Waiving English Learner Services: Prevalence and Student Characteristics

Abstract

Under federal law, the families of students classified as English learners (ELs) have the right to waive EL services. When students waive services, they typically are no longer enrolled in a stand-alone class period for learning English. Drawing on statewide, longitudinal, student-level data from Michigan, Oregon, and Texas, we found substantial variation in the prevalence of students who waived EL services across states but substantial similarities in the characteristics of students who waived services, with students in special education, students who were not economically disadvantaged, and students enrolled in EL services for many years being more likely to waive services.

Keywords

bilingual/bicultural educational policy equity hierarchical linear modeling high schools policy analysis

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