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Ensuring Equity And Excellence For English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography For Research, Policy, And Practice, Center For Equity For English Learners

Annotated Bibliographies

Ensuring Equity and Excellence for English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography for Research, Policy, and Practice is comprised of over 350 annotations from both recent and seminal literature (released between 1984–2021) that have significant implications for research, policy, and practice for English learner (EL) linguistic, social, and academic achievement. This annotated bibliography serves as a resource for researchers, policymakers, educators, and advocates who are working for equity and excellence for ELs.

The authors provide a comprehensive selection of works focused on theory, research, and practice. The annotations are a result of purposeful searches of 23 topics in empirical and theoretical articles …

Equity Leadership For English Learners During Covid–19: Early Lessons, Magaly Lavadenz, Linda R. G. Kaminski, Elvira G. Armas, Grecya V. López

Academic Journal Articles

This article provides the findings of an exploratory, qualitative study on distance learning policies and practices from a purposeful sample of five California school districts and 25 district and school leaders with large numbers and/or larger percentages of current or former English Learners. To understand the extent to which leaders address English Learners’/Emergent Bilinguals’ (EL/EM) needs during the pandemic, we posed the following research question: What are leaders’ local policies and practices in designing and implementing distance learning to promote equity for English Learners? We gathered three key district policy documents across three moments during the pandemic: (1) COVID-19 Operations …

Leveraging Equity And Excellence For English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography, Center For Equity For English Learners

Annotated Bibliographies

Leveraging Equity and Excellence for English Learners: An Annotated Bibliography is comprised of 100 annotations from both recent and seminal literature (released between 1994–2018) that have significant implications for policy and practice for English learner (EL) schooling and academic achievement. The purpose of this annotated bibliography is to serve as a resource for educators and advocates who are working for equity and justice for ELs. The Center for Equity for English Learners conducted a review of empirical and theoretical articles from peer-reviewed journals, as well as books, book chapters, and reports from leading scholars in the field. This annotated bibliography …

No.8, July 2020: Examining English Learners’ College Readiness And Postsecondary Enrollment In California, Marco A. Murillo Ph.D., Magaly Lavadenz Ph.D.

Education and Policy Briefs

Given a growing asset-based approach to equipping English Learners (ELs) with the knowledge and skills to enter and succeed in postsecondary education, this brief examines ELs’ college readiness and postsecondary education outcomes in California. It includes a brief summary of relevant literature on college readiness among EL students. Researchers then present data retrieved from the California Department of Education on college readiness and postsecondary education. The results show that EL students lack access to college preparatory courses, have a low rate of meeting the state’s College/Career Indicator, and enroll in postsecondary education at lower rates than other groups. This policy …

Sobrato Early Academic Language (Seal) Model: Final Report Of Findings From A Four-Year Study, Center For Equity For English Learners, Loyola Marymount University, Wexford Institute

Reports

The Sobrato Early Academic Language (SEAL) Model Research and Evaluation Final Report is comprised of three sets of studies that took place between 2015 and 2019 to examine the effectiveness of the SEAL Model in 67 schools within 12 districts across the state of California.

Over a decade ago, the Sobrato Family Foundation responded to the enduring opportunity gaps and low academic outcomes for the state’s 1.2 million English Learners by investing in the design of the SEAL Model. The SEAL PreK–Grade 3 Model was created as a whole-school initiative to develop students’ language, literacy, and academic skills. The pilot …

No.7, March 2019: Bilingual Teacher Residency Programs In California: Considerations For Development And Expansion, Magaly Lavadenz Ph.D., Elvira G. Armas Ed.D., Natividad Robles

Education and Policy Briefs

Public interest, research and policies about dual language education and the multiple benefits of bilingualism and biliteracy have led to shortages of bilingual education teachers in the state and nation. School districts and educator preparation programs are actively looking for pathways of bilingual teacher preparation to meet local demands for more dual language programs. Modeled after medical residencies, teacher residencies are deeply rooted in clinical training, typically placing residents in classrooms with experienced teachers in high-needs schools where they are supported in their development. Teacher residencies allow for the recruitment of teachers, offer strong clinical preparation, connect new teachers to …

