School Reform and Student Diversity: Exemplary Schooling for Language Minority Students. NCBE Resource Collection Series No. 4.

This report identifies, describes, and analyzes exemplary elementary and middle school reform efforts for limited-English-proficient (LEP) students in grades 4 through 8 in language arts, science, and mathematics in 20 states; 75 schools were screened originally by telephone to identify those exhibiting excellence in high quality language arts, significant school restructuring, and implementation of a well designed English-language acquisition program. Fifteen sites were selected for 1-day preliminary field visits based on demographic, geographic, and programmatic variables. Eight schools total in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Texas were selected for more intensive field work. Findings reveal that LEP education is viable and that all such successful programs possess certain essential elements that provide segregated, specialized instruction combined with meaningful integration into an all-English instructional environment. Success results from collaboration between LEP instructors and English-proficient instructors, giving more block time to LEP instruction, and the existence of a comprehensive language and literacy development program that emphasizes the same kinds of activities. An appendix details selected schools and their programs. (NAV)