state.
Project

The Literacy Information and Communication System (LINCS)

The Literacy Information and Communication System (LINCS) is a national leadership initiative of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education to expand evidence-based practice in the field of adult education. AIR leads several activities that help deliver high-quality, evidence-based resources, on-demand educational opportunities to practitioners of adult education.
Image of young girl learning at her laptop
20 Jul 2020
In the Field

Digital Accessibility: How Schools and Teachers Can Support Students with Disabilities in Remote Learning

Keeping an eye on issues of equity in remote learning environments can seem overwhelming, particularly when moving teaching and learning from the classroom to an online platform. Taking the time to address digital accessibility has an overarching benefit: Universally designed and accessible learning materials can benefit all learners.
30 Jun 2020
Brief

Equitable Opportunities for Deeper Learning: Exploring Differences Between Traditional and Network Schools

Deeper learning network schools have an explicit mission to provide deeper learning opportunities to all students. This brief uses data from the Study of Deeper Learning to examine whether students attending deeper learning network schools do indeed report more equitable learning opportunities than students in comparison schools.
30 Jun 2020
Brief

Equitable Access to the Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Benefits of Deeper Learning

Recently, researchers at AIR found that students who attended schools that focused on deeper learning reported higher levels of collaboration skills, academic engagement, motivation to learn, and self-efficacy than similar students who attended comparison schools. In this brief, they used data from the Study of Deeper Learning: Opportunities and Outcomes to explore whether students’ opportunities for deeper learning are similarly beneficial for different types of students.
Image of preschool girl reading
25 Jun 2020
Brief

Impact of COVID-19 on Early Learning and Care in California

The COVID-19 crisis has taken a toll on California's early learning and care system, and early learning providers need more support. In order to understand the ways in which programs have adapted, the services they provide, and the challenges they are facing, AIR and Early Edge California collected data from early learning programs throughout the state.
Project

National Survey of Public Education’s Response to COVID-19

To improve services to students and families, we need information on what districts and charter management organizations are doing and plan to do to address COVID-19. From mid-May through July 2020, we are asking school district and charter management organization leaders to respond to a nationally representative survey of school districts and charter management organizations—more than 2,500 in total—about the actions they have taken and the challenges they have encountered during the COVID-19-related school closures.
Image of California map
5 Feb 2020
Q & A

A Learning Community for School District Leaders Promotes Evidence-Based Decision-Making

The California Collaborative on District Reform was designed to improve educational opportunities for all students, with particular emphasis on those who have been historically underserved. Joel Knudson, a senior researcher at AIR and the Collaborative’s deputy project director, answered questions about the Collaborative and its work.
Image of adult students working on laptops
3 Jul 2019
Q & A

A Quick Word With: Stephanie Cronen on the National Study of the Implementation of Adult Education

The U.S. Department of Education commissioned AIR to conduct a national study to evaluate how adult education operates at the state and local levels, including who adult education providers are, the services they provide, and the challenges they face. Stephanie Cronen answered some questions about adult education and what the study aims to accomplish.
11 Jun 2019
Report

Student and School Characteristics Associated with Academic Outcomes for English Learner Students in Grades 3 Through 8 in Cleveland Metropolitan School District

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District has witnessed increases in the number of English learner students in grades K–12 over recent years. This study investigated the relationships of student and school characteristics with English learner student performance on statewide mathematics and English language arts assessments, and on English language proficiency levels.
Project

Promoting Success for Teachers of English Learners Through Structured Observations

ESSA recognizes the important role educators play in improving education outcomes for students of color and students from low-income families—groups that historically have included large numbers of English learners. The Council of Chief State School Officers, Education Northwest, and AIR jointly published a report and tools to promote success for teachers of English learners.
Image of college students in a computer lab
29 Jan 2019
Report

Using Technology to Support English Language Learners in Higher Education: A Study of Voxy’s Effect on English Language Proficiency

Although English language learners (ELLs) have an increasing presence in postsecondary education, their unique needs are often unmet by institutions of higher education. Technology-mediated English language instruction may be a solution to the pressing challenges that postsecondary institutions face in providing personalized instruction to ELLs, because it allows instruction to be tailored to an individual’s English proficiency, academic needs, and professional interests.
Image of The Ten Series cover
3 Dec 2018
Brief

