Effectiveness of the National R&D Center to Improve Education for Secondary English Learners Educative ELA Curriculum: A Report of a Quasi-Experiment in Four School Districts. Research Report
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| Title: | Effectiveness of the National R&D Center to Improve Education for Secondary English Learners Educative ELA Curriculum: A Report of a Quasi-Experiment in Four School Districts. Research Report |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Andrew P. Jaciw, Adam Schellinger, Zahava Nickell, Val Lazarev, Jenna Zacamy, Empirical Education Inc. |
| Source: | Grantee Submission. 2026. |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 83 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Institute of Education Sciences (ED) |
| Contract Number: | R305C200008 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research Tests/Questionnaires |
| Education Level: | Secondary Education Elementary Education Grade 8 Junior High Schools Middle Schools |
| Descriptors: | Research and Development Centers, Program Effectiveness, Educational Improvement, Secondary School Students, English Instruction, Language Arts, English Learners, Curriculum Evaluation, Curriculum Design, Grade 8, Outcomes of Education, Language Proficiency, Academic Achievement, Curriculum Implementation, Fidelity, Faculty Development, Academic Language, Achievement Gains |
| Abstract: | In partnership with WestEd's National Research & Development Center to Improve Education for Secondary English Learners, researchers from Empirical Education conducted a one-year quasi-experimental study evaluating the effectiveness of the Educative English Language Arts (E-ELA), a 12-week three-unit eighth-grade curriculum designed to strengthen literacy and academic language development for English Learners (ELs), particularly long-term English Learners (LTELs). E-ELA was developed to expand teacher expertise and improve classroom learning opportunities for ELs through educative instructional materials, professional development sessions, and coaching. The curriculum engages students with rigorous texts, multimodal resources, collaborative discussion, and scaffolded reading and writing tasks. This study was conducted in spring 2025 across four districts in three states. A total of 20 teachers implemented E-ELA across 46 eighth-grade classes that included either single-teacher and co-teaching models. Participating teachers were either general education ELA or English Language Development (ELD) teachers. The researchers compared outcomes for students in E-ELA classrooms with matched comparison students in similar classes receiving their districts' standard ELA curriculum. Student outcome data were drawn from state ELA assessments and state English language proficiency (ELP) assessments. Researchers constructed matched analytic samples using propensity score methods with exact matching by district and EL classification to ensure baseline equivalence. In addition to estimating impacts on student ELA achievement and ELP outcomes, the study examined implementation fidelity and teacher experience through teacher surveys and interviews. The researchers found that teachers enjoyed implementing the materials, with high teacher participation in professional development and positive perceptions of E-ELA as engaging, standards-aligned, and appropriate for students. Teachers also reported shifts in instructional beliefs, increasingly recognizing that ELs can engage in rigorous, grade-level learning while developing academic language. While no statistically significant effects were found for LTELs on ELA outcomes, newcomer and intermediate ELs demonstrated positive gains, and LTEL students who had received at least eight weeks of E-ELA instruction showed significant improvements in writing, listening, and speaking on ELP assessments. The climate of federal education research, implementation in mixed-ELP classrooms beyond the originally intended LTEL population, and reduced implementation due to scheduling and testing should all be considered when interpreting these findings. Yet teacher feedback suggests that the curriculum remains a promising approach to expanding ELs access to engaging, rigorous, grade-level instruction. The full report and appendices are provided. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| IES Funded: | Yes |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED680919 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | In partnership with WestEd's National Research & Development Center to Improve Education for Secondary English Learners, researchers from Empirical Education conducted a one-year quasi-experimental study evaluating the effectiveness of the Educative English Language Arts (E-ELA), a 12-week three-unit eighth-grade curriculum designed to strengthen literacy and academic language development for English Learners (ELs), particularly long-term English Learners (LTELs). E-ELA was developed to expand teacher expertise and improve classroom learning opportunities for ELs through educative instructional materials, professional development sessions, and coaching. The curriculum engages students with rigorous texts, multimodal resources, collaborative discussion, and scaffolded reading and writing tasks. This study was conducted in spring 2025 across four districts in three states. A total of 20 teachers implemented E-ELA across 46 eighth-grade classes that included either single-teacher and co-teaching models. Participating teachers were either general education ELA or English Language Development (ELD) teachers. The researchers compared outcomes for students in E-ELA classrooms with matched comparison students in similar classes receiving their districts' standard ELA curriculum. Student outcome data were drawn from state ELA assessments and state English language proficiency (ELP) assessments. Researchers constructed matched analytic samples using propensity score methods with exact matching by district and EL classification to ensure baseline equivalence. In addition to estimating impacts on student ELA achievement and ELP outcomes, the study examined implementation fidelity and teacher experience through teacher surveys and interviews. The researchers found that teachers enjoyed implementing the materials, with high teacher participation in professional development and positive perceptions of E-ELA as engaging, standards-aligned, and appropriate for students. Teachers also reported shifts in instructional beliefs, increasingly recognizing that ELs can engage in rigorous, grade-level learning while developing academic language. While no statistically significant effects were found for LTELs on ELA outcomes, newcomer and intermediate ELs demonstrated positive gains, and LTEL students who had received at least eight weeks of E-ELA instruction showed significant improvements in writing, listening, and speaking on ELP assessments. The climate of federal education research, implementation in mixed-ELP classrooms beyond the originally intended LTEL population, and reduced implementation due to scheduling and testing should all be considered when interpreting these findings. Yet teacher feedback suggests that the curriculum remains a promising approach to expanding ELs access to engaging, rigorous, grade-level instruction. The full report and appendices are provided. |
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