Masking The Focus On English Learners: The Consequences Of California’S Accountability System Dashboard Results On Year 4 Local Control And Accountability Plans (Lcaps), Magaly Lavadenz Ph.D., Professor, Elvira G. Armas Ed.D., Associate Director, Sylvia Jáuregui Hodge M.Ed., Doctoral Fellow

Reports

California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), signed into law in 2013, centers equity as a key to increased and improved services for three targeted student subgroups, including English Learners (ELs), low-income students, and foster youth. As a component of LCFF, districts develop Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs) to specify their goals and strategies for using LCFF funds for equity and continuous improvement purposes. The California Model Five by Five Grid Placement Report (Spring 2017 Dashboard) included the Five by Five Placement Grid, a key function of which is to identify the needs of diverse ELs. The Dashboard and the …

No.6, December 2017: District Administrators' Perspectives On The Impact Of The Local Control Funding Formula On English Learners, Magaly Lavadenz Ph.D., Gisela Obrien Ph.D.

Education and Policy Briefs

Two years into implementation, this policy brief examines how California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) and its accompanying Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) meet the needs of English Learners (ELs). Researchers seek to understand district administrator perspectives on the impact of LCFF for ELs through interviews and focus groups with administrators that represent districts from Northern, Central, and Southern California. Findings reveal that although the LCAP serves as a mechanism to increase personnel and PD efforts to address EL needs, it is still largely viewed as a compliance document that requires alignment with other strategic documents and is sensitive to …

No.5, April 2017: The Latin@ Teacher Shortage: Learning From The Past To Inform The Future, Magaly Lavadenz Ph.D., Anaida Colón-Muñiz Ed.D.

Education and Policy Briefs

This policy brief explores trends in U.S. K-12 Hispanic student enrollment vs. the Hispanic teacher workforce as a way to call attention to the bilingual teacher shortage. Successful examples of past efforts to increase the number of Latino and bilingual teachers are reviewed and the following policy recommendations are made: 1) expand investment in grow your own initiatives that recruit students in middle and high school students and emerging educational paraprofessionals into the bilingual teacher pipeline; 2) establish regional teacher preparation and professional learning centers and consortia; 3) offer financial supports; and 4) enhance university-based credentialing routes, internship and residency …

A Review Of Year 2 Lcaps: A Weak Response To English Learners, Laurie Olsen Ph.D., Director, Elvira G. Armas Ed.D., Director, Magaly Lavadenz Ph.D., Professor

Reports

A panel of 32 reviewers analyzed the Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs) of same sample of 29 districts for the second year of implementation of the 2013 California Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). Using the same four questions as the Year 1 report, the Year 2 analysis also addresses the key differences between first and second-year LCAPs. Key findings from the Year 2 LCAPs review include: (1) similarly weak responses to the needs of ELs by LEAs in Year 2; (2) some improvement in clarity about services provided to ELs in some areas, though most evidence was weak; (3) …

No.4, September 2015: Incorporating Scaffolded Dialogic Reading Practice In Teacher Training: An Opportunity To Improve Instruction For Young Dual Language Learners In Transitional Kindergarten, Carola Matera Ph.D.

Education and Policy Briefs

Findings from a joint collaborative between the Center for Equity for English Learners (CEEL) at Loyola Marymount University and the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to provide professional development and coaching to Transitional Kindergarten (TK) teachers on the Scaffolded Dialogic Reading (SDR) are presented in this policy brief. SDR is a method to enhance language skills through dialogue and research-based scaffolds between teachers and small groups of children mediated through repeated readings of storybooks. The purpose of this brief is to: 1) state the opportunity to ensure Dual Language Learner (DLL) support within California’s TK policy; 2) provide a …

Falling Short On The Promise To English Learners: A Report On Year One Lcaps, Elvira G. Armas Ed.D, Magaly Lavadenz Ph.D., Laurie Olsen Ph.D.

