This brief examines middle and high school outcomes of LTELs in the Houston region, with a specific focus on how the timing of reclassification—when an EL student is reclassified as English proficient—was associated with academic achievement and school engagement. The results of this study support previous research showing that EL students who become LTELs are at risk for negative educational outcomes. However, these outcomes can vary based on the number of years a student remains in LTEL status.
Key findings and implications:
- ELs who reclassify in elementary school go on to experience academic achievement on par with or exceeding students who were never ELs.
- The majority of ELs who begin school in Houston and Texas become LTELs and are placed at risk for lower academic achievement and decreased school engagement from middle to high school.
- Intervening with LTELs is critical, both in terms of providing linguistic support early and ensuring that LTELs have access to the academic support and coursework they need to set them up for success in high school and beyond.
This brief is part of a larger research project examining characteristics of LTELs, patterns of reclassification, predictors of LTEL status, and outcomes of LTELs in Houston, with particular attention to 10 Houston-area public school districts.