ESSA and Digital Learning: Closing the Digital Accessibility Gap

Educators have an unprecedented opportunity to rethink how their technology initiatives reach all learners, including those with disabilities and those with limited English proficiency. How should they approach this opportunity? What is most important to consider? This edition of The 10 Series answers those questions and more.
29 Nov 2018
Q & A

A Quick Word With: Courtney Tanenbaum

AIR Principal Researcher Courtney Tanenbaum describes the unique opportunities and challenges associated with The Title III Native American and Alaska Native Children in School (NAM) Program, which she and her colleagues evaluated.
24 Jul 2018 | 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Event

Serving English Language Learners in Higher Education: Unlocking the Potential

A recent white paper by AIR describes the diverse motivations and experiences that shape a student’s experience as they learn English in a higher education environment and addresses how institutions can better support student needs. The white paper served as the foundation for a convening of researchers, practitioners, and program administrators at the TESOL 2018 conference. In this webinar we will summarize key areas of discussion and follow-up with next steps for serving ELs in higher education.
1 Jul 2018
Report

English Language Program Participation Among Students in the Kindergarten Class of 2010-11: Spring 2011 to Spring 2012

Providing English language instruction has important implications for millions of children nationwide. This Statistics in Brief report uses data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, focused on the Kindergarten Class of 2010-11, to examine students who participated in English language programs.
Image of smiling young Native American boy in tunnel
29 Jun 2018
Report

Study of the Native American and Alaska Native Children in School Program: FY 2011 and FY 2013 Cohorts

The Native American and Alaska Native Children in School discretionary grants program aims to reduce the persistent achievement gap between Native American and Alaska Native youth and their peers in reading and English language arts and college readiness in reading. This qualitative study examined the types of activities grantees funded, and the perceived benefits, challenges, and lessons learned that they experienced in implementing these activities.
Image of boy and girl reading in classroom
27 Jun 2018
Video

English Learners and Close Reading: Providing Scaffolding for Writing

In June 2018, staff from the Center for English Language Learners facilitated a one-hour webinar featuring the writing component of the ACCELL model. The topic focused on scaffolding writing in connection with close reading activities.
Image of group of college-age English learners
5 Mar 2018
Report

Serving English Language Learners in Higher Education: Unlocking the Potential

Higher education institutions increasingly are faced with the challenge and opportunity of serving English learners (ELs) on their campuses. This white paper describes profiles of three types of English learners in higher education and details the motivations, experiences, and challenges that each EL faces in his or her academic pursuits.
27 Dec 2017
In the Field

Minnesota LEAPS Ahead in Supports for English Learners

Supporting the mission to provide targeted support for English Learmers, the Midwest Comprehensive Center worked with the Minnesota Department of Education on a cultural competency project. The project had two primary goals: 1) Conduct a listening tour of agency staff to inform recommendations on developing cultural competency within MDE so that MDE is better able to serve districts in this area; and 2) Assist MDE with updating its handbook for linguistically and culturally diverse parents whose children are enrolled in traditional public and charter schools.
21 Nov 2017
Report

Time to Proficiency for Hispanic English Learner Students in Texas

English learner (EL) students who do not attain English proficiency and grade-level mastery of academic content by the middle and upper grades are at risk of dropping out of high school or failing to graduate. To better understand the factors that influence EL students’ progress in Texas, this study examined the average time it took the 2005/06 cohort of grade 1 Hispanic EL students in the state to attain English language proficiency and meet state standards in reading and math.
Project

First 5 California Dual Language Learner Pilot Study

Over 60% of children from birth to age 5 in the state of California are dual language learners (DLLs). The First 5 California-funded Dual Language Learner Pilot Study seeks to identify the range and distribution of learning experiences for DLLs in California and to better understand how these experiences are linked to positive child and family outcomes.
13 Sep 2017
Video

Learning English: Diverse Students in American Classrooms

There is a vital need to learn more about evidence-based approaches to support English learner students. Featuring Diane August, a managing researcher at AIR, the documentary shows how certain evidence-based approaches work in real-life settings through stories from the Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s Multilingual Multicultural Education Program.
1 Sep 2017
Brief

Supporting English Learners and Students with Disabilities: Strategies from Turnaround Schools in Massachusetts

Meeting the needs of English learners (ELs) and students with disabilities (SWDs) is a critical yet challenging responsibility for all schools. This brief highlights four key strategies that emerged from the exploration of practices and systems in place in Massachusetts turnaround schools that successfully provide appropriate interventions to all of their ELs and SWDs.
Image of female student with teacher
8 Aug 2017
In the Field

