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Stanford-Sequoia K-12 Collaborative: Who Are Long-Term English Learners and How Can School Districts Support Them? Research Brief

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Title: Stanford-Sequoia K-12 Collaborative: Who Are Long-Term English Learners and How Can School Districts Support Them? Research Brief
Language: English
Authors: Brenda L. Valdes, Sebastian Castrechini, Stanford University, John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities (JGC)
Source: John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities. 2026.
Availability: John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities. Stanford University, 505 Lasuen Mall, Stanford, CA 94305. Tel: 650-723-3099; Fax: 650-736-7160; e-mail: gardnercenter@lists.stanford.edu; Web site: http://gardnercenter.stanford.edu
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 14
Publication Date: 2026
Intended Audience: Administrators
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Secondary Education
Descriptors: English Learners, Barriers, Elementary Secondary Education, Classification, Student Characteristics, Language Proficiency, Oral Language, Written Language, College Preparation, Students with Disabilities, Grades (Scholastic)
Geographic Terms: California
Abstract: The John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities has partnered with the Stanford-Sequoia K-12 Research Collaborative for eight years to examine pathways for improving outcomes for multilingual learners. This research-practice partnership, which comprises nine school districts in San Mateo County and entities across Stanford, has supported changes in local policies and practices related to reclassification and services for English Learner (EL) students. They help to build shared awareness among partners about the importance of addressing EL students' needs. Within this broader population, Long-Term English Learners (LTELs, or students classified as EL for more than seven years) continue to face particular barriers, especially in meeting written language expectations for reclassification, and these challenges become more pronounced as students progress into higher grades. For the 2024-25 school year, the Gardner Center and Collaborative set out to examine the progress and ongoing barriers to reclassifying students identified as EL. This research sought to find out what the demographic and academic characteristics are of LTELs and what criteria are common barriers to reclassification for LTELs who do not reclassify. This brief centers LTELs while also comparing their outcomes with those of other EL subgroups to highlight similarities and distinctions across trajectories. The sample consisted of 4,465 EL students, of which 1,424 were flagged as LTELs in 2024. The analysis shows that LTELs represent a distinct and heterogeneous group within the broader EL population and that LTEL students are not predominantly foreign-born. Although the proportion of students with identified disabilities is higher among LTELs than among other ELs, the majority of LTEL students do not have a disability. LTELs demonstrated steady growth in English proficiency, particularly in oral language, yet many remained just below the reclassification threshold due to lower written language performance. Also, a vast majority of students identified as LTEL participated and succeeded in college-preparatory coursework. The report includes several takeaways for schools and districts seeking to strengthen supports and pathways for LTELs.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED679570
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Stanford-Sequoia K-12 Collaborative: Who Are Long-Term English Learners and How Can School Districts Support Them? Research Brief
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  Data: John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities. Stanford University, 505 Lasuen Mall, Stanford, CA 94305. Tel: 650-723-3099; Fax: 650-736-7160; e-mail: gardnercenter@lists.stanford.edu; Web site: http://gardnercenter.stanford.edu
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  Data: The John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities has partnered with the Stanford-Sequoia K-12 Research Collaborative for eight years to examine pathways for improving outcomes for multilingual learners. This research-practice partnership, which comprises nine school districts in San Mateo County and entities across Stanford, has supported changes in local policies and practices related to reclassification and services for English Learner (EL) students. They help to build shared awareness among partners about the importance of addressing EL students' needs. Within this broader population, Long-Term English Learners (LTELs, or students classified as EL for more than seven years) continue to face particular barriers, especially in meeting written language expectations for reclassification, and these challenges become more pronounced as students progress into higher grades. For the 2024-25 school year, the Gardner Center and Collaborative set out to examine the progress and ongoing barriers to reclassifying students identified as EL. This research sought to find out what the demographic and academic characteristics are of LTELs and what criteria are common barriers to reclassification for LTELs who do not reclassify. This brief centers LTELs while also comparing their outcomes with those of other EL subgroups to highlight similarities and distinctions across trajectories. The sample consisted of 4,465 EL students, of which 1,424 were flagged as LTELs in 2024. The analysis shows that LTELs represent a distinct and heterogeneous group within the broader EL population and that LTEL students are not predominantly foreign-born. Although the proportion of students with identified disabilities is higher among LTELs than among other ELs, the majority of LTEL students do not have a disability. LTELs demonstrated steady growth in English proficiency, particularly in oral language, yet many remained just below the reclassification threshold due to lower written language performance. Also, a vast majority of students identified as LTEL participated and succeeded in college-preparatory coursework. The report includes several takeaways for schools and districts seeking to strengthen supports and pathways for LTELs.
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      – SubjectFull: Barriers
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