The Landscape of Language Learners in California’s MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support)

• In Event: Learning From New Research on Large-Scale Efforts to Disrupt Racial Injustices in Education

Abstract

This paper is part of the Landscape of Language Learners in California’s MTSS. It depicts demographic trends and the rich diversity of the English-Learner (EL) classified students1 enrolled in California’s public schools, including the number of language learners, geographic trends in where they live, their home language, and their race.
▪ Key findings include: 1) the number and proportion of English-Learner-classified students in California is decreasing, 2) the majority of English Learner classified students are Latinx and Spanish speaking, but within this classification there remain rich diversity, 3) while Spanish remains the predominant language, the proportion of EL-classified students who speak Spanish has experienced a slight decline; and 4) only 5% of California districts enroll over 50% of English-Learner classified

Authors

• Mary Louise Leger, University of California - Los Angeles

• Lucrecia Santibanez, University of California - Los Angeles

• Olivia E. Obeso, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

• Sarah Perez, University of California - Los Angeles