Dual language immersion programs associated with more reading growth for ELs

Students in schools without such programs, that don’t offer meetings with English learner families, and that are overcrowded were associated with worse performance.

In the decade between 2010 and 2020, the English learner population grew by half a million, from 4.5 to about 5 million students, according to the report. While most English learners are born in the U.S., there has also since been an influx of refugee and asylum-seeking families.

Meanwhile, dual language immersion programs — found to significantly raise student achievement in core subjects for English learners — continue to grow in popularity nationwide.

Last year, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona pushed for dual language education and called for more investments in multilingualism in schools.