William T. Grant Foundation President Discusses Inequality In English Language Education
The percentage of English language learners in American public schools has increased in all but 15 states since 2004. When the 2014 school year began, at least 10 percent of K-12 students in nine states were English language learners, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.The programs available to these students vary widely, said sociologist Adam Gamoran, president of the William T. Grant Foundation. Gamoran lectured on Oct. 25 as part of the Department of Education’s Speaker Series.
English language instructors vary widely in their strategies, Gamoran told The Herald. “There may be different approaches taken within the same state, within the same school district and even within the same school.”
The William T. Grant Foundation investigates both solutions to inequality in youth educational outcomes and how to better use research to influence policy, Gamoran said. His lecture described the Foundation’s goals and grant programs, using English language learning as a case study for the type of inequality the Foundation aims to reduce...