Eradicating English Language Learner Dropouts: A Comprehensive Framework for Public High Schools

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine what prioritizing factors, with regard to the Five Essentials Framework proposed by The University of Chicago may help minimize dropout rates for English Language Learners in two participating urban public high schools in Wisconsin. This information could have a profound impact on ELL student engagement and learning performance that would result in most, if not all, students graduating from high school with the determination and preparation needed to seek a higher education degree. The researcher investigated and documented high school dropout rates on the Wisconsin Information System for Education Data Dashboard (WISEdash) Link to the DPI website during the 2005--‐06 through 2014--‐15 School years. High School dropouts may leave school due to a variety of individual and school related reasons. According to pull--‐out theorists, when there is a low unemployment rate, students are more likely to leave school because their likelihood of finding employment is high. Push--‐out theorists argue that students leave school not only because of their individual attributes but also because of the school structure. The problem investigated in this study was the influence these push--‐out and pull--‐out factors have on high school students dropping out of school. A second problem investigated was whether English Language Learners(ELLs) are more at risk for dropping out of high school due to these or other factors. The results found in this investigation were that there was no significant difference between male and female teachers on their perception of the importance of Professional Development on student engagement; years of teaching experience and student engagement; male and female teachers differences on family participation’s impact on ELL Academic learning, and ELL drop-out rates between the two high schools studied. However, the researcher found that faculty Professional Development had an impact on ELL student achievement as measured by student engagement and that there was an impact of high school ELL English achievement and ELL students transitioning successfully into mainstream classrooms.