School Support, Parental Involvement, and Academic and Social-Emotional Outcomes for English Language Learners

This study examined the relationships among school support, parental school involvement, and academic and social-emotional outcomes for children who are English language learners (ELLs). The sample included 1,020 third-grade ELLs who participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K). Results from structural equation modeling showed that higher levels of school support predicted more parental involvement, more parental involvement predicted fewer social-emotional concerns for ELL children, and fewer social-emotional problems were linked to higher achievement scores. Contrary to expectations, results showed that ELL students had lower achievement and more social-emotional concerns when they attended schools that provided more support services. The authors discuss possible explanations for these findings as well as directions for future research and implications for policy and practice.