Building and Sustaining Arizona's Consortium: Partnering to Support Language Learners in This Political Climate

• In Event: Latinx Experiences in U.S. Schools: Students, Teachers, Teacher Educators, and Education Allies as Collaborators

Abstract

Objectives/Purposes
Arizona consistently ranks among the top 15 states with the highest percentage of English learners (ELs) (Soto, Hooker, & Batalova, 2015). According to the Arizona Department of Education, approximately 7% or 85,000 students in Arizona were English learners (Arizona Department of Education, 2014). Consistent with national student achievement data, ELs in Arizona are performing significantly lower than their non-EL counterparts. Furthermore, the overall four-year high school graduation rate in Arizona for the class of 2013 was 75% compared to a 20% graduation rate for ELs (Arizona State Report Card, 2014).
Theoretical Framework
This study draws on De Jong’s open innovation framework, (de Jong, Klalvet, and Vanhaverbeke, 2010) which highlights the use of purposive inflows and outflows of knowledge to accelerate innovation. This framework is helpful in understanding the benefits of a consortium of various key stakeholders.
Methods and Data Sources
Through two U.S. Department of Education OELA grants, we developed a consortium that has now spanned over 10 years that brings together key stakeholders across the state to work collaboratively in supporting Arizona’s linguistically diverse student population. Five consortium members who participated across the two grants were intereviews using a semi-structured interview protocol. Each individual interview lasted between 45-60 minutes. We conducted a thematic analysis of interviews of stakeholders who participated in both grants over the last ten years to identify the impact the consortiums have had in supporting ELs in Arizona’s classrooms in light of the current political climate.
Results
The thematic analysis reveals that the consortium has had a positive impact on with teachers, school administrators, district-level personnel, university faculty, and State Department of Education. The first theme that emerged was the importance of providing each other to resources not readily available through the Department of Education or districts given the English-only policies officially still in place. One EL Coordinator at the district level stated, “I have been able to access science curriculum specifically designed to support ELs. The resources provided facilitate a spirit of wonder in the natural world and ways to transfer this into the learning environment for ELs.” Another theme was the political activism that they could engage in as a community. For example, members of the consortium we able to participate in legislative hearings to advocate for a change in the policy from the mandated 4-hour English language development block to a 2-hour block. One state worker stated, “Through the consortium I was able to support what I think is best for ELs outside my official role in which I have to support the current policy.”
Significance
As a nation it is crucial that a high quality public education is provided for English learners (ELs) in schools. The consortium provides a model for advocacy that allows us to work outside the limits of our roles within various educational contexts as well provide resources not readily available otherwise. Collectively, we can advocate for what we believe is in the best interest of our ELs.

Authors

• Karen Guerrero, Arizona State University

• Alexandria T Silva, Arizona State University