Who Goes to Newcomer Schools? Las Americas Middle School

Y

16

Foreign Countries; Speech Skills; Immigrants; English Language Learners; English (Second Language); Outreach Programs; Disadvantaged Youth; Economically Disadvantaged; Enrollment Trends; Language Proficiency; Geographic Location; Busing; Educational Policy; Instructional Program Divisions; Middle School Students; Grade 4; Grade 5; Grade 6; Grade 7; Grade 8; Student Characteristics; Student Recruitment

Africa; North America; Texas (Houston)

Newcomer programs aim to serve newly arrived immigrant students by providing specialized instruction and nonacademic support beyond what is offered in traditional English learner classrooms. In Houston ISD, Las Americas is a standalone program that serves newcomer students in grades 4-8. Given the growth of newly arrived immigrant students in the district, it is important to understand what characteristics predict whether students and families choose to enroll in a newcomer program. An analysis of 12 years of administrative data showed that economically disadvantaged students, students from sub-Saharan Africa and Central America, students with lower levels of oral English proficiency, and students who lived close to the school were most likely to enroll at Las Americas. Additionally, results suggest that the school's outreach and recruitment strategies were associated with enrollment. Finally, the implementation of the school's grade level expansion and school busing policy both had positive impacts on enrollment.

As Provided

2024

ED640539