North Carolina Partnership Supports Stronger Teaching for English Learners

With 100,000 English learners spread across more than 2,500 schools and more than 130 charter schools in 115 school districts, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction needed to ensure that teachers of ELs received the latest professional development available. State officials instead relied on a select group of teachers to train other educators within their regions. This support network of teacher-trainers delivered professional development locally, increasing the Department’s capacity to reach schools and students throughout the state.
22 Jun 2017 | 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Event

Cultivating Oral Language and Literacy Talent in Young English Learners (Webinar)

Please join experts from the Center for English Language Learners at AIR on June 22, 2017 to learn how teachers can support the development of oral language and pre-literacy skills in preschool and kindergarten English learners (ELs).
16 Jun 2017
Service

Pay for Success/Social Impact Bonds

The Pay for Success (PFS) model, also known as the Social Impact Bonds model, is a relatively new way to finance improvements in persistent social problems. PFS brings together investors with local, state, and federal government agencies to fund and improve education, health, and social services. AIR is implementing this approach in many communities around the country.
Project

Texas Adult Education and Literacy Content Standards

The Adult Education division of the Texas Workforce Commission contracted with the Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning (TCALL) at Texas A&M University to provide training for adult educators on a new set of Texas adult education content standards. AIR worked with TCALL to provide training to 120 instructional coaches from adult education programs in all parts of the state.
12 May 2017
Brief

The Impact of Transitional Kindergarten on English Learner Students

This fifth brief in a series highlighting findings from the Study of California’s Transitional Kindergarten Program summarizes what we have learned about the impact of TK on EL students’ school readiness skills, including mathematics skills, language and literacy skills, and English proficiency.
10 May 2017
Toolkit

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction English Learner Support Team Appraisal Tool for Professional Growth and Development

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction English Learner Support Team Appraisal Tool is designed to aid users in self-reflection, goal setting, training observations, year-end appraisal, and team membership application.
13 Apr 2017
Service

Content and Technical Expertise in Refugee and Migrant Initiatives

AIR offers a broad range of services in areas that support our human rights and refugee initiatives. We are committed to applying and producing the best evidence and the highest quality work. Our quality assurance process encompasses all stages of a project, from research design to evidence-based conclusions and recommendations, to implementation and scale-up.
Project

English Language Acquisition Feasibility Study

English language learners often need additional support to read at grade level by the third grade—a milestone predictive of future educational and occupational success. Yet schools and communities often do not have the resources to provide those supports. AIR is conducting the feasibility phase of a Pay for Success project for the U.S. Department of Education to improve English language acquisition for Spanish-speaking children in pre-K through third grade.
1 Jan 2017
ESSA

ESSA │3. Academic Assessments

In this section, SEAs provide information about high school end-of-course mathematics assessments and strategies to prepare students for and provide access to advanced mathematics courses in middle school.

1 Jan 2017
ESSA

ESSA │English Language Learners (ELLs)

Under ESSA, states continue to address the identification, assessment, and accountability provisions related to English Learners but with more flexibility and by using standardized statewide entrance and exit procedures. The experts at AIR support ELs by conducting rigorous research and evaluation to improve instruction and learning, evaluating policy to inform decisionmaking, and creating resources and providing hands-on support designed to enhance EL practice at the district, school, and classroom level.
7 Dec 2016 | 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Event

Professional Learning Community Resources to Support English Learners

On Wednesday, December 7, 2016, join AIR for a free webinar on resources to assist professional learning communities in building their knowledge of evidence-based strategies to support English learners.

9 Oct 2016
Service

Research Practice Partnerships at AIR

Research alliances are long-term partnerships among researchers, policymakers, and practitioners that draw the three groups into close, sustained relationships focused on a shared set of priorities. Members negotiate a research agenda, and a subset of policymakers and practitioners maintains advisory roles on projects staffed with researchers.
23 Sep 2016
Service

ACCELL-Related Projects for English Language Learners

Attaining Core Content for English Language Learners (ACCELL) supports teachers in implementing routines and scaffolds that serve the dual purpose of helping ELLs meet English language proficiency standards and content standards.
Project

Cultivating Oral Language and Literacy Talents in Students (COLLTS)

