Optimizing Educational Outcomes for English Language Learners*

Grantee: University of Houston (UH) in collaboration with the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) and the University of Texas - Austin (UT-A)

Key Staff:
David Francis (UH)
Diane August (CAL)
Sharon Vaughn (UT-A)

Research Questions:

• Do children in enhanced (research-based) versions of structured English immersion and transitional bilingual education programs outperform children in typical, existing programs?
• What are the outcomes in English oracy and literacy, and Spanish language development for children in enhanced structured English immersion programs compared to those outcomes for children in enhanced transitional bilingual education?
• How do the growth rates of students in the enhanced structured English immersion program compare to the growth rates of students in the enhanced transitional bilingual education program?

Design: Approximately 1,600 Kindergarten to Grade 3 public school students and 320 public school teachers from Brownsville, Texas, will participate in the study. In 8 schools using structured English immersion (SEI), a total of 18 kindergarten teachers were randomly assigned to either the control or treatment (enhanced version of SEI) conditions. In thirteen schools using transitional bilingual education (TBE), 36 kindergarten teachers were randomly assigned to the treatment (enhanced version of TBE) or the control condition (TBE as typically implemented). Students were assigned to teachers by school personnel using standard practice, independent of teacher assignments. Primary outcome analyses will examine which is more effective, the enhanced, research-based program or the current program within program model, for the acquisition of English and Spanish language and literacy skills, and high levels of content knowledge. Additional analyses will compare, quasi-experimentally, the relative impacts of the two enhanced approaches.

Duration: 6 years (October 1, 2003–September 30, 2009).

Reports: The final report on this study will be announced on http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/.

Current Status: (August 2008) Data collection for the 2007 - 2008 school year is now complete. Analysis of the data will begin in fall 2008.

* This grant was awarded under the English Language Acquisition Evaluation Program, CFDA 84.305P