Chapter 4: Traveling Curriculum’s Borders: Curricular Implications for Schools along the Texas-Mexico Border

In the past three decades, the Latino/Latina population continues to increase but also continues to lag behind academically (Ballantyne, Sanderman, & Levy, 2008; Gandara & Contreras, 2009; Janzen, 2008; Proctor, Dalton & Grisham, 2008). A large portion of the Latino/Latina population in U.S. schools is labeled as English Language Learners (ELLs). According to Ballantyne, Sanderman, and Levy, (2008) ELL students tend to not perform well on most standardized tests and are dropping out of high school at higher rates than their non-ELL peers. The high school completion rate for ELL students is 69.3% , as compared to 89.9% for their non-ELL counterparts. There are currently five million ELL students enrolled in U.S. schools; over the last decade this population has increased by 57% and the number continues to climb (Ballantyne et al., 2008).