Projects

Exemplary Programs for Newcomer English Language Learners at the Secondary Level

Funder: The Carnegie Corporation of New York

September 2008 – August 2010

Project Director: Deborah Short

Database of Middle and High School Programs Search the online database

Newcomer students who lack English proficiency and have gaps in their educational backgrounds are particularly vulnerable when they enter U.S. schools at the secondary level. This project intends to 1) identify exemplary programs for newcomer English language learners in middle and high school; 2) gain a better understanding of the multiple approaches the programs use to support the students’ academic achievement, connect with social networks, and strengthen their educational and economic opportunities and civic integration; and 3) widely disseminate findings on effective practices and policies.

The project addresses these research questions:

1. Which newcomer programs lead to academic success for students new to U.S. schools and new to the English language? What evidence of success do they have?
2. What pathways and transition strategies have been enacted at exemplary programs to support newcomer students moving from middle school to high school and from high school to a postsecondary option, such as employment or further academic studies?
3. What designs are in place to link the newcomer school programs with the social services agencies and how are the practices implemented?
4. What barriers restrict students' access to social services or postsecondary options?

Through a combination of activities, including a national survey of newcomer programs and a series of case studies, CAL staff will collect and analyze evidence of the academic success of these students and determine the means by which the programs provide students access to social services and facilitate transitions to further education or employment.

The first product is a searchable, online database (see link below) with profiles of middle and high school newcomer programs that is accessible to any educator, administrator, or policymaker interested in designing a new program or refining an existing one. A summary of findings from the program analysis of the 2008-09 database is available. Read the findings. The second will be a report that includes case studies of exemplary programs and an analysis of the trends regarding educational and social programs for newcomer English language learners at the secondary school level.

Secondary Newcomer Programs in the U.S. (2008-2009)

This searchable database includes 64 programs that participated in the research study, "Exemplary Programs for Newcomer English Language Learners at the Secondary Level." The database includes middle and high school programs in 24 states. This study was part of a program of research conducted by CAL for the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Search the online database.

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Calling All Middle and High School Newcomer Programs!

Do you have a program for middle or high school newcomers?

If you have a program and are willing to complete the survey so we can record information in the new database, please fill out our online survey here.

Please contact Beverly Boyson if you would prefer to receive the survey in a hard copy or electronic file version.

If you know of a program that we should include, please let Beverly know that as well.

Return to CAL's current project list.