Visualizing Washington's Teacher Workforce
Understanding the trends impacting teacher recruitment and retention
English Learner And Migrant Students
Understanding how well the teaching workforce is meeting the needs of English learner and migrant students
Key Findings
- Eleven percent of students in Washington were English learner students in 2016/17. While the population of English learner students has steadily increased, school districts across the state have struggled to meet their academic needs.
- The highest numbers of English learner students are in districts in the Puget Sound region. Many of the districts with the highest percentages of English learner and migrant students are in the south-central part of the state.
- Many school districts in Washington have more than 50 English learner students for every English language development teacher.
The highest numbers of English learner students are found in the Puget Sound region, and the highest percentages of English learner students are in the south-central part of the state.
LEGEND: Percentage of students who are English learners
0% | 0.1–2.9% | 3–8.9% | >9%
Source: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Report Card, 2011/12–2016/17.
Districts in the Puget Sound region have the highest numbers of English learner students, and they serve the most students with diverse language and racial/ethnic backgrounds.
LEGEND: Percentage of students who are English learners
0% | 0.1–2.9% | 3–8.9% | >9%
School districts in the Puget Sound Educational Service District have seen the highest increases in English learner student enrollments; from 2011/12 to 2016/17, the English learner student population increased by almost 18,000 students. This accounts for half of the total increase across the state during that time.
These school districts have highly diverse English learner students, with 143 languages and dialects spoken. They include immigrants and refugees with low family income and education levels, as well as children of highly educated employees of the region’s multinational companies (for example, Amazon, Boeing, and Microsoft).
School districts in central and eastern Washington have the largest percentages of English learner students.
LEGEND: More than 30% English learner students 2016/17
>30% English learner students 2016/17
Outside of the Puget Sound area, Yakima, Pasco, Kennewick, Moses Lake, Spokane, Othello, Wenatchee, and Quincy school districts saw the highest increases in the number of English learner students. From 2011/12 to 2016/17, the number of English learner students increased by about 6,500 among these school districts (from about 17,400 to 23,900 students). In 2016/17, the demographic makeup of three districts was more than 50 percent English learner students: Palisades School District (56 percent), Wahluke School District (59 percent), and Roosevelt School District (79 percent). These areas also have some of the highest percentages of migrant students in the state.
Apart from Spokane, most of these school districts are in primarily rural areas, where economies are driven by agriculture and forestry—and student poverty tends to be higher than the state average.
Many of Washington’s migrant students are concentrated in the central region of the state.
LEGEND: Percentage of migrant students
0% | 0.01–3% | 3.01–10% | >10%
Source: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Report Card, 2011/12–2016/17.
In 2016/17, 2 percent of students in Washington state were migrant students. There is a clear relationship between districts with higher concentrations of English learner students and students who are migrants in central Washington. A third of districts that had more than 22 percent English learner students and more than 10 percent migrant students in 2016/17 (the top 10 percent among all districts) are in Educational Service District 105 in south-central Washington.
Few districts had caseloads of fewer than 20 English learner students per certified English language development teacher.
LEGEND: Number of English learner students per English language development teacher
<20 | 20–49 | >50 | No English learner students reported | No English language development teachers reported
Source: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Report Card and S-275 Personnel Reporting, 2011/12–2016/17.
Several school districts have more than 50 English learner students for every certified English language development teacher. Few had fewer than 20 students per certified English language development teacher. Many other districts reported no English learner students and/or no English language development teachers.
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction recommends that teachers in classes that predominantly comprise English learner students be endorsed in English language learner, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), or Bilingual Education, as well as the content area of instruction. However, most teachers in Washington have not had sufficient preparation and training to support current and former English learner students in their classrooms. According to the state’s Bilingual Education Advisory Committee, the number of teachers with a bilingual or English language learner endorsement is insufficient. As of 2013/14, there were 1,193 certified/licensed Title III teachers in Washington and a projected need for 2,232 in the next five years (an 87 percent increase).
The need to develop educator capacity to meet the needs of English learner students continues to grow. By September 1, 2019, all classroom teachers supported with state Transitional Bilingual Instructional Program funds will be required to hold an English language learner endorsement, an endorsement in Bilingual Education, or both (4SHB 1541). This legislation aligns with state guidance that school districts are obligated to have highly qualified teachers provide language assistance services.
Questions to Consider
What training, professional development, and resources do regular classroom teachers receive that can enhance their capacity to support English learner students?
