Interactive Map: ELL Population Growth by State

The most recent national data indicates that 10.3% of public students in the U.S. are participating in English language learner (ELL) programs. That percentage is up from 9.2% in 2010. The data keeps telling us that the ELL population is on the rise but what does that mean specifically for your state and unique education community?

You can see the latest information about your state here.

ELL Population Growth by Numbers

Data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that the average number of public school students participating in ELL programs at school has been steadily increasing since 2010, after a brief decrease in the 2009-2010 school year. Western states have the largest share of ELL students in the nation.[1] Texas has the most ELL students (20.1%), followed by California (17.7%) and then New Mexico (16%). According to NPR, about 1 out of every 10 public school students in the US is an ELL student.[2]

In the 2014 – 2015 school year, a higher percentage of public school students in lower grades than in upper grades were ELL students.[3] That’s not unexpected as students who embark on ELL programs in earlier years can become fluent and no longer need the same support in later years.

How Can You Address the Rising Number of ELL Students?

As the number of ELL students increases and the number of ELL teachers decreases, all areas of the curriculum are impacted, and effective coteaching and collaboration in support of ELL students becomes even more important. Research has shown that teamwork in this area can be disruptive to teachers’ routines, making it difficult to work together productively in and outside of the classroom.[4]

Having tools that streamline and enhance collaboration can help delineate the roles of individual teachers working with the same ELL students — this can help teachers and other specialists work together more effectively, establish a practical routine, identify instructional focus and create more detailed learning objectives.