Cultivating Oral Language Literacy Talent in Students (COLLTS) is an early childhood program comprised of units that promote the development of pre-reading skills, oral language proficiency, and background and conceptual knowledge through the use of interactive reading with high-quality children’s literature.
26 May 2016
Blog Post

Five Ways States Can Support Dual Language Programs

Unlike transitional bilingual programs that mainly seek to prepare English learners for general education classrooms, dual language programs aim to develop students’ literacy and content area knowledge in both English and a partner language, such as Spanish or Chinese. In this blog post, Andrea Boyle and Lisa Tabaku discuss their latest report which explores how states are developing creative ways to support the expansion of dual language programs.
Project

A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial of Descubriendo la Lectura (DLL)

There is a pressing need for Spanish-language early intervention programs for students at risk of literacy failure. The Descubriendo la Lectura offers one-on-one lessons in Spanish for a period of 12‒20 weeks to first-grade Spanish-speaking English learners struggling with reading and writing. The program extends the successful Reading Recovery approach to ELs by first addressing literacy in their native language.
7 Apr 2016 | 4:00 PM - 5:15 PM
Event

Ensuring High-Quality Education for English Learners

Research suggests that English Learners are sometimes placed in classes where they don’t have access to grade-level core content, and that teachers in these classrooms are likely to be less experienced and qualified to support non-native English speakers’ needs. The Education Policy Center at AIR invites you to a discussion on how to provide English Learners with quality instruction in critical subject areas on April 7, 2016 at 4:00pm.
7 Apr 2016 | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Event

What Does ESSA Mean for English Learners and Accountability?

The Every Student Succeeds Act shifts accountability for English learners from Title III to Title I—so now the law will hold schools, not just districts, accountable for educating English learners. School systems in six states plus the District of Columbia have a 10 percent or higher English-learner population, and the number of non-native English-speaking students continues to grow. To put the facts into perspective and provide policy recommendations, the Education Policy Center at AIR invites you to a briefing on ESSA assessment and accountability provisions related to English learners.
Image of Diane August
6 Apr 2016
Blog Post

What Will ESSA Mean for English Learners?

English learners (ELs) are an increasingly significant student population, outpacing the demographic growth of non-EL students by more than 40 percent nationwide, and growing by as much as 800 percent in some states. In this blog post, Diane August and Erin Haynes take a look at how the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) helps or hinders this critical student population.
Diane August
6 Apr 2016
Video

Making Research Relevant: Dual Language Programs Explained

In recent years, there has been an increased interest in dual-language programs, in which students receive instruction in both English and a partner language to help them acquire both. In this video, Diane August explains the benefits of dual language programs and some of the challenges to implementing them.
6 Apr 2016
Report

Dual Language Education Programs: Current State Policies and Practices

Recent research suggests that dual language education programs, a type of bilingual education program in which students are taught literacy and academic content in English and a partner language, provide more opportunities for English learners (ELs) to reach higher levels of academic achievement

22 Mar 2016
Report

Case Studies of Schools Receiving School Improvement Grants: First Year Findings

Our nation’s lowest performing schools have traditionally struggled to offer students the instruction and supports they deeply need. The first phase of the federal School Improvement Grant Program targeted the goal of turning around these schools and improving learning for students. This report examines the first year of SIG implementation in a diverse sample of 25 schools from 13 districts and 6 states.
19 Jan 2016 | 9:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Event

Event Highlights - California's Emerging Teacher Shortage: New Evidence and Policy Responses

California’s supply of teachers is at a 12-year low. The trend continues as enrollment in educator preparation programs has dropped by more than 70 percent in the last decade.

1 Nov 2015
Service

State, District, and School Support for English Learners

The Center for ELLs at AIR works with states, districts, and schools to collect information about current policies and practices for ELLs, evaluate those policies and practices, and formulate plans of action to make improvements in the education of ELLs.
9 Oct 2015
Guide

Professional Learning Communities Facilitator's Guide: Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to English Learners in Elementary and Middle School

The Professional Learning Communities Facilitator's Guide is designed to assist teacher teams in applying the evidence-based strategies in the Teaching Academic Content and Literacy to English Learners in Elementary and Middle School educator's practice guide, produced by the What Works Clearinghouse.
8 Sep 2015
Commentary

