Abstract
ABSTRACT Newcomer English learners (ELs) are a growing population in public schools and represent a complex subgroup who bring knowledge, skills, varied educational backgrounds, and strengths from their home countries but face a daunting challenge as they simultaneously work to master a new language and academic content. Researchers and educators debate the appropriateness of utilizing a newcomer school approach as an instructional program due to limiting EL access to native-English speaking peers. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to examine the effects of newcomer programs on high school EL newcomers’ English language proficiency development and reading achievement using data from WIDA ACCESS 2.0 and STAR Reading. Although the findings yielded statistically non-significant results, newcomers’ demonstrated scores in STAR Reading and WIDA language proficiency showed patterns of change across multiple time-based comparisons between 2019 and 2022 and modest differences in newcomer students’ performance. Collectively, the findings offer only initial insight into the role that newcomer programs play in fostering academic improvement among multilingual learners. Further exploration is necessary to better understand these results in relation to broader educational, demographic, and policy conditions. Nonetheless, the findings of this study may assist educational leaders with making more informed decisions about offering a newcomer program of support for EL students. The implications of this study included providing research-based support for decisions regarding effective programs for newcomers at the high school level.
Keywords: English learner, English language proficiency, inclusion, interrupted newcomers, literate newcomers, newcomers, partially literate newcomers, students with limited and interrupted formal education
