How are ELL students doing academically?
Nationally, the achievement gap between English-learners and all public school students is significant. Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) indicates that many ELLs are performing poorly. Federal law allows students to remain in the English language learner subgroup for two years for Adequate Yearly Progress purposes. This assumes incorrectly that all English language learners will learn English at the same rate. Research shows that oral proficiency in English may take three to five years to develop, while academic proficiency can take four to seven years (Hakuta 2000). Whether measured by state tests or by NAEP, the ELL population has achieved only limited academic success. When compared to their native English-speaking peers in all grades and content areas, ELLs lag behind. In the 2005 NAEP, 29 percent of eighth-grade ELLs scored at or above the basic achievement level in reading, compared to 75 percent of non-ELLs. Similar gaps were demonstrated in mathe
