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Equity in High School Learning
Defining Equity in High School Learning | English Language Learner (ELL) Students | Technical Assistance Responses
Every high school student in the U.S. public school system should have the opportunity for a high-quality and challenging academic experience. There have been great strides in recent years to recognize promising practices that work for all types of learners.
The National High School Center provides access to vetted resources and tools to improve educational outcomes for all students on the high school level. A special focus of the National High School Center is special needs students and English Language Learners.
Support for English Language Learner (ELL) Students
Educating English Language Learners at the High School Level: A Coherent Approach to District- and School-Level Support
This practitioner issue brief outlines successful strategies and recommendations for state-level policymakers, administrators, schools, and districts that are based on a 5-year evaluation study on the learning environment for ELLs in the state of California. This brief offers four critical building blocks that should be in place to effectively educate ELLs: implementing a well-defined, rigorously structured plan of instruction; ensuring that teachers are skilled in addressing the needs of ELLs; systematically using data to assess teaching and learning; and regularly adjusting instructional planning on the basis of student performance. (April 2009)
"Effectively Educating English Language Learners at the High School Level: What Research and Practice Tell Us" Webinar
This Webinar presented the latest research and best practices for educating English language learners at the high school level. The presentation was designed to: build awareness for the current body of research on educating English language learners at the high school level; discuss best practices from a practitioner's perspective; and explore how effective practices can be integrated to inform district, state, and national policies.
High School Course-Taking Patterns for English Language Learners: A Case Study from California
This research brief examines the course-taking patterns of ELLs by using the transcript data from 54 high schools in California. Alarming findings from the brief state that approximately 8% of ELLs in the study sample who finished high school had taken the necessary set of required courses to be minimally eligible to attend the California State University system. (April 2009)
Improving Literacy Outcomes for English Language Learners in High School: Considerations for States and Districts in Developing a Coherent Policy Framework
This 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. (November 2006)
Selected States’ Responses to Supporting High School English Language Learners
This policy brief provides state-level examples of efforts to improve the assessment and reporting of data. This brief also showcases effective partnerships between state departments and the Regional Comprehensive Centers in strengthening educational outcomes for ELLs on the secondary school level. (April 2009)
Double the Work: Challenges and Solutions to Acquiring Language and Academic Literacy for Adolescent English Language Learners
This report from the Alliance for Excellent Education identifies a series of teaching/learning challenges particular to English language learners as they work to gain academic literacy, while learning English concurrently. It also provides potential solutions and specific policy prescriptions for remedying each of the challenges presented.
Framework for High-Quality English Language Proficiency Standards and Assessments
WestEd’s Framework provides criteria for developing, implementing, and evaluating high-quality English language proficiency (ELP) standards and assessments that support English learners’ attainment of English language proficiency and achievement of academic content. State departments of education can use the Framework’s criteria and structure, as well as practical worksheets, to engage states in an evaluation of their existing ELP standards and assessments or work to ensure effective development and implementation of their ELP standards and assessments.
Immigrant Students and Secondary School Reform: Compendium of Best Practices
The best practices described in this compendium from the CCSSO aim to inform the work of educators in secondary schools considering comprehensive reform, as well as the work of state policy makers, district leaders, and those generally interested in improving education for ELL students.
Urgent But Overlooked: The Literacy Crisis Among Adolescent English Language Learners
This Alliance for the Excellence in Education issue brief examines the rapid enrollment growth of English Language Learners (ELLs), and recognizes that the nation’s schools must do far more to help these students build strong literacy skills. This piece examines some of the unique challenges facing adolescent ELLs who struggle to read and write proficiently, as well as to complete a rigorous math, science, and social studies curriculum, in a language they have not yet mastered. Appropriate assessments for ELLs, professional development needed for teachers, and policy changes needed to improve education for ELLs are described.
