Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many school-aged Limited English Proficient (LEP) students are there in the U.S?
A:According to 2005-2006 data from the states, approximately 5,074,572 LEPs are enrolled in grades pre-K through 12.
Based on state-reported data, it is estimated that 5,074,572 LEP students were enrolled in public schools (pre-K through Grade 12) for the 2005-2006 school year. This number represents approximately 10.3% of total public school student enrollment. Among the states, California enrolled the largest number of public school LEP students, with 1,571,463, followed by Texas (640,749), Florida (253,165), New York (203,583), Illinois (204,803), and Arizona (152,962). The outlying areas had the highest overall percentages of LEP students, with the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands identifying approximately 100% of their students as Limited English Proficient.
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Q: Where can I order NCELA publications?
A:NCELA has a number of publications available for purchase. We also make many of these available for free download. All of our publications are in the public domain and may be reproduced freely. If you would like to order print copies, please use our publications order form.
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Q: How has the ELL population increased in each state in the past ten years?
A:A national overview of the numbers of English language learners, as well as their gains in English language proficiency and their performance on content area assessments can be found in the Biennial Report to Congress. For a snapshot of national increases in the ELL population, NCELA's poster The Growing Numbers of Limited English Proficient Students presents data from the 1995-96 school year through the 2005-06 school year.
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Q: Where can I find more demographic information about English language learners?
A:
The U.S. Department of Education collects both demographic information on ELLs as well as information on their performance on state assessments of English language proficiency and academic content. By law, the U.S. Secretary of Education must submit to Congress every two years an evaluative summary of programs funded through the Title III State Formula Grant Program. The latest biennial report can be found on NCELA's accountability page. [... more]
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Q: What percentage of the ELL student population is foreign-born?
A:In both elementary (Pre-K to Grade 5) and secondary (Grades 6-12) education, more ELLs in America are native born than are foreign born. In elementary grades, 24% of ELLs are foreign-born (first generation Americans), while 44% of secondary ELL students are foreign-born.
Sources:
Capps, R., Fix, M., Murray, J., Ost, J., Passel, J., & Herwantoro, S. (2005). The new demography of America’s schools: Immigration and the No Child Left Behind Act. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute.
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Q: How have the numbers and characteristics of legal immigrants to the United States changed during recent years?
A:Immigration to the United States has been fairly consistent in recent years, with most legal immigrants arriving from North America and Asia, and initially settling in one of six states: California, New York, Florida, Texas, New Jersey and Illinois. The majority of legal immigrants are immediate relatives of U.S. citizens.
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Q: What legal obligations do schools have to English language learners (ELLs)?
A:Under civil rights law, schools are obligated to ensure that ELLs have equal access to education.
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Q: What are the three AMAOs under Title III of NCLB?
A:AMAOs, also known as Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives, are annual performance targets for English language learners (ELLs) under Title III of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001.
States and their grantees must meet three AMAOs under Title III (§. 3122): [... more]
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Q: How can I become a teacher?
A:Each state in the U.S. sets its own teacher licensure requirements to ensure that every teacher comes to the classroom with a certain level of competence in subject area knowledge and pedagogy.
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Q: How many adults participate in English as a second language (ESL) programs in the U.S?
A:Nearly one million two hundred thousand (1,172,569) adults were enrolled in state-administered English as a second language (ESL or English Literacy) programs during 2003-2004, according to the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education, Division of Adult Education and Literacy (2005a). This figure represents approximately 44 percent of the population enrolled in adult education programs. ESL waiting lists and class size continue to grow throughout the country, particularly in states with recent or continued growth in their adult immigrant population.
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Q: Is the Fairfax County FAST Math curriculum for ELLs available via NCELA?
A:NCELA has received repeated requests to continue to host the FAST Math curriculum on our website. FAST Math was developed by Fairfax County Public Schools (VA) in 2001. It provides math instruction to newly arrived limited English proficient (LEP) students in grades 4-12 who are two or more years below grade level in mathematics.
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