Finding better ways to help students attain English proficiency will contribute to their future success and to social cohesion.
Finding better ways to help students attain English proficiency will contribute to their future success and to social cohesion.
W ith this century’s influx of immigration into the United States, the number of students in American public schools who study English as a second language (ESL) has risen dramatically.
In 2020, the number of students enrolled in ESL classes was estimated at nearly 5 million. That’s about 10 percent of all K–12 students in American public schools, and the number is projected to increase in the next decade. According to the Department of Education, from 2009 to 2015, the percentage of ESL students, also known as English learners (EL), “increased in more than half of the states, with increases of over 40 percent in five states.” From 2010 to 2019, the percentage of ESL students in public high schools increased by 13 percent, from 9.2 to 10.4 percent.
Although many of the ESL students in American classrooms arrived in the United States as immigrants or refugees, most such students today are American citizens who were born here, commonly to immigrant parents. Though native-born, these students continue to have a poor grasp of English and lag behind their peers, with many remaining in ESL programs throughout their school years.
Graduation rates for ESL students lag behind those for non-ESL learners. To take the example of New York City, in 2017 the graduation rate for ESL students was 27 percent, compared with the average graduation rate for all New York City students of 72.6 percent, and a national graduation rate of 82 percent. ESL students rarely attend college, with a mere 1.4 percent of these students in New York State even taking college-entrance exams like the SAT or ACT.
Given the abysmal academic performance of ESL students in this country, the American education system should adopt policies to improve their academic outcomes. Let’s start with the fact that the faculty for most ESL programs in the United States tend to be ill-equipped. The majority of states (31 states and the District of Columbia) have reported a shortage of teachers for ESL students as the population of English learners has grown dramatically. Consequently, ESL education is often subpar, in that many ESL teachers lack the training or experience to meet the needs of ESL students. Jennifer Samson, an associate professor at the Hunter College School of Education in New York City, stated that “there’s been a large increase in students who come from diverse backgrounds that are in schools and unfortunately, in many instances, teachers aren’t adequately prepared to address their needs.”
For children in immigrant communities, a deficient education results in a less successful integration into society and greater disparities in academic achievement. For instance, in 2018, a California education report showed that the academic performance of ESL students was lower than all other subgroups of students, including students of all races and socioeconomic levels and with disabilities. Moreover, the results also indicated that the ESL students showed little to no improvement in reading and math scores despite increased funds to districts with more English learners. With lower graduation rates and test scores, ESL students are less likely to move on to higher education and high-skilled jobs.
Educational nonprofit organizations based in New York City have sought to address this problem by advocating the hiring of “more teachers and bilingual social workers to work with . . . newcomer immigrant students, ages 16–21,” at transfer schools, which are for students who fail to graduate on time. In their view, this would make education more accessible for ESL students.
However, a more direct way to solve this problem could be the development of charter schools designed for immigrant and refugee students who speak English as a second language. By tailoring teaching to ESL students, these charter schools would be able to improve English proficiency and academic performance through bilingual faculty that are trained in ESL teaching. In addition, students would be at generally similar levels of English proficiency, creating an environment more suitable for ESL students to learn effectively. Charter schools geared toward such specialized education would contribute to the academic success of immigrant children and help them contribute to society when they become adults.
Such an initiative could face criticism that it would promote segregation, in addition to siphoning off funds from other students. In fact, when one charter school opened in Brooklyn Park, Minn., to cater to students from Russian backgrounds by teaching Russian language and culture, it was met with a backlash. While the school officially accepts all students, it specifically serves children with Russian heritage. The charter school was included in a lawsuit, Cruz-Guzman v. State of Minnesota, where a fact-finder determined that “the State had intentionally created and permitted segregation.” The case demanded that the Brooklyn Park charter school make their curriculum and school in general more inclusive to all applicants. To clarify, this is not the kind of school I advocate; I believe that charter schools designed to serve ESL students from a wide range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds would be most effective.
The pedagogical purpose of the charter school would not be centered on a specific cultural, linguistic, or ethnic background. As for concerns that might arise about inadvertent segregation of students, keep in mind that the students in ESL programs in schools already are quite separate from other students. The purpose of a charter school in this case would be to dedicate resources to establishing a community and an atmosphere that furnishes these students with better educational opportunities. With better English proficiency and stronger connections to their peers, ESL students would also be able to better appreciate the unique opportunities offered in America.
I have seen how similar educational programs work for refugees and immigrants. Currently, I volunteer at Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Service, a New Haven, Conn., nonprofit organization. The organization’s education program provides after-school tutoring for refugee and immigrant students, offering language-learning help, homework assistance, and college advising. Children who have attended this program have exhibited better academic performance and greater English proficiency, and have reported higher levels of social integration. On a more personal note, I have perceived a sense of happiness and comfort among these students.
Ultimately, the purpose of charter schools is to provide families with a wider range of choices for their children’s education. Where one type of education is inadequate for a student, a charter school meets the student’s needs by offering a different style of education. Our public-education system has failed too many ESL students. As the number of ESL students grows, our country needs to develop an education program that improves their academic performance and better integrates them into society.