In 2024, WestEd, in partnership with Sobrato Philanthropies, conducted a strategic and economic analysis of English Learner programs in California. With English Learners making up 18 percent of the state’s student population but multilingual instructional programs available in only 13 percent of schools, expanding access to high-quality programs is a critical priority.
This analysis examines the economic challenges and systemic conditions that shape English Learner education, offering research-based recommendations across three key areas: improving program design, expanding access to integrated student support, and building a multilingual educator workforce.
Through this work, policymakers, practitioners, education leaders, and philanthropic organizations have a roadmap to drive meaningful, long-term improvements—ensuring multilingual programs can be brought to scale and that all English Learners have access to the educational opportunities they deserve.
Explore the study’s findings and targeted recommendations in a series of research briefs, presentations, and technical summaries available on this webpage.
Strategic and Economic Analysis of English Learner Programs in California Project Brief
By Alex Jacobson, Lorna Porter, Lucy Hadley, Lupita Alcalá, Jason Willis
This project brief offers strategic recommendations to improve program design, expand integrated support, and scale multilingual education to better serve English Learners across California.
How Can Philanthropy Take Action to Improve English Learner Programs in California?
By Alex Jacobson, Lorna Porter, Lucy Hadley, Lupita Alcalá, Jason Willis
This research brief offers data-driven insights and actionable recommendations to help philanthropic funders invest in sustainable, scalable solutions for English Learners in California.
How Can Policymakers Take Action to Improve English Learner Programs in California?
By Alex Jacobson, Lorna Porter, Lucy Hadley, Lupita Alcalá, Jason Willis
This research brief provides data-driven insights and policy recommendations to help policymakers create lasting improvements for English Learners in California.
How Can Practitioners Take Action to Improve English Learner Programs in California?
By Alex Jacobson, Lorna Porter, Lucy Hadley, Lupita Alcalá, Jason Willis
This research brief provides data-driven insights and policy recommendations to help practitioners create lasting improvements for English Learners in California.
How Can Statewide and Community Organizations Take Action to Improve English Learner Programs in California?
By Alex Jacobson, Lorna Porter, Lucy Hadley, Lupita Alcalá, Jason Willis
This research brief explores how statewide and community organizations play a pivotal role in driving meaningful change for English Learners—enhancing program design, expanding access to integrated student support, and building a multilingual educator workforce.
Strategic and Economic Analysis of English Learner Programs in California: Methods Summary
By Alex Jacobson, Lorna Porter, Lucy Hadley, Lupita Alcalá, Jason Willis
This summary provides an overview of the data sources and analytical methods used in WestEd’s strategic and economic study of English Learner programs in California.
Strategic and Economic Analysis of English Learner Programs in California: Executive Summary
This slide deck outlines the executive summary of a strategic and economic analysis WestEd, in partnership with Sobrato Philanthropies, focusing on English Learner programs in California. It outlines the project’s context, goals, methods, and recommendations aimed at enhancing multilingual instructional programs for English Learners and emphasizes the importance of collaboration among policymakers, practitioners, statewide and community organizations, and philanthropic organizations to achieve these goals.
Strategic and Economic Analysis of English Learner Programs in California: Project Context, Goals, and Methods
This slide deck outlines the project’s context, goals, and methods, emphasizing the need to address economic challenges faced by over one million English Learner students in California, who come from various linguistic backgrounds.
Strategic and Economic Analysis of English Learner Programs in California Recommendation 1: Improve the Design of English Learner Programs
This slide deck presents a strategic and economic analysis of English Learner programs in California, focusing on recommendations to improve their design by investing in coordination, instructional coaching, and bilingual paraprofessionals, along with strong family and community engagement.
Strategic and Economic Analysis of English Learner Programs in California Recommendation 2: Expand Access to Integrated Care
This slide deck explores expanding access to integrated care for English Learner programs in California through stronger family and community engagement, coordinated care systems, and piloting a block grant program to address community needs beyond school.
Strategic and Economic Analysis of English Learner Programs in California Recommendation 3: Transition to a Multilingual Workforce
This slide deck recommends comprehensive data collection, strategic workforce planning, and state investments to address the low supply of multilingual instructors and better align staffing with the demand in California’s English Learner programs.
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