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SUPPORTING ENGLISH LEARNERS

English Learners (ELs) make up 9% of the United States’ total student population, and America’s long-term 

prosperity is linked to whether these students graduate from high school with the skills and knowledge they 

need for college and careers. ELs face the dual challenges of learning English and learning academic content 

at the same time. Results from the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress show that ELs 

achieve at performance levels far below those of their English-proficient peers in mathematics, reading, and 

science. Moreover, the areas of the country with the greatest increases in the number of ELs are often those 

that have less experience serving these students, and the Department and its programs play a key role in 

helping these States, districts, and schools meet the needs of ELs. 

 Dedicated funding for English Learner Education ($723 million). The Administration is 

maintaining its commitment to supporting States and districts in operating high-quality language 

instruction educational programs by continuing to provide significant formula funding to all States 

for English Learner Education. This request would also provide continuation grants for the 

preparation and training of teachers of ELs and would fund evaluation activities and a clearinghouse 

for the dissemination of research-based information on effective methods, programs, and strategies 

for ELs.

 Race to the Top Equity and Opportunity ($300 million). This new initiative is designed to 

aggressively target opportunity and achievement gaps. Building on previous Race to the Top 

competitions, RTT-Equity and Opportunity (RTT-Opportunity) aims to support, spotlight, and 

drive systemic changes at the state and local level. Grantees would enhance their data systems to 

place sharp focus on the districts, schools, and student groups with the greatest disparities in 

opportunity and academic performance, while also being able to identify the most effective 

interventions. They would develop thoughtful, comprehensive strategies for addressing these gaps, 

and use the data to continuously improve. Grantees would invest in strong teaching and school 

leadership, using funds to develop, attract, and retain more effective teachers and leaders in highneed schools through strategies such as individualized professional learning and career ladder 

opportunities. States would collect data on school level expenditures, make that data transparent 

and accessible, and consider strategies to assess and remedy gaps. Participating districts would be 

required to ensure that their state and local funds are distributed fairly by implementing a more 

meaningful comparability standards based on this school level expenditure data. Grant funds could 

also be used, for example, to provide rigorous coursework; improve school climate and safety; 

strengthen students’ non-cognitive skills; develop and implement fair and appropriate school 

discipline policies; expand learning time; provide mental, physical, and social emotional supports; 

expand college and career counseling; and identify and carry out strategies that help break up and 

mitigate the effects of concentrated poverty. The program also will help states and districts to 

improve the use and effectiveness of resources from other federal programs. 

 School Improvement Grants Program ($506 million). The program will continue to fund largescale grants to districts to implement rigorous interventions in their lowest-performing schools that 

bring about dramatic improvements in student achievement and school performance. Since 2009, 

SIG has provided approximately $5 billion to help turnaround over 1,500 of the nation’s lowest 

performing schools. Approximately 25 percent of the students served in these schools are English 

Learners. Additionally, the Office of School Turnaround (OST) has worked with the Title III office 

to develop technical assistance modules that highlight discussions with practitioners and researchers 

around best practices to support ELs. Throughout 2014, the OST is highlighting promising 

strategies at the district level for supporting ELs in turnaround schools and will share these practices 

with other school districts and states. 
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 Promise Neighborhoods program ($100 million). This program supports projects that 

significantly improve the educational and developmental outcomes of children and youth by 

providing a cradle-to-career continuum of ambitious, rigorous, and comprehensive education 

reforms, effective community services, and strong systems of family and community support – with 

high-quality schools at the center. Grantees will plan and implement these projects for all children 

and youth in the community, including ELs and their families, and many of the current grantees 

serve communities with high percentages of ELs. 

 Adult Education State Grants ($564 million). These grants support programs that assist adults in 

becoming literate and in obtaining the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and selfsufficiency, assist adults who are parents in obtaining the educational skills necessary to become full 

partners in the educational development of their children, and assist adults in the completion of a 

secondary education. During the 2012-2013 program year, 40% of the participants enrolled in a 

program supported by these grants were enrolled in an English Literacy program. In addition, a $71 

million set-aside supports English Literacy/Civics Education State Grants that fund English 

literacy programs that incorporate civics education. Classes introduce students to civics-related 

content and provide them with opportunities to apply that knowledge in their daily lives while 

building their English language and literacy skills. Services address the needs of immigrant and other

limited English proficient adults, including high-skilled immigrants with degrees and credentials in 

their native countries.

 Strengthening English Learner Education through the reauthorization of the Elementary 

and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The President’s ESEA proposal would strengthen this 

program by requiring States to implement valid and reliable assessments of English language 

proficiency, consistently identify ELs, and evaluate the effectiveness of programs for ELs. It would 

also provide new competitive grants to support innovative, effective, or promising practices, 

including dual-language programs that promote literacy in both English and students’ home 

languages.