Language in Learning and Literacy: Native Tongues First

In this commentary, Pooja Reddy Nakamura, an AIR senior researcher explores the question of when to introduce English to children in multilingual contexts. Rather than introducing it at the first opportunity, she suggests grouping classes by local language achievement skill—not just age—and introducing written English only after the local language threshold has been reached.
Project

Preparing Adult English Language Learners for Rigorous College and Career Readiness Standards

The Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education’s (OCTAE) is engaged in ongoing efforts to ensure that all adult students, including English language learners (ELLs), can obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and self-sufficiency. This project built upon tools and material developed by OCTAE to produce resources to help adult education programs expand their basic capabilities to adopt and implement college and career readiness standards in adult education.
1 Sep 2015
Service

Attaining Core Content for English Language Learners (ACCELL)

The ACCELL approach includes methods, resources, and tools to help teachers across the subject areas scaffold core content for ELs. ACCELL was strategically developed from the ground up to align with college and career ready standards.
1 Sep 2014
Service

Client Services in State and Local Evaluation

AIR’s state and local evaluation projects marshal a broad range of expertise and resources to support state education agencies and district offices as they decide whether to retain, revise, or end a policy or program. The projects address challenges in district and school reform, educator quality, special education, school financing, STEM, literacy, virtual learning, extended learning, English learning, early childhood education, and college and career readiness.
Project

Math and English Language Development for English Learners: (Project MELD)

Mastering math and the academic language of math is essential for all students, but especially for ELs, who are acquiring content knowledge and English proficiency concurrently. The goal of this three-year study funded by the Institutes of Education Sciences was to enable sixth-grade Spanish-speaking ELs to acquire the skills and knowledge they need to meet the new Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS-M) and Literacy in the Technical Subjects (CCSS-L). The first two years of the study an iterative development process was used to refine the intervention, leading to a pilot study in the final study year.
Project

Study of English Language Learners in Massachusetts

Research by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has shown that the majority of English language learners (ELLs) who entered Massachusetts public schools in kindergarten were reclassified within three years; however, most still struggled with reading and math in later grades. AIR conducted research and analysis on Massachusetts state data that will provide a profile of ELLs and policy recommendations for improving their outcomes.

17 Apr 2014
Brief

A Focused Look at Schools Receiving School Improvement Grants That Have High Percentages of English Language Learner Students

Federal School Improvement Grants (SIGs) support turnaround efforts in the nation’s lowest-performing schools, including many that serve a large number of English Language Learner Students (ELLs). This evaluation brief examines 11 high-ELL SIG schools’ capacity and efforts to address the unique needs of ELLs.
Project

Regional Educational Laboratory Southeast (REL Southeast)

The states in REL Southeast's region include schools in rural, suburban, and urban settings which face high poverty, growing populations of English learners, and low graduation rates. At the same time, states are committed to meeting the challenge of higher student standards.
Project

Improving Adult English Language Instruction (ESL Pro)

Currently, English language learners (ELLs) comprise over 40% of students served by adult basic education programs. Therefore, it is critical that instructors are equipped with the training and tools to meet their learning needs. From 2013-2016, through its Improving Adult English Language Instruction initiative, the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education contracted with AIR to build on and extend its previous investments to improve the knowledge, skills, and abilities of teachers working with adult ELLs by providing collaborative, evidence-based, and technology-enhanced professional development opportunities.
Project

EL Center's Technical Assistance Related to the Common Core State Standards

Currently, staff from the Center for English Learners are involved in technical assistance work related to the Common Core.
Project

ELLs and the California Collaborative on District Reform

The California Collaborative on District Reform joins researchers, district practitioners, state policy actors, and funders in on-going evidence-based dialogue and collective problem-solving to improve outcomes for all students in California school systems, with an emphasis on the over 1.5 million ELLs in California schools.
Project

Evaluation of the Massachusetts Rethinking Equity and Teaching for English Language Learners (RETELL) Initiative

In order to improve instruction for ELLs, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has recently an initiative under which all core academic teachers in the state are required to complete comprehensive professional development in Sheltered English Instruction methods by July 2016. AIR has evaluated the pilot professional development program and will be evaluating the implementation of the first year of the full roll-out of the program.

14 Feb 2013
Report

Understanding Patterns and Precursors of ELL Success Subsequent to Reclassification

This paper describes a research project which drew on longitudinal student data in two states to examine the validity of existing English Language Learner (ELL) reclassification systems—the process by which ELL students are reclassified as fully English proficient and ready to function without special services.

