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Timely Research Evidence to Support Federal Assistance for English Learners

The role that the federal government plays in improving educational opportunities for students across the U.S. has been upended in the first year of the second Trump administration. The administration has proposed eliminating funding for English Language Acquisition (Title III) and has dismantled the Education Department infrastructure that supports the programs Title III funds. Despite assertions to the contrary, the administration has provided no evidence that federal oversight has negatively impacted the American education system, and it is probable that the sweeping budget cuts and staff reductions will cause significant harm to students.

This is especially true for English learners (EL), a rapidly growing population that requires intensive and evidence-backed instructional support from properly trained educators. English learners have been directly affected by the Trump administration’s attempts to dismantle the U.S. Education Department through executive orders that undermine students’ rights, the massive reduction in staff at key federal offices that support effective instruction and enforce civil rights, and a budget proposal that eliminates $890 million in federal funding for English Language Acquisition (Title III).

Education Law Center, together with partners at Research for Action and the Center for Outcomes Based Contracting, is committed to using research evidence to help advocates and policymakers understand the implications of these significant policy changes. A review of the evidence suggests that Title III may be struggling to meet its goals due to implementation challenges and inadequate funding that has not kept pace with the growing EL population, but not because of a lack of evidence for what works to support ELs and recent immigrants.

Through an in-depth review of the evidence, we answered the following questions:

  • Are there evidence-based programs and practices that improve English proficiency and academic learning among ELs? (View fact sheet)
  • Are Title III funds used by Local Educational Agencies on evidence-based programs and practices? (View Fact Sheet)
  • Are funding levels adequate for achieving Title III goals? (View Fact Sheet)

With our partners, ELC developed the following resources to support advocates’ efforts to improve federal support for English learners:

  • The Title III Evidence Review takes a deep dive into the research to clarify what is and isn’t working under the current implementation of Title III;
  • Fact sheets distill our central research questions into an easy-to-read and share format;
  • Talking Points from our October webinar provide advocates with important policy context and effective messaging;
  • A Frequently Asked Questions guide clarifies the U.S. Education Department’s role in supporting English learners through Title III and other provisions.

It is clear that improving instruction and academic proficiency for English learners – the primary goal of Title III – is possible based on a review of the empirical research on the programs, practices, and instructional strategies designed for ELs.

“Whether federal Title III funds are being used to support the evidence-based practices our research identified is unclear, partially because a widescale implementation study was canceled,” said Danielle Farrie, ELC Research Director. “In stark contrast to proposals to eliminate federal funding for English learners, the research consensus is that funding for Title III is currently inadequate and achieving the program’s goals requires more money, not less.”

For more information on ELC’s Research Evidence Against Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education project, visit our webpage and check back periodically for updates. This project is supported by the William T. Grant Foundation and the Spencer Foundation.

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Press Contact:
Sharon Krengel
Director of Policy, Strategic Partnerships and Communications
skrengel@edlawcenter.org
973-624-1815, x240