Many L.A. students not moving out of English language classes

Students do much better if they get into the mainstreams classes and out of the English learner programs as soon as they are able. But many are staying in the classes and many of them drop out of school entirely. - - Donna Poisl

Almost 30% of those placed early on in such programs in L.A. Unified were still in them when they started high school, study says. The sooner students moved on, the more they excelled.

By Anna Gorman

Nearly 30% of Los Angeles Unified School District students placed in English language learning classes in early primary grades were still in the program when they started high school, increasing their chances of dropping out, according to a new study released Wednesday.

The findings raise questions about the teaching in the district's English language classes, whether students are staying in the program too long and what more educators should do for students who start school unable to speak English fluently.
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