English Learners in California Schools: Unequal resources, 'Unequal outcomes

Abstract

The Williams vs the State of California class action suit on behalf of poor children in that state argues that California provides a fundamentally inequitable education to students based on wealth and language status. This article, an earlier version of which was prepared as background to that case, reviews the conditions of schooling for English learners in the state with the largest population of such students, totaling nearly 1.6 million in 2003, and comprising about 40 percent of nation’s English learners. We argue, with evidence, that there are seven aspects of the schooling of English language learners where students receive an education that is demonstrably inferior to that of English speakers. For example, these students are assigned to less qualified teachers, are provided with inferior curriculum and less time to cover it, are housed in inferior facilities where they are often segregated from English speaking peers, and are assessed by invalid instruments that provide little, if any, information about their actual achievement. We end with suggestions for ways in which teachers, administrators, and policymakers can begin to address these inequities, even while legal remedies may remain in the distant future.

Defining an Adequate Education for English Learners

“…Drawing on data from a variety of sources (Gándara, et al, 2003;Rumberger & Gándara, 2004) identified seven inequitable conditions that affect these students' opportunities to learn in California, and which are linked to resources:…”

“…Moreover, about one third of respondents complained that sessions were of low quality and limited utility. California with large numbers of EL students have fewer adult assistants in them to help provide individual attention for students--an average of 7 hours assistance weekly for classrooms with more than 50% EL students versus 11 hours for those with no ELs (Gándara et al, 2003). California teachers found that among classrooms with over 30 percent EL students, 29 percent of teachers reported not having adequate materials in English for their students, while only 19 percent of teachers with fewer than 30 percent EL students reported this same shortage (cited in Gándara et al, 2003).…”

The Quality of Writing Tasks and Students’ Use of Academic Language in Spanish

“…Structural inequities in the education of minority-language students have been well documented (Gándara, Rumberger, Maxwell-Jolly, & Callahan, 2003;Gutiérrez, 2005). Teachers of ELL students have higher mobility rates (Katz, 1999), schools that serve large numbers of ELL students have poorer infrastructures (Gándara et al, 2003), and ELL students are disproportionately represented in nonacademic or lowtrack classes (Gándara et al, 2003;Harklau, 1994).…”

“…Teachers of ELL students have higher mobility rates (Katz, 1999), schools that serve large numbers of ELL students have poorer infrastructures (Gándara et al, 2003), and ELL students are disproportionately represented in nonacademic or lowtrack classes (Gándara et al, 2003;Harklau, 1994). Much less is understood, however, Figure 2.…”

Moving beyond ‘just good teaching’: ESL professional development for all teachers

“…Specific knowledge and applications of English language, linguistics, language acquisition and cultural implications need to be stressed in the professional development for teachers working with ESL students (August & Hakuta, 1997;Olsen, 2000;Fillmore & Snow, 2002;Gandara et al, 2003;Freeman, 2004). Challenging the assumption that the professional development efforts addressing general multicultural education issues can be easily extended to preparing teachers for ESL students, de Jong and Harper (2005) highlighted the gap between 'just good teaching' and effective ESL instruction.…”