This brief examines the outcomes of high school-aged newcomer students—recently arrived immigrant English learners—in the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Data from the 2007-2008 through 2018-2019 school years show that newcomer students who attended Liberty High School upon arrival in the U.S. had similar levels of academic performance outcomes to their newcomer peers who attended other high schools in HISD. However, other outcomes differed: Liberty students were less likely to take advanced and career and technical education courses, had lower attendance rates, and had lower graduation rates than newcomer students at other high schools. Notably, many of the differences between Liberty and non-Liberty students shrank in more recent years after Liberty established a day program in addition to its night school program.
Educational Outcomes of High School Newcomer Students in HISD
Abstract
Topics
English Learners
English Learner Success
Newcomer Programs
Newcomer Students