The Houston Independent School District offers two different English as a Second Language (ESL) programs for language minority students. One of these is a Content-Based ESL program where ESL methodology is used to deliver English instruction across a variety of subject areas. The second is a Pullout ESL program where students attend special…

The Houston Independent School District offers two different English as a Second Language (ESL) programs for language minority students. One of these is a Content-Based ESL (CBESL) program where ESL methodology is used to deliver English instruction across a variety of subject areas. The second is a Pullout ESL program (PO-ESL) where students…

The Houston Independent School District (HISD) currently offers two bilingual programs and two English as a Second Language (ESL) programs for English language learners (ELs). These programs facilitate ELs' integration into the regular school curriculum and ensure access to equal educational opportunities. Bilingual programs are offered in…

English learners and students with disabilities both need educational supports to succeed in school. However, the kinds of support these two groups of students need may be different, and not receiving appropriate supports may have negative consequences on student learning (Callahan, 2013; Scott, Boynton Hauerwas, and Brown, 2014). To provide…

This report examines trends in the characteristics of the U.S. language minority population from 1979 through 1999. It examines changes in the numbers and proportion of the language minority population compared to the total U.S. population 5 to 24 years old and also discusses changes in the language minority population by language subgroups and…

Since the writing section of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) computer based test (CBT) is a single-prompt essay test, it is very important to ensure that each prompt is as fair as possible to any subgroups of examinees, such as those with different native language backgrounds. A particular topic of interest in this study is the…

This Issue Brief examines growth in the population of English Language Learner (ELL) students in U.S. public schools between the 1994 and 2000 school years. Data are drawn from the Schools and Staffing Surveys (SASS) of 1993-94 and 1999-2000. Nationally, the number of ELL students in public schools increased from approximately two million students…

This study examined participation in preschool and its relationship with the cognitive and social development of language-minority students. Although there is a large body of research that demonstrates the cognitive and social benefits of attending preschool (Barnett, 1995; Gorey, 2001; National Research Council, Committee on Early Childhood…

Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act mandates that state education agencies develop and implement an assessment system that allows for disaggregation of results at state, district, and school levels by gender, race, English proficiency, and migrant status. Schools receiving Title I funds must demonstrate "adequate yearly…

The rapid increase in the number of Limited English Proficient (LEP) students is especially significant in the nation's large urban school districts. The numbers of LEP students in special, bilingual education programs has exploded due to the constant stream of immigrants into the United States and the inability of so many children, even those who…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study that investigated the effects of modifications to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 1996 assessment designed to encourage the participation of more students with disabilities. Modifications included revising the inclusion criteria with the intention of making them clearer, more…

Noting the importance of kindergarten for establishing skills critical for school success, especially for today's diverse kindergartners who differ in the extent and types of early care and educational experiences they have had prior to kindergarten, this study focused on the gains in reading skills made by language minority and mainstream…

This book is an appraisal of the teaching of foreign languages in the 29 European countries taking part in the Socrates program. It contains a detailed analysis of the way teaching is organized, the approaches and content of curricula, arrangements for the recruitment and training of teachers, and the initiatives developed within the education…

The extent to which Canadian employers recognize the informally acquired first languages of immigrants and aboriginal persons as prior learning qualifications for formal employment in the business, government, and education sectors was examined through a survey of organizations across Ontario. Personalized questionnaires were mailed to a sample of…