About ML POP

ML POP brings together research and partnership work from a set of intersecting projects focused on multilingual students’ educational opportunities, pathways, and policies. Read on to learn more about these projects.

National Research and Development Center to Improve Education for Secondary English Learners

Led by the inimitable Aída Walqui, this multipronged Center focused on supporting educators and education agencies in improving the quality and accessibility of education for multilingual students in secondary grades. Drs. Thompson and Umansky co-led one strand of the Center focused on understanding EL-classified secondary students’ pathways through coursework and the state- and local-level policy levers that can support full and equitable educational access. As part of this work, the team partnered with state education agencies in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Oregon. Funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (R305C200008), the Center operated from 2020–2026.

Exploring Trends and Heterogeneity in the Timing and Effects of English Learner Reclassification: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (R305A200201), this project was led by Dr. Molly Faulkner-Bond, with co-PIs Dr. Ilana Umansky and Dr. Emily Tanner-Smith. The study used systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize existing research on both the timing of English learner reclassification and the effects of reclassification on students’ educational outcomes. The project ran from 2020–2023.

A 50-State Review of Policies for Identifying Indigenous Students as English Learners

Conducted in partnership with the National Indian Education Association and funded by the University of Oregon, this project was led by Dr. Ilana Umansky. Researchers documented how American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students are identified as English learners across states, as well as the complexities and opportunities involved in supporting Indigenous students through federal Title III policies and funding. The project ran from 2021–2024.

Upcoming: Implementation and Impact of Access to Linguistic Inclusion in Oregon

We are excited to launch a new project led by PI Dr. Karen Thompson and Co-PI Dr. Ilana Umansky, funded by the W. T. Grant Foundation as part of its Reducing Inequality portfolio. Running from 2026–2029, the project will examine how districts are implementing Oregon’s Access to Linguistic Inclusion (ALI) law, which, among other changes, allows multilingual students to earn high school Language Arts and other credits in languages other than English by recognizing coursework and literacy across multiple languages toward graduation requirements.