Work

Equity and State Immigrant Inclusivity: English Learner Education in ESSA

Year: 2020

Type: article

Abstract: (ESSA), the oversight of language policy in US schools shifted from federal to state governance. Although the education of students officially designated as English learners (ELs) has historically been grounded in federal law, we argue that English learners' educational experiences are also largely influenced by societal attitudes towards immigrants and immigration. Using a critical policy analysis (CPA) approach, we examine how twelve states' immigrant policy contexts are associated with the EL educational policies articulated in their ESSA implementation plans. We find that states' demographic and immigrant policy contexts combine to produce four distinct approaches toward EL education, from departing to approaching equity.

Source: Educational Policy

DOI: 10.1177/0895904820925819

Authors: Rebecca Callahan, Leslie Gautsch, Megan Hopkins, Maria Del Carmen Unda

Institutions: The University of Texas at Austin, University of California San Diego

Language: English

Topic: Education and experiences of immigrants and refugees

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Quality education

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development