This study examined the contribution of three writing enabling skills (i.e., feedback perception, self-efficacy, and self-regulation) on writing performance among Hispanic students. Participants were 261 students in grades 3-5. Approximately 60% of students were Emerging Bilingual (EB) enrolled in dual language programming. Students completed…

Using two states' longitudinal data, this study tracked long-term English learner (LTEL) students' performance on an annual English language proficiency (ELP) assessment (the ELPA21) from their pre-LTEL period. We followed English learner (EL) students who were initially classified as EL students in Kindergarten or in Grade 1 until they reached…

Although the benefits of collaborative learning across disciplines are well-established, its effectiveness hinges on the quality of execution. Motivational beliefs and emotions are crucial in students' engagement and achievement. Yet, a notable gap exists in examining these variables among students with varying proficiency levels in the context of…

Dynamic assessment (DA) seeks to understand learners' abilities that are still developing by embedding mediation (i.e., contingent forms of assistance) into the assessment process. To date, DA studies have been carried out primarily in contexts focused on language learning. However, in content classrooms (e.g., science, math), English learners…

Depression, anxiety, and stress are common mental health problems among adolescents. Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have found that students who suffer from mental health problems (e.g., ADHD, anxiety, or depression) tend to manifest school and social problems. It is urgent to identify and intervene early to help children with mental…

Using U.S. state-level data, we report unadjusted and adjusted odds ratio of special education (SPED) trends in Tennessee from 2009 to 2019 for students in Grades 3 to 8 by three language groups: native English speakers (NES), English-proficient bilinguals (EPB), and Current English learners (Current EL). We report trends across all SPED…

Administrators and teachers are tasked with the opportunity to implement bilingual programs to accommodate the growing population of multilingual learners, or MLs. There is a debate in the field about the most appropriate structure for bilingual programs. Sheltered Instruction (SI) is a way to "shelter" MLs from the anxiety of regular…

As an intimidating school subject for students globally, writing requires a high level of motivation, especially for second language (L2) learners. Despite abundant research on motivation in both first language (L1) writing and L2 learning, L2 writing motivation warrants more attention. To bridge the gap, the study intends to present an overall…

Newcomer programs aim to serve newly arrived immigrant students by providing specialized instruction and nonacademic support beyond what is offered in traditional English learner classrooms. In Houston ISD, Las Americas is a standalone program that serves newcomer students in grades 4-8. Given the growth of newly arrived immigrant students in the…

Background/Context: Students designated as English Learners (ELs) account for 10.4 percent of all students nationwide but have historically been provided unequal access to educational resources (Gándara et al., 2003; National Center for Education Statistics, 2023). Further, education policies are often blind to ELs' strengths and challenges,…

Using data from students in Grades 3-8 in school years 2018-2019 (N = 1,871) and 2021-2022 (N = 1,740), we examined the strength of fall math screening using Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) for predicting end-of-year state math assessment performance levels and whether this prediction varied across English language proficiency (ELP). In…

Using state-level data, we report unadjusted and adjusted odds ratio of special education (SPED) trends in Tennessee from 2009-2019 for students in grades 3-8 by 3 language groups: native English speakers (NES), English-proficient bilinguals (EPB) and Current English learners (Current EL). We report trends across all SPED disability categories and…

As the theme of the 2022 annual meeting of the American Education Research Association, cultivating equitable education systems has gained renewed attention amid an increasingly diverse society. However, systemic inequalities persist for traditionally underserved student populations. As a way to better address diverse students' needs, it is of…

Las Americas Middle School is a newcomer program within Houston Independent School District (HISD) that serves students in Grades 4 through 8 who have been in the U.S. for less than one year. As a non-zoned school of choice, Las Americas has no attendance boundary, meaning that students and families must opt to enroll in the school. This brief…

The purpose of this study was to determine whether motivation to read, Spanish reading proficiency or English reading proficiency could predict the reading achievement scores of Hispanic emerging bilingual students. In addition, the researcher explored how the sociocultural context of the bilingual classroom influences students' reading motivation…