Preparing English Learners for College and Career: Lessons from Successful High Schools

How do school communities create environments that fully prepare both English learners and dual-language learners for colleges and careers? This valuable book profiles six high-performing high schools that had a singular focus on improving the educational outcomes of English learners. The authors use these case studies to identify a comprehensive set of design elements and shared values that were key factors in yielding extraordinary results. These include a school-wide language development framework that integrates content, analytical practices, and language learning; a broad and dynamic view of assessment practices; intensive social-emotional support for students and their families; and mission-driven staff and leadership that maximize learning opportunities across classrooms. The practices employed in these schools are not only essential for English learners’ success but, as the performance data shows, they also benefit all students.

“This is my kind of change book: clear and deep; causes one to think; and inspires the reader to what may be possible on a wide scale.”
—From the foreword by Michael Fullan, professor emeritus, University of Toronto

“The schools featured in this set of beautifully drawn case studies reveal how they managed to beat the odds for their students—and there is much to learn by looking closely at what made them so effective.”
—Lilly Wong Fillmore, professor, University of California, Berkeley

“This book is a rich resource for all educators driven to ensure that all multilingual learners are ready for college and career.”
—Angélica Infante-Green, deputy commissioner, New York State Education Department