Quality Counts 2009 released its annual findings recently in a report titled Portrait of a Population.The project is an annual report card that grades all 50 states and D.C. on three key areas of K-12 education. This year, the focus was on English Language Learners (ELLs). The report found that a quarter of ELL learners nationwide are "not making progress toward English-language proficiency," and that the percentage of students not making progress varies considerably between states. For instance, Connecticut reported that only 1.4 percent of its ELLs are not making progress, but Maine reported 44.9 ELL students failing to make progress. Additionally, the report looked at "practices for identifying and assessing ELLs, programs and funding, preparation of teachers, and student performance and accountability."
