English Learners in Dual Language Programs: Evidence from Middle School Through College Enrollment

• In Event: Contexts, Policies, and Outcomes for English Learners

Abstract

English Learners (ELs) are among the fastest-growing student demographics in the country, accounting for more than 5 million students in K-12 public schools nationwide (National Center for Education Statistics 2022). EL students also face significant learning challenges – for example, disparities in performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) between EL and non-EL students exceed well documented achievement gaps by income and race. Consequently, it remains critical to understand the efficacy of policies and programs designed to improve academic outcomes for this growing population.

One of these policies is the provision of English language development instruction. Among the kinds of programs that employ bilingual instruction, Dual Language Immersion (DLI) has emerged as a promising modality. Designed to serve EL and non-EL students in the same classroom, language immersion programs hold the dual promise of supporting EL students’ English language acquisition and development of academic skills. DLI education has proliferated rapidly across the country, with rising demand for these programs -- estimates indicate there are over 3,600 DLI programs nationwide as of 2021, up from roughly 2,000 programs in 2012 (Maxwell 2012; Roberts 2021).

Prior studies have documented meaningful positive impacts of participation in DLI programs on standardized test scores from elementary through middle school grades for both EL (Bibler 2020) and non-EL students (Morales, 2025; Steele et al., 2017). However, evidence on the long-term impacts of these programs remains largely understudied. This paper contributes to the literature by exploring the relationship between DLI participation and educational outcomes from middle school grades through college enrollment, aiming to deepen our understanding of how participation in dual language programs shapes EL students’ academic trajectories and postsecondary opportunities.

We draw on administrative records from the universe of Hispanic EL students enrolled in Texas public schools across 10 kindergarten cohorts from 2009-2018, following their academic outcomes through 2024. Through a series of multivariate regression analyses controlling for demographic characteristics, initial English language proficiency, and school-level factors, we assess differences in academic achievement, course taking patterns, high school graduation, and college enrollment between EL students served by DLI programs versus those who received language support through transitional bilingual models (TB) or English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction.

Regression-adjusted estimates reveal meaningful and robust positive associations between participation in dual language programs and academic outcomes. Across most specifications, ELs enrolled in either TB or DLI outperform comparable ELs in ESL in terms of reading and math test scores, enrollment in college preparatory coursework, high school graduation, and college enrollment, particularly at four-year institutions. Furthermore, tests comparing the coefficients estimating the relationship between DLI and TB program participation on outcomes separately, indicate that the positive associations are significantly larger for students enrolled in DLI programs – a result that aligns with prior evidence on the strong efficacy of DLI education specifically.

Author

• Camila Morales, University of Texas, Dallas
  Presenting Author