Academic Progress for English Learners: The Role of School Language Environment and Course Placement in Grades 6-12

This report examines two important types of ELs in Los Angeles and San Diego districts' middle and high schools: long-term ELs who have spent several years in U.S. schools without being reclassified as being fluent in English, and late-arriving ELs who first enroll in the district in grade 6 or higher and who enter with little or no English fluency. This analysis uses student data from 2006-07 to 2015-16 and incorporates interviews conducted in 2017-18 with staff and teachers at the two districts. Results suggest providing ongoing English language development and school-level EL support to teachers accelerates the progress of both groups of ELs.