Growing number of English learners in county threatens pass-rate progress

By Chris Moran
STAFF WRITER

October 14, 2008

Local schools are enrolling a growing number of students who don't speak English – students who typically fare poorly on standardized tests – at a time when the federal No Child Left Behind Act calls for unprecedented test score gains.

Nearly 123,000 students in San Diego County public schools are classified as English learners, up from nearly 116,000 two years ago. The increase would be enough to fill three large high schools or every classroom in the Ramona Unified School District, making the federal goal of a 100-percent pass rate in math and reading in five years almost impossible, educators say.

“Every district at some point is not going to be able to meet the requirements of No Child Left Behind because of the contradiction,â€