New Research on Securing Educational Equity &amp; Excellence for English Language Learners in Texas Secondary Schools. IDRA José A. Cárdenas School Finance Fellows Program 2015 Symposium Proceedings
Author: Intercultural Development Research Association
Date: 2015-06-00
Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers
Subjects: Equal Education,English Language Learners,Secondary School Students,Secondary Schools,Educational Finance,Financial Support,Academic Achievement,Achievement Gap,Educational Quality

English language learners make up the fastest growing segment of the student population, but they are one of the lowest academically performing groups of students, and the achievement gap widens as students progress through school. Dr. Oscar Jimenez-Castellanos, IDRA's inaugural José A. Cárdenas School Finance Fellow, presented his research findings on securing educational equity and excellence for English language learners in Texas secondary schools at a symposium in San Antonio on February 2, 2015. In person and via livecast, the event gathered more than 80 education and community leaders, and experts in law and education research around the critical question of how we can improve secondary education quality and access for English learners. A panel of experts reflected on key themes and questions raised by the research and participants explored important implications of the research for education quality and equity for English learners in policy and practice. In 2014, Texas schools enrolled over 800,000 students identified as English language learners. The majority of ELL students are U.S. born, with fewer than 20 percent being recent immigrants. While Texas only requires schools to provide ELL programs if they have at least 20 ELL students in a grade level, federal policy requires schools to serve every ELL student--as Introduction was reiterated recently by the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Justice (see Page 38). This study found almost no secondary schools in Texas that are consistently exceeding academic benchmarks with ELLs. The limited number of schools with highest ELL achievement (17 out of 6,570 schools) expend significantly more general funds (over $1,000 more per student) than other schools. Texas is significantly underfunding ELL education (with supplemental funding of only 10 percent despite research indicating much higher weights are needed). The following contents are included: (1) Introduction; (2) Message from Dr. María &quot;Cuca&quot; Robledo Montecel, IDRA President &amp; CEO; (3) Lessons from Texas on the Relationship Between School Funding and the Academic Achievement of English Language Learners--News story by the New America Foundation (Amaya García); (4) Status of English Language Learner Education; (5) Examining School Funding and Academic Achievement for Secondary English Language Learners in Texas--A Synthesis (Oscar Jimenez-Castellanos); (6) Synthesis of Participant Presentations and Discussion; (7) Remarks by Rogelio Sáenz, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Public Policy, UTSA; (8) Examining School Funding and Academic Achievement for Secondary English Language Learners in Texas (Oscar Jimenez-Castellanos); and (9) Recommendations. The following are appended: (1) U.S. Departments of Education and Justice Release Joint Guidance to Ensure English Learner Students Have Equal Access to High-Quality Education; and (2) Symposium Participants.