More than 125,000 public school students in North Carolina are multilingual learners.

The number of these students has grown by 31 percent in the past four years and now comprise more than 8 percent of all public school students.

Multilingual learners lag behind their peers in multiple indicators of academic progress and achievement.

Unfortunately, language barriers create significant educational obstacles for children learning English and their families – barriers that have been left unaddressed and under-resourced in North Carolina. As a result, multilingual learners continue to substantially lag their peers on standardized tests. The state has been unable to meaningfully narrow opportunity gaps for these students, partially due to insufficient resources.

In the most recent year of state testing, only 28 percent of multilingual learners in grades 3-8 achieved proficiency on the state reading assessments compared to 57 percent of all students. Similarly, only 34 percent of multilingual learners in grades 3-8 achieved grade-level proficiency in mathematics compared to 59 percent of all students.

Multilingual learners are also under-represented in gifted programs, comprising less than 1 percent of enrollments. The graduation rate for multilingual learners in North Carolina is among the worst in the country, with just 58 percent of multilingual learners graduating from high school compared to the state’s total graduation rate of 87 percent.

Leandro Plan policies that help multilingual learners

Substantial increases in supplemental funding for limited English proficiency

Supplemental funding for limited English proficiency will be more than tripled under the Leandro Plan, rising from $100 million to approximately $325 million. Currently, the supplemental funding allotment is just 12 percent of the base amount the state provides on behalf of all students. Most other states provide substantially more, with the most common supplemental amount at 50 percent.

Simplifying the limited English proficiency funding formula and eliminating arbitrary eligibility and funding caps

The Leandro Plan will simplify the funding formula for the limited English proficiency allotment and better align funding with students’ needs. Additionally, the plan eliminates the arbitrary eligibility requirements and funding caps to ensure that all English learners generate the resources necessary to support their education.

Modifying the funding formula to account for the number of languages

In future years, the state will re-examine the limited English proficiency allotment formula to provide additional resources to account for the increasing linguistic diversity of a district’s English learner population.

Expanding NC Pre-K access

In addition to dramatically expanding the NC Pre-K program, the state will examine policies and practices to ensure equality of access for communities whose first language is not English.

Providing funding to increase the number of support personnel, such as school nurses, psychologists, counselors, and social workers

Increasing the number of support personnel will allow schools to better meet the social-emotional, behavioral, and physical health needs of their students. Multilingual learners disproportionately lack access to physical and mental health services. They also tend to require more services due to greater exposure to adverse childhood experiences and exposure to health-compromising pollutants.

Funding for professional development

The Leandro Plan will restore funding for professional development, allowing teachers, school leaders, and other staff opportunities to reflect on and revise practices to support multilingual learners.

Overall funding increases and spending flexibility

The additional resources and spending flexibility provided under the Leandro Plan will allow schools to adopt proven strategies to support multilingual learners and native speakers alike. Dual-language immersion programs, culturally-affirming curricula, and outreach to parents who are non-native speakers are all proven programs that will help maximize a community’s resources for student growth.