Theses and Dissertations Collection

The number of English language learners (ELLs) in US public schools continues to rise, placing a demand on districts and states to support these students in both their English and academic achievement. As the decades-long achievement gap continues to grow, research has focused on methods to better support ELLs. An understudied area is the impact on funding allocations on ELL achievement. It cannot be assumed that additional funding alone is a solution. The quantitative study evaluated Idaho’s funding allocations and the impact on ELL achievement across grade levels by utilizing a one-way MANOVA statistical design. No overall significance was found between the levels of federal and state funding and student achievement in English language arts and math. The implications of these findings are discussed in respect to policymakers, teacher preparation programs, and teachers.