English Learners in Ohio
English learners reflect a varied group of students who have one common characteristic: They are learning English. Students who meet the criteria for a formal designation as English learners are a growing part of the PreK–12 student population in Ohioʼs schools. Most English learners will progress through the English learner program and exit within four to six years. State data suggests a student’s time in the English learner program correlates to their initial English language proficiency level and their age or grade level. Learn more about Ohio’s English learners on the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce English Learners page.
It is important for administrators to know the demographics and unique needs of the English learners in their schools or districts. This knowledge in addition to understanding immigration pathways and other designations relevant to English learners will facilitate efforts to understand the needs of students and provide them with effective support and resources.
Table of Contents
This resource covers the topics listed below. Select a topic to jump to that section.
Designations of English Learners
Immigrant
Many English learners were born in the United States and its territories and are United States citizens (including children born in Puerto Rico) while others were born outside of the United States and come as immigrants. Students designated as an “immigrant” who are also designated as an English learner hold legal distinctions and requirements. Explore the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Federal Programs page.
The immigration status of a student or members of their family can impact student attendance, social interactions, and school performance. Some English learners face uncertainties due to complex immigration situations. They may live in mixed-status families, where some members are undocumented or citizens. These complexities can fuel fear, limit access to essential services, and create a sense of isolation. Recognizing the unique fear that students of undocumented immigrants face when attending school can help educators and communities create support systems that address studentsʼ emotional needs and facilitate their ability to learn.
Resources:
Common Characteristics
The following are characteristics that may describe groups of English learners:
- Dually Identified Students are English learners part of a larger group of learners that also includes students with disabilities and gifted students. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) offers strategies and resources appropriate for those students identified as such.
- English Learners Who Are Gifted are often underrepresented as gifted and talented. Ensuring that identification includes non-verbal assessments will facilitate appropriate identification of English learners who are gifted. Learn more about supporting English learners who are gifted on the English Language Development Instruction page of the Instructional Roadmap or at 15 Tips for Improving the Identification of Gifted ELs from the National Association for Gifted Children.
- Long-Term English Learners (LTELs) have been identified as English learners for six or more years. These students are often proficient at social and conversational English but have limited academic English, poor grades, and/or have demonstrated a lack of progression on the Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment (OELPA). Learn more about long-term English learners on the English Language Development Instruction page of the Instructional Roadmap.
- Newcomers are typically students who were born outside the United States and are in their first three years in the United States. They are at the emerging or beginning level of English proficiency. Some may have received formal education in their home country and have varying degrees of literacy in their home language. Others have little to no formal education or literacy in their home language. These students may also qualify for the Students with Interrupted/Inconsistent Formal Education (SIFE) designation. Learn more about enrolling and supporting newcomer students on the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s Enrolling and Supporting Displaced and Supporting Newcomers in Secondary School pages. Learn how to effectively support students who are newcomers in the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition’s Newcomer Toolkit. The English Language Development Instruction page of the Instructional Roadmap provides guidance for teaching English learner newcomers.
- Students with Interrupted/Inconsistent Formal Education (SIFE) has not been formally defined by the state or federal departments, so a common definition was developed to help administrators and educators understand and support the unique needs of SIFE students. In Ohio, these students have also been referred to as Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE).
- Common Definition:
Common Characteristics developed by members of the District Advisory Team, supported by staff from The Ohio State University’s Center on Education and Training for Employment.
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Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Students with Interrupted/Inconsistent Education (SIFE)
Applying the common definition supports school and district administrators in identifying English learners who qualify for targeted support due to their prior education experience.
An individual, school, or district-based team can use the checklist within Identifying SIFE to support the determination that a specific student meets the criteria for a student with interrupted/inconsistent formal education (SIFE).
Download: Identifying SIFE (Word) or Identifying SIFE (PDF)
District- and school-wide foundational supports promote regular attendance for English learners and SIFE:
- Create orientation materials in different languages to highlight school and classroom expectations, discipline, transportation, and more.
- Assign bilingual staff (such as teachers and social workers) to connect with students and touch base throughout the year. This builds trust and creates meaningful relationships that may contribute to a studentʼs regular attendance.
- Plan and implement interventions designed to address absenteeism, a complex undertaking. Interested parties are encouraged to develop the skills necessary to facilitate planning and development of relevant programs. Refer to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Ohio School Improvement Process.
- Hold meetings to address parent, caretaker, and school concerns. In many cases, translators and/or interpreters will need to be available for successful meetings.
- Make communication available in the languages spoken by students/families in your district and school. Use a variety of formats, such as robocalls, texts, and/or emails.
- Connect families to community resources that support their physical and emotional needs (such as medical, legal, financial, or counseling).
- Provide tutoring, which is a valuable resource. Tutoring for English learners and SIFE students could include matching students in a peer-to-peer model with other students who speak their language and understand their background.
- Offer career technical and vocational programs, which can also be valuable to English learners. Consider a program that connects English learners to local experts who can mentor them to build their skills.
- Consider, in appropriate cases, alternative scheduling options for high school students to give them the ability to work part-time to help support their families.
Unique considerations in planning and applying interventions to address absenteeism for English learners and students with interrupted/inconsistent formal education (SIFE):
- Create a school- or district-wide plan for monitoring the attendance of SIFE.
- Establish a SIFE team at each secondary school to monitor the academic, social, and emotional well-being of SIFE. It is recommended that this team include an administrator, the school social worker, the school counselor, the school nurse, the teacher of record, and a representative from the English learner program who is familiar with the background of the student.
- Work with new families of secondary students with interrupted or inconsistent schooling to discuss the critical nature of school attendance. Interpreters may be required. Learn more about the use of interpreters at the Institute for Community Integration.
- Open a school resource store to provide basic needs, such as personal care products, clothing, and school supplies, at no cost to ensure all students are ready to learn.
Guidance for providing instruction and supports for SIFE can be accessed on the English Language Development Instruction page of the Instructional Roadmap.
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References
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These resources aim to bolster academic, student wellness, and college and career outcomes for Ohio's English learners. Resources were created through a collaborative effort between the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and The Ohio State University's Center on Education and Training for Employment along with a dedicated group of family advocates, community leaders, school district staff, and teachers.
Last Modified: 3/10/2025 3:54:21 PM