Categories

Report: English learners in Boston public schools: Enrollment, engagement, and academic outcomes of native speakers of Cape Verdean Creole, Chinese dialects, Haitian Creole, Spanish, and Vietnamese

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Categories

EDUCATION, sheltered english immersion, STUDENTS, english Language Learners

Areas

DISTRICT:inquiry on equity in schooling

Authors

Uriarte, M.; Lavan, N.; Agusti, N.; Kala, M.; Karp, F.; Kiang, P.; Lo, L.; Tung, R.; Villari, C.

Published

2009

Publisher

The Mauricio Gastón Institute, University of Massachusetts, Boston, in collaboration with the Center for Collaborative Education, Boston

Abstract

"In 2002, Massachusetts voters approved a referendum (Question 2) against the continuance of Transitional Bilingual Education as a method of instruction for English language learners. . . . Question 2 (implemented across the State in fall 2003), replaced a wide-ranging set of bilingual programs with Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) programs. . . . Unlike Transitional Bilingual Education, which relies on English learners’ own language to facilitate the learning of academic content as they learn English, the SEI model is based on the concept that the English language is acquired quickly when taught through meaningful content and effective interaction. SEI programs rely on the use of simple English in the classroom to impart academic content, using students’ native languages only to assist students in completing tasks or to answer a question. . . . (This study) finds that, in the three years following the implementation of Question 2 in the Boston Public Schools, (a) the identification of students of limited English proficiency declined, as did the enrollment in programs for English; (b) the enrollment of English learners in substantially separate Special Education programs more than doubled; and (c) service options for English language learners narrowed. The study found that high school dropout rates among students in programs for English language learners almost doubled and that the proportion of English language learners in middle school who dropped out more than tripled in those three years. Finally, although there have been some gains for English learners in both English-as-a second-language and math MCAS pass rates in 4th and 8th grade, gains for English learners have not matched those of other groups and, as a result, gaps between English learners and other Boston Public Schools populations have widened.”

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