The Unintended Consequences for English Learners of Using the Four-Year Graduation Rate for School Accountability

Current practices for evaluating high school graduation rates have a negative effect on immigrant students, specifically English Learners (ELs). The Unintended Consequences for English Learners Using the Four-Year Graduation Rate for School Accountability describes the characteristics of the EL student population, the ways they are served by schools, and the impact of evaluation practices mandated by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015.  One of the most important markers of school success is high school graduation rates, which ESSA determines by the number of students who graduate in a four-year time frame. The author suggests that this standard creates incentives for school administrators to prevent older EL students from enrolling in traditional high schools. Although immigrant EL students are less likely to graduate within four years than their U.S.-born classmates, the disparity decreases significantly if ELs' graduation rates are measured within a five to six year time frame. Owing to ESSA standards, school districts channel ELs toward vocational or other alternative education pathways instead of remedial services and traditional diplomas. The report suggests that policymakers should be aware of these factors as they revisit the ESSA, focus on long-term data outcomes of ELs, and be open to making exceptions in accountability measures so ELs are not put at a disadvantage. (Deb D’Anastasio for The Immigrant Learning Center’s Public Education Institute)

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