Why do English language development teachers in some districts have consistently higher caseloads than others? What can be done to make caseloads more equitable?
Key Findings
- Eleven percent of students in Washington were English learner students in 2016/17. While the population of English learner students has steadily increased, school districts across the state have struggled to meet their academic needs.
- The highest numbers of English learner students are in districts in the Puget Sound region. Many of the districts with the highest percentages of English learner and migrant students are in the south-central part of the state.
- Many school districts in Washington have more than 50 English learner students for every English language development teacher.
The highest numbers of English learner students are found in the Puget Sound region, and the highest percentages of English learner students are in the south-central part of the state.
LEGEND: Percentage of students who are English learners
0% | 0.1–2.9% | 3–8.9% | >9%
Source: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Report Card, 2011/12–2016/17.
Districts in the Puget Sound region have the highest numbers of English learner students, and they serve the most students with diverse language and racial/ethnic backgrounds.
LEGEND: Percentage of students who are English learners
0% | 0.1–2.9% | 3–8.9% | >9%
School districts in the Puget Sound Educational Service District have seen the highest increases in English learner student enrollments; from 2011/12 to 2016/17, the English learner student population increased by almost 18,000 students. This accounts for half of the total increase across the state during that time.
These school districts have highly diverse English learner students, with 143 languages and dialects spoken. They include immigrants and refugees with low family income and education levels, as well as children of highly educated employees of the region’s multinational companies (for example, Amazon, Boeing, and Microsoft).
School districts in central and eastern Washington have the largest percentages of English learner students.
LEGEND: More than 30% English learner students 2016/17
>30% English learner students 2016/17
Outside of the Puget Sound area, Yakima, Pasco, Kennewick, Moses Lake, Spokane, Othello, Wenatchee, and Quincy school districts saw the highest increases in the number of English learner students. From 2011/12 to 2016/17, the number of English learner students increased by about 6,500 among these school districts (from about 17,400 to 23,900 students). In 2016/17, the demographic makeup of three districts was more than 50 percent English learner students: Palisades School District (56 percent), Wahluke School District (59 percent), and Roosevelt School District (79 percent). These areas also have some of the highest percentages of migrant students in the state.
Apart from Spokane, most of these school districts are in primarily rural areas, where economies are driven by agriculture and forestry—and student poverty tends to be higher than the state average.
Many of Washington’s migrant students are concentrated in the central region of the state.
LEGEND: Percentage of migrant students
0% | 0.01–3% | 3.01–10% | >10%
Source: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Report Card, 2011/12–2016/17.
In 2016/17, 2 percent of students in Washington state were migrant students. There is a clear relationship between districts with higher concentrations of English learner students and students who are migrants in central Washington. A third of districts that had more than 22 percent English learner students and more than 10 percent migrant students in 2016/17 (the top 10 percent among all districts) are in Educational Service District 105 in south-central Washington.
Few districts had caseloads of fewer than 20 English learner students per certified English language development teacher.
LEGEND: Number of English learner students per English language development teacher <20 | 20–49 | >50 | No English learner students reported | No English language development teachers reported
Source: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Report Card and S-275 Personnel Reporting, 2011/12–2016/17.
Several school districts have more than 50 English learner students for every certified English language development teacher. Few had fewer than 20 students per certified English language development teacher. Many other districts reported no English learner students and/or no English language development teachers.
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction recommends that teachers in classes that predominantly comprise English learner students be endorsed in English language learner, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), or Bilingual Education, as well as the content area of instruction. However, most teachers in Washington have not had sufficient preparation and training to support current and former English learner students in their classrooms. According to the state’s Bilingual Education Advisory Committee, the number of teachers with a bilingual or English language learner endorsement is insufficient. As of 2013/14, there were 1,193 certified/licensed Title III teachers in Washington and a projected need for 2,232 in the next five years (an 87 percent increase).
The need to develop educator capacity to meet the needs of English learner students continues to grow. By September 1, 2019, all classroom teachers supported with state Transitional Bilingual Instructional Program funds will be required to hold an English language learner endorsement, an endorsement in Bilingual Education, or both (4SHB 1541). This legislation aligns with state guidance that school districts are obligated to have highly qualified teachers provide language assistance services.
Questions to Consider
What training, professional development, and resources do regular classroom teachers receive that can enhance their capacity to support English learner students?
Why do English language development teachers in some districts have consistently higher caseloads than others? What can be done to make caseloads more equitable?