Provide urgent, strengthened academic support for multilingual students, especially dually-identified students¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description¶

Based on the finding of expanding middle-grade achievement gaps, the author recommends that "better academic support is urgently needed for all multilingual students, especially dually-identified students." The recommendation follows directly from the study's observation that ever-ELs and current-ELs make smaller gains than the all-student average in the middle grades and that dually-identified students make smaller gains across all grades in math. It directs attention and resources toward the middle grades and toward students served by both EL and Special Education programs.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Identification of students' EL and special education service statuses to target support
• Academic growth monitoring across grades to detect widening gaps

Constraints¶

• The recommendation is grounded in observational achievement-gap patterns, not in a test of a specific support program

Target Learners¶

• Multilingual students in grades K-8
• Dually-identified EL and Special Education students

Target Learning Goals¶

• Mathematics achievement
• Reading achievement
• Closing achievement gaps in the middle grades

Claims¶

• Large performance gaps on grades 6–8 and grade 11 CAASPP ELA and math tests, with LTEL7 students performing at lower levels than other ever-ELs [+W]

Related Strategies¶

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Angela Johnson. (2020). Within-year achievement gains for English Learners. NWEA Research working paper. https://www.nwea.org/research/publication/within-year-achievement-gains-for-english-learners/