What Factors Are Associated with the Likelihood of an English Learner Becoming a Long-Term English Learner?

The number of English learners (ELs) who do not reclassify as English proficient after the first five years of schooling has increased across the state of Texas. ELs are a diverse population of students with varying levels of English proficiency. Many students who begin school as an EL reclassify as English proficient in a timely manner and go on to achieve academic success. Students who remain EL after five years in school are considered "long-term English learners" (LTELs) and are at risk for negative academic outcomes, such as lower test scores, higher risk of drop out, and lower on-time high school graduation rates. The purpose of this brief is to examine student-, campus-, and neighborhood characteristics that can be considered risk or protective factors for the likelihood of an EL becoming LTEL, with the goal of helping school districts identify which students may be at-risk of becoming LTEL. This brief is part of a larger research project examining characteristics of LTELs, patterns of reclassification, predictors of LTEL status, and outcomes of LTELs within the state of Texas, with particular attention to 10 Houston-area public school districts. [For the previous two briefs in this study, see ED614668 and ED614658.]