Project

Internationals Network Project RISE (Realizing Internationals Support for English Language Learners)

Project RISE (Realizing Internationals Supports for English Language Learners) aims to improve the educational outcomes of English language learners (ELLs) in Grades 9–12 in two schools identified as persistently low performing by changing teachers’ instructional practices and several key structures in which students and teachers are organized. AIR is providing ongoing, formative evaluation of program implementation and, during the project’s last year, will provide a summative evaluation of Project RISE’s impact on the educational outcomes of ELLs.
6 Dec 2012
Guide

Supporting English Language Learners: A Pocket Guide for State and District Leaders

The need to serve English language learners (ELLs) has never been more pressing. The Supporting English Language Learners guide, developed by the Center for English Language Learners at AIR, is designed for state and district leaders who play a key role in ensuring that all students—including ELLs—graduate from high school well prepared for college and careers.

20 Sep 2012
Report

Learning from the Past: Drawing on California’s CLAS Experience to Inform Assessment of the Common Core (2012)

The Common Core State Standards represent an exciting step forward for California and for the nation as a whole in supporting strong instruction that can better prepare students for college and career success. As educators embrace the challenges associated with assessment of the Common Core, it is instructive to learn from the California Learning Assessment System (CLAS) experience in the early 1990s—both to build on its successes and to avoid the mistakes that led to its demise.

Project

DC Public Charter School Board Consulting

Accountability is a necessary and critical focus in education. In 2012, the District of Columbia Public Charter School Board (DCPCSB) did not have an accountability system in place to monitor adult education public charter schools. AIR consults with DCPCSB, using its expertise in developing, advising on, and updating accountability systems to support the board in creating a fair and appropriate accountability system. AIR provides insights into policy changes in adult education and the changing needs of the DCPCSB accountability system.
1 Jun 2012
Report

Fresno–Long Beach Learning Partnership: Series Overview

The leaders of two of California’s largest urban school districts—Fresno and Long Beach—entered into a formal learning partnership with the goal of preparing all students for success. This is an overview of four briefs developed by AIR about different aspects of the partnership, and calls out key lessons for district leaders, policymakers, funders, and researchers.
1 Jun 2012
Report

Building District Capacity for Data-Informed Leadership (Fresno–Long Beach Learning Partnership)

This brief explains how the two school districts in the Fresno-Long Beach Learning Partnership are building a multifaceted approach to monitoring the progress of their students and their systems.
Project

AIR Regional and Content Centers with ELL Components

The U.S. Department of Education has contracted with AIR to operate a number of federally funded research and technical assistance centers, many of which have developed resources related to English language learners (ELLs).

6 Feb 2012
Report

National Evaluation of Title III Implementation Supplemental Report: Exploring Approaches to Setting English Language Proficiency Performance Criteria and Monitoring English Learner Progress

The U.S. Department of Education has released a report examining approaches to setting criteria for measuring the progress of English learners in classrooms as part of a four-year project led by AIR. The report, National Evaluation of Title III Implementation Supplemental Report: Exploring Approaches to Setting English Language Proficiency Performance Criteria and Monitoring English Learner Progress, provides examples of various ways states can use enhanced data systems to address key questions.

5 Jan 2012
Report

Children’s Elementary School Outcomes After Participating in Family Literacy Programs

The First 5 LA Family Literacy Initiative is a comprehensive program to promote language and literacy development, parenting knowledge and skills, and economic self-sufficiency among low-income families in Los Angeles County. Findings from the eight-year evaluation of this Family Literacy Initiative have shown significant growth in language and literacy skills among children participating in these programs.

Project

Study of School Turnaround

The U.S. Department of Education has invested substantial funds in turning around the nation’s lowest performing schools and has contracted with AIR to examine how schools’ receiving federal school improvement grants (SIGs) are changing over time.

Project

Analysis of the Title III Professional Development Program

The National Professional Development Program (NPDP) supports projects designed to increase the pool of teachers who are highly qualified to work with ELLs and to improve the skills of teachers who are currently serving these students. On behalf of the Program and Policy Studies Service at the U.S. Department of Education, AIR is gathering lessons learned about characteristics of pre-service and in-service teacher education programs, courses, and activities intended to improve instruction for ELLs, both by reviewing the literature and by conducting case studies of current and former NPDP grantees.