Reports

California’s Local Control Funding Formula was signed into law in California in 2013 and allowed districts the flexibility to meet their student needs in locally appropriate manners. One year after its implementation, a panel of 26 reviewers, including educators, English Learner (EL) advocates, and legal services staff reviewed the Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs) to understand how districts employ this flexibility to address the needs of ELs. The report uses the English Learner Research-Aligned LCAP Rubrics with 10 focus areas, and reviews sample LCAPs from 29 districts, including districts with the highest numbers/percentages of English Learners in the state, …

Does Your Local Control Accountability (Lcap) Plan Deliver On The Promise Of Increased Or Improved Services For English Learners? 10 Research Aligned Rubrics To Help Answer The Question And Guide Your Program, Californians Together, The California Association For Bilingual Education (Cabe), California Rural Legal Assistance (Crla), The Center For Equity For English Learners (Ceel)

Practitioner Journal Articles

As California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) came into effect in 2013, districts were given more flexibility to use state resources and create a new school finance system to improve/increase services for students with greater needs for support, including English Learners (ELs), students from low-income backgrounds, and foster youth. Local Education Agencies (LEAs) were tasked with preparing the Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs) to describe how districts use their plans to meet their annual goals for all students. To aid LEAs in their design and implementation of programs to address the needs of ELs, Californians Together, the California Association …

Equitable And Fair Assessments Of English Learners In California’S New Assessment System, Norman C. Gold, Ed.D., Magaly Lavadenz, Ph.D., Martha Hernández, M.Ed., Shelly Spiegel-Coleman, M.Ed.

Practitioner Journal Articles

This article focuses on the assessment needs that are unique to English learners (ELs) and provides a comprehensive set of recommendations regarding their equitable and fair assessment. Specific recommendations are provided for when to assess ELs, accommodations for ELs, and the budget and infrastructure that necessary to support these accommodations. The authors expect that these recommendations resonate with state leaders and policymakers as the state of California transitions to a new state assessment system.

Mapping Writing Development In Young Bilingual Learners, Ana M. Hernández, Ed.D., Magaly Lavadenz, Ph.D.

Practitioner Journal Articles

A growing interest in Two-Way Bilingual Immersion (TWBI) programs has led to increased attention to bilingualism, biliteracy, and biculturalism. This article describes the writing development in Spanish and English for 49 kindergarten students in a 50/50 Two-Way Bilingual Immersion program. Over the course of an academic year, the authors collected writing samples to analyze evidence of cross-linguistic resource sharing using a grounded theoretical approach to compare and contrast writing samples to determine patterns of cross-linguistic resource sharing in English and Spanish. The authors identified four patterns: phonological, syntactic, lexical, and metalinguistic awareness. Findings indicated that emergent writers applied similar strategies …

The Observation Protocol For Academic Literacies: Conceptual Framework And Validation Report, Magaly Lavadenz Ph.D., Elvira G. Armas Ed.D.

Reports

The Observation Protocol for Academic Literacies (OPAL) conceptual framework and validation report describes the development of the OPAL instrument and the results of the validation study that confirms OPAL as a research-based tool to measure classroom practices for ELs.

The OPAL development began in 2006 as a research-based behavioral observation tool that measures teacher practices and classroom interactions from a sociocultural language acquisition perspective. It utilizes a six-point Likert- scale (1-Low – 6-High) to rate instruction across four domains and 18 indicators: 1) Rigorous and Relevant Curriculum, 2) Connections, 3) Comprehensibility, and 4) Interactions. The instrument allows for anecdotal notes …

No.3, January 2011: The Promise Model: An English-Learner Focused Approach To School Reform, Laurie Olsen Ph.D.

