Opportunities to Learn English: Geography of Highly Qualified Teachers and St. Louis English Language Learners

• In Event: 54.077 - Educating Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Learners: New Approaches to Achieving Educational Justice

Abstract

In an era where segregation by race and class is becoming more concentrated, and the number of English Language Learners (ELLs) in American public schools continue rise, examining the context of ELL education is highly important. Schultz (2014) found that student access to teacher quality was unequal for students of color and from lower SES backgrounds within the St. Louis metropolitan area. Given that the documented concentration of non-English speakers in urban areas (Portes & Rumbaut, 2014), it is vital to determine if there is a relationship for ELLs with teacher quality. This paper will examine the relationship between location of ELL students and teacher quality in metropolitan St. Louis as well as academic performance on state MAP exams.

Author

• Lyndsie Marie Schultz, Washington University in St. Louis