Project

Curriculum Audits of Districts and Schools for English Language Learners

AIR’s district and school consultation services include curriculum audits of districts and schools in corrective action. Learn more about how AIR District Audits have revealed how some schools defy the odds for ELLs who struggle with poverty and English language acquisition.

22 Dec 2011
Report

Separate Paths, Common Goals: Cross-District Collaboration on Mathematics and English Learner Instruction (Special Series on the Fresno–Long Beach Learning Partnership)

Drawing on interviews with district leaders as well as focus groups with coaches, specialists and principals, this brief describes the Fresno-Long Beach Learning Partnership’s work in two of the four areas that the districts selected as key leverage points for district action: mathematics and English learner instruction.

Project

English Language Learner District Curriculum Audit

Pursuant to the accountability requirements of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (as reauthorized by the No Child Left Behind Act), New York City’s Community School District 5 wanted to determine which practices and strategies enabled some elementary and middle schools within the district to reach high levels of performance for English language learners (ELLs). The district contracted AIR to conduct a curriculum audit focused on schools where ELLs had been successful as well as schools that had consistently failed to make adequate yearly progress for the ELL subgroup.
25 Sep 2010
Report

“What Works” Study for Adult ESL Literacy Students - Final Report

Most research and practice in second language learning supports the theory that literacy in one language assists literacy development in another language.

1 Aug 2010
Report

Connecting Research About English Language Learners to Practice

This Connecting Research to Practice brief helps educators make informed decisions about English language learners (ELLs) by providing an overview of key research findings, highlighting federal policies related to ELLs, outlining district-level and school-level action opportunities, and listing resources that offer more information.

18 Jun 2010
Report

English Language Learners - Annotated Bibliography

This annotated bibliography represents a first step toward compiling a comprehensive overview of current research on issues related to English language learners. It is intended to be a resource for researchers, policymakers, administrators and educators.

Project

California Collaborative on District Reform

The California Collaborative on District Reform, an initiative of AIR, joins researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and funders in ongoing, evidence-based dialogue to improve instruction and student learning for all students in California’s urban school systems. In particular, the group recognizes the key role that districts play in supporting educational improvement.
30 Apr 2010
Report

Common ELL Terms and Definitions

This glossary is a resource for professionals involved in English language learner (ELL) education and represents a first step toward developing a comprehensive catalog of terms and definitions to aid educators in their work with the increasing population of ELLs across the country.

1 Mar 2010
Report

Raising Expectations for Mathematics Instruction in California: Algebra and Beyond

This brief draws on dialogue and investigation among the district practitioners, researchers, and policymakers participating in the California Collaborative on District Reform. It discusses ways in which districts can approach mathematics education given the current fiscal and political context in California.

1 Dec 2009
Report

Perspectives of District Leaders (Special Series on the Fresno-Long Beach Learning Partnership)

This fourth and final brief in the California Collaborative on District Reform series examines how the Fresno-Long Beach Learning Partnership uses data to inform work across and within the districts. The Partnership is a collaboration that aims to improve student outcomes, accelerate achievement for all students, and close achievement gaps by capitalizing on shared systemic capacity-building across two high-need districts.

29 Oct 2009
Report

Approaches to Promoting College Readiness for English Learners

Which practices foster college readiness for students, particularly English learners? This study interviewed students, teachers and administrators to determine what college readiness means to staff and how teachers help prepare students.
Project

Evaluation of the Impact of Explicit Literacy Instruction on Adult ESL Learners (ESL Impact)

The Department of Education has contracted AIR to evaluate the impact of the use of a literacy-focused workbook in English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction on adult learners.

Project

Evaluation of Proposition 227

The California Department of Education contracted AIR to provide information about the implementation and effects of Proposition 227 and of the English Language Acquisition Program (ELAP), which provided funding to support instruction for English Learners in the state. This five-year evaluation informed the Department about the effect on students, schools, and districts of Proposition 227 and about the future viability of ELAP.
1 Sep 2009
Report

The Transitioning English Language Learner (TELL) Study: Findings from Four TELL Programs

There is huge participation by foreign-born adults in the adult education system. This final report from the Transitioning English Language Learners (TELL) study identified models for transitioning ELLs and implications for programming that included recommendations for curriculum and instruction, program design and evaluation, professional development and teacher training, and state and local policy.
Project

