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Resource for Self-Determination or Perpetuation of Linguistic Imposition: Examining the Impact of English Learner Classification among Alaska Native Students

Ilana Umansky,
Manuel Vazquez Cano,
Lorna Porter

Federal law defines eligibility for English learner (EL) classification differently for Indigenous students compared to non-Indigenous students. Indigenous students, unlike non-Indigenous students, are not required to have a non-English home or primary language. A critical question, therefore, is how EL classification impacts Indigenous students’ educational outcomes. This study explores this question for Alaska Native students, drawing on data from five Alaska school districts. Using a regression discontinuity design, we find evidence that among students who score near the EL classification threshold in kindergarten, EL classification has a large negative impact on Alaska Native students’ academic outcomes, especially in the 3rd and 4th grades. Negative impacts are not found for non-Alaska Native students in the same districts.

Keywords
Alaska Native students; English learner classification; Regression discontinuity
Education level
K-12 Education
Topics
Student Learning
Tags
Indigenous peoples,
Multilingual learners,
Race, ethnicity, and education
Download 06/2021
Document Object Identifier (DOI)
10.26300/mym3-1t98
EdWorkingPaper suggested citation:
Umansky, Ilana, Manuel Vazquez Cano, and Lorna Porter. (). Resource for Self-Determination or Perpetuation of Linguistic Imposition: Examining the Impact of English Learner Classification among Alaska Native Students. (EdWorkingPaper: -420). Retrieved from Annenberg Institute at Brown University: https://doi.org/10.26300/mym3-1t98

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