Education and Policy Briefs

Findings from a 3-year (2006-2009) evaluation of the PROMISE Model pilot are presented in this policy brief that seeks to address three questions: 1) What is the PROMISE Model ?; 2) What changes occurred in schools as a results of implementing the PROMISE Model ?; and 3) What are the lessons learned from the PROMISE Model pilot that can contribute to an understanding of school reform for English Learners? A qualitative, ethnographic approach allowed for exploration of the research questions. The researcher identified five foundational elements to the PROMISE Model. Implementation of the PROMISE Model increased use of EL specific …

The Observation Protocol For Academic Literacies (Opal); A Tool For Supporting Teachers Of English Language Learners, Elvira G. Armas, Ed.D, Magaly Lavadenz, Ph.D.

Practitioner Journal Articles

Schools and school systems are experiencing an instructional support gap that results in limited opportunities for educators to analyze, reflect on and improve research-based practices for ELLs so that outcomes for culturally and linguistically diverse students can change. To address this need, an inter-disciplinary research team from the Center for Equity for English Learners, comprised of educational leaders, teachers, researchers, and content experts developed a classroom observational instrument—the Observation Protocol for Academic Literacies (OPAL). The OPAL is intended for teachers, educational leaders, coaches, and others to conduct focused classroom observations for three potential purposes: research/evaluation, professional development, and coaching. In …

Essential Elements Of Effective Practices For English Learners, Karen Cadiero Kaplan, Ph.D., Magaly Lavadenz, Ph.D., Elvira G. Armas, Ed.D.

Education and Policy Briefs

One of the most powerful variables for English Learner success is the quality of their teachers. This policy brief published by Californians Together (1) provides a synthesis of effective practices for instructing ELs; (2) presents four research-based essential elements critical for EL program implementation, teacher reflection, and monitoring of teacher effectiveness; and (3) concludes with program and policy recommendations. Three key areas for policy action are prioritized: (1) District and state level policies must require that local and state leadership support the implementation of these essential elements; (2) Alignment of fiscal and human resources must be targeted to ensure that …

Pursuing Regional Opportunities For Mentoring, Innovation, And Success For English Learners (Promise) Initiative: A Three-Year Pilot Study Research Monograph, Laurie Olsen Ph.D., Kathryn Lindholm-Leary, Ph.D. Ph.D., Magaly Lavadenz Ph.D., Elvira G. Armas Ed.D., Franca Dell'olio Ed.D.

Reports

The Pursuing Regional Opportunities for Mentoring, Innovation, and Success for English Learners (PROMISE) Initiative Research Monograph is comprised of four sub-studies that took place between 2006 and 2009 to examine the effectiveness of the PROMISE Initiative across six implementing counties.

Beginning in 2002, the superintendents of the six Southern California County Offices of Education collaborated to examine the pattern of the alarmingly low academic performance of English learners (EL) across Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, San Diego, Riverside, and Ventura. Together, these six counties serve over one million EL students, more than 66% of the total EL population in the …

No.2, April 2009: Vision As An Impetus For Success: Perspectives Of Site Principals, Franca Dell'olio Ed.D., Kristen Anguiano

Education and Policy Briefs

Findings from the first two years of a 3-year evaluation of the PROMISE Model pilot are presented in this policy brief that seeks to understand the extent to which school principals know, understand, and act upon research-based principles for English Language Learners (ELL) and their intersection with the California Professional Standards for Educational Leadership related to promoting ELL success. Surveys and focus groups were used to gather data from school principals at fifteen schools throughout Southern California including early childhood, elementary, middle, and high schools. School principals identified several areas where PROMISE serves as a beacon of hope in promoting …

No.1, December 2007: Parent Involvement And The Education Of English Learners And Standard English Learners: Perspectives Of Lausd Parent Leader, Magaly Lavadenz Ph.D., Elvira G. Armas Ed.D., Irene Villanueva Ph.D.

Education and Policy Briefs

This policy brief reports findings from a survey of parent leaders in 2007 that sought to understand what parents of English Learners and Standard English Learners think about the education of their children and about parent education and involvement in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Surveys with 513 LAUSD parent leaders revealed low ratings for LAUSD’s parent education efforts as well as for student academic programs. Open-ended responses point both to educational as well as policy recommendations in the following areas: 1) home/school collaboration; 2) professional development, curriculum and Instruction, and tutors/support; and 3) accountability. This policy brief …