Teach English for Life Learning (TELL) Ethiopia

In 1974, Ethiopia suffered a significant turbulent period. After the removal of Emperor Haile Selassie, a military council took power. One of its decisions was to close the university, colleges, teacher training institutes, and secondary schools. Two years later, the country experienced a critical shortage of teachers. In collaboration with the Ethiopian Ministry of Education and USAID/Ethiopia, AIR launched the Teach English for Life Learning program, with the primary goal of improving the skills of 20,000 sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade English teachers across all nine regions and two chartered cities in Ethiopia.
14 May 2009 | 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Event

National High School Center Hosts Webinar on Educating High School English Language Learners

The National High School Center, a project of the American Institutes for Research (AIR), will host a Webinar Thursday, May 14, 2009 on “Effectively Educating English Language Learners at the High School Level: What Research and Practice Tell Us.”

9 May 2009
Report

Good Instruction is Good for Everyone—Or Is It? English Language Learners in a Balanced Literacy Approach

This article, authored by distinguished AIR researcher Jennifer O’Day, compares the effects of selected instructional practices on both English Language Learners (ELLs) and non-ELLs.

22 Jan 2009
Report

Transitioning English Language Learners, Annotated Bibliography

The TELL project is a review of literature and critical annotated bibliography to provide an overview and critique of the research related to the transition of English language learners.

Project

Title III Evaluation

The U.S. Department of Education commissioned AIR to evaluate the Title III program to determine how, and how well, states are implementing Title III provisions, how state policy translates into district practices, and how well ELLs are mastering grade level content and improving their English language proficiency.
Project

National Science Foundation ELL Project

AIR investigated the extent to which sociolinguistic factors influence the performance of students with limited English proficiency (LEP) in mathematics assessments. The project addressed the fact that the performance of ELL students in tests is inconsistent both across items and across languages.

Project

Transitioning English Language Learners (TELL)

More than 40 percent of the 1.8 million adults served by the national adult education program are English language learners (ELLs). Often, these learners begin with English as a second language classes and then transition to adult basic or adult secondary programming to further their academic skills. In 2008–2011, AIR staff conducted an examination of the policies and instructional and programmatic strategies that support the successful transition of advanced ELLs into advanced educational programming that prepares them for postsecondary education and the 21st century workplace.
1 Oct 2007
Brief

California Collaborative on District Reform: Policy Briefs on California Education Finance and Governance

This collection of policy briefs was prepared for Getting from Facts to Policy: A California Education Policy Convening, hosted by EdSource in October 2007.

9 Jan 2007
Report

Improving Literacy Outcomes for English Language Learners in High School: Considerations for States and Districts in Developing a Coherent Policy Framework

This National High School Center research brief outlines existing barriers regarding teacher expectations, tracking, and placement of English language learners and offers key policies and useful strategies in building capacity and developing learning environments conducive for all students in obtaining academic success.

1 Dec 2006
Report

State Implementation of NCLB Policies and Interpretation of the NAEP Performance of English Language Learners

This report outlines a number of critical issues that should be addressed in order to allow states to explore and understand relationships between the performance of English language learning students on NAEP and on state assessments in this policy context.

24 Nov 2006
Report

Overview of Public Elementary and Secondary Students, Staff, Schools, School Districts, Revenues and Expenditures: School Year 2004-05 and Fiscal Year 2004

Common Core of Data (CCD) surveys for the 2004-05 school year and the fiscal year 2004, includes data about students enrolled in public education, including the number of students by grade and the number receiving special education, migrant, or English language learner services.

11 Apr 2005
Report

Conducting Large-Scale Research in Adult ESL: Challenges and Approaches for the Explicit Literacy Impact Study

The purpose of this AIR-led study is to test the impact of a curriculum-based explicit literacy intervention for low-literacy adult ESL learners.

Project

Adult ESL Literacy Impact Study

In 2008, nearly half of the students served in federally funded adult education programs were English as a second language (ESL) learners. However, there was limited rigorous research on interventions for this population. This study was conducted to improve the research base on effective instruction for low-literate ESL adults.
Project

The What Works Study for Adult ESL Literacy Students

U.S. Department of Education statistics from 2008 showed that 44 percent of the 2.4 million students in the federally funded adult education program were English as a second language (ESL) students, and of these, about 185,000 were at the lowest ESL level, beginning literacy. The What Works Study for Adult ESL Literacy Students study identified effective instructional practices for improving the literacy skills of low-literate adult ESL learners.