In advance of anticipated attention to school segregation under the Biden administration, a new piece from the Brookings Institution identifies a less explored axis of segregation: that of English Learners (ELs). Making up 10 percent of students nationwide, these learners are most often elementary school aged, and disproportionately concentrated in high-poverty schools. Specifically, ELs are sorted even more strongly by school poverty status than students of color: the poorest 30 percent of schools serve 46 percent of all ELs and 33 percent of all students of color. EL students also score especially low on standardized tests, although those in higher income schools are more likely to score as proficient, perhaps due to greater school resources. The authors call for specific consideration of ELs in future education policy noting that simple integration of these students is not enough; without intentional language support, general integration strategies could leave EL students without appropriate communication resources. #education #racialequity
