Students in English as a Second Language (ESL) programs are a large and growing population in American schools. The U.S. Department of Education says that the number of ESL learners increased by more than 1 million from 2000 to 2020. That is about 10 percent of all students in the country. In states like California and Texas, nearly 20 percent of students are English learners. But “English learners are everywhere” in the country, notes Leslie Villegas. She is an education researcher with the New America Foundation in Washington, D.C. Her recent study looked at the percentage of ESL students within each state, as well as the most common languages spoken at home for those students. As the number of English learners grow, there is a need for more ESL teachers. But the U.S. is dealing with a nationwide teacher shortage across all grade and subject areas. And in the next few years, experts expect the shortage to get worse among English language educators, Villegas said. Josie Gutierrez is the assistant superintendent of the Waco Independent School District in Texas. She said the teacher shortage has slowed down the growth of the district’s bilingual program. There has been an increase in state and federal pandemic aid to schools. So money is not the problem, Gutierrez noted. But the supply of teachers has not increased. And schools are “vying for the same supply,” she said.
Title: ESL Programs Face Shortages, Learning Loss during Pandemic
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5345/A.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='ESL Programs Face Shortages, Learning Loss during Pandemic' data-article-id='5935'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='12167'>Students in English as a Second Language (ESL) programs are a large and growing population in American schools. </span> <span data-start-time='12167' data-end-time='24333'>The U.S. Department of Education says that the number of ESL learners increased by more than 1 million from 2000 to 2020. </span> <span data-start-time='24333' data-end-time='30771'>That is about 10 percent of all students in the country.</span> <span data-start-time='30771' data-end-time='39438'>In states like California and Texas, nearly 20 percent of students are English learners. </span> <span data-start-time='39438' data-end-time='46104'>But “English learners are everywhere” in the country, notes Leslie Villegas. </span> <span data-start-time='46104' data-end-time='53729'>She is an education researcher with the New America Foundation in Washington, D.C. </span> <span data-start-time='53729' data-end-time='67542'>Her recent study looked at the percentage of ESL students within each state, as well as the most common languages spoken at home for those students.</span> <span data-start-time='67542' data-end-time='75271'>As the number of English learners grow, there is a need for more ESL teachers. </span> <span data-start-time='75271' data-end-time='83104'>But the U.S. is dealing with a nationwide teacher shortage across all grade and subject areas. </span> <span data-start-time='83104' data-end-time='93646'>And in the next few years, experts expect the shortage to get worse among English language educators, Villegas said.</span> <span data-start-time='93646' data-end-time='102646'>Josie Gutierrez is the assistant superintendent of the Waco Independent School District in Texas. </span> <span data-start-time='102646' data-end-time='111208'>She said the teacher shortage has slowed down the growth of the district’s bilingual program.</span> <span data-start-time='111208' data-end-time='117396'>There has been an increase in state and federal pandemic aid to schools. </span> <span data-start-time='117396' data-end-time='121979'>So money is not the problem, Gutierrez noted. </span> <span data-start-time='121979' data-end-time='126771'>But the supply of teachers has not increased. </span> <span data-start-time='126771' data-end-time='132271'>And schools are “vying for the same supply,” she said.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5345/A.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=18175 data-hint-location='0' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5345/what_does_esl_stand_for.wav'>What does ESL stand for?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='English as a Second Language'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5345/english_as_a_second_language.wav'><span>English as a Second Language</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5345/everyone_speaks_loudly.wav'><span>Everyone Speaks Loudly</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5345/english_and_spanish_languages.wav'><span>English and Spanish Languages</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5345/education_school_language.wav'><span>Education School Language</span></div></div></div><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=18174 data-hint-location='102646' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5345/what_does_bilingual_mean.wav'>What does bilingual mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='able to speak and understand two languages'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5345/able_to_speak_and_understand_two_languages.wav'><span>able to speak and understand two languages</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5345/dull_tedious_and_repetitious.wav'><span>dull, tedious, and repetitious</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5345/producing_powerful_feelings_or_strong_clear_images_in_the_mind.wav'><span>producing powerful feelings or strong, clear images in the mind</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5345/using_only_two_legs_for_walking.wav'><span>using only two legs for walking</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=18176 data-hint-location='30771' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5345/in__blank__like_california_and_texas_nearly_20_percent_of_students_are_english_learners_.wav'>In <span class='blank'>states</span> like California and Texas, nearly 20 percent of students are English learners. </div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='states'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5345/states.wav'><span>states</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5345/horses.wav'><span>horses</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5345/towers.wav'><span>towers</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5345/countries.wav'><span>countries</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button 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