FAQ

Q: Where can I find more demographic information about English language learners?

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.

The U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights collects sample survey data about student access to elementary and secondary schools and to programs or services within those schools. These data are disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, disability and LEP status, among other categories.

The U.S. Census Bureau collects population data on language use, as well as data on immigration and on individuals of Hispanic origin in the census, conducted every ten years. In addition, the Census Bureau conducts the yearly American Community Survey which samples a subsection of the population to generate population estimates. American Community Survey data also includes data on language use.

The U.S. Department of Education's Institute for Education Sciences is home to the National Center for Education Statistics, which publishes the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often known as "the nation's report card." The NAEP data explorer allows users to generate tables based on fourth, eighth and twelfth grade standardized tests, disaggregated by a variety of student characteristics, including whether a student is an English language learner.

English language learners in the United States speak many hundreds of diverse languages. For information about the languages of the world, the Ethnologue maintains a current and comprehensive database.

For information on two-way or dual immersion programs, the Center for Applied Linguistics maintains the TWI Directory.