Final Report on the Sanger-Firebaugh Long-Term English Learner Project

Authors

Karen Thompson, Oregon State University
Claudia Rodriguez-Mojica, Santa Clara UniversityFollow

Document Type

Other

Publication Date

10-26-2018

Publisher

Central Valley Foundation

Abstract

The Long-Term English Learner Project is a partnership between Sanger and Firebaugh-Las Deltas Unified School Districts that aims to create large-scale systems change to improve outcomes for middle and high school Long-Term English Learners (LTELs). Karen Thompson and Claudia Rodriguez-Mojica have completed the third and final year of a three-year external documentation funded by the Central Valley Foundation (CVF). The LTEL Project began in 2014- 15 and was originally planned to last three years. CVF approved a one-year extension for the Project and external documentation, lasting through 2017-18.

The Long-Term English Learner Project builds on the previous District Partnership Project (DPP) between Sanger and Firebaugh that CVF funded beginning in 2011. The DPP had as its goal improving outcomes for all students in the two districts, especially English learners (ELs), through a district culture of continuous improvement. In recent years, educators and policymakers have expressed increasing concern about students who have been enrolled in U.S. schools for many years but remained classified as English learners. Recognizing the large number of Long-Term English Learners in their own districts, and wanting to leverage the structures and relationships developed through their previous collaboration, Sanger and Firebaugh proposed partnering specifically to improve outcomes for LTELs in their districts.

This final report describes findings from the LTEL project since its inception in 2014-15 but highlights long term impacts and lessons learned. Findings address the following documentation questions:

1. What are the activities and infrastructure of the Sanger and Firebaugh-Las Deltas Unified School Districts’ LTEL project?
2. What are the key successes and challenges of the partnership?
3. What is the academic and English language proficiency performance of English learners, specifically LTELs, at the partner districts?

Comments

The Sanger-Firebaugh Long-Term English Learner Project and this report are funded by the Central Valley Foundation.

Recommended Citation

Thompson, K. & Rodriguez-Mojica, C., (2018). Final Report on the Sanger-Firebaugh Long-Term English Learner Project. Sacramento, CA: Central Valley Foundation