In Oakland Public Schools, about 7 out of every 100 English Language Learners (ELL) are proficient in both math and language arts scores, but three schools are finding success in improving those outcomes.
Oakland Unity High (in Language Arts and A-G), Downtown Charter Academy (in Language Arts and Math), and Lincoln Elementary (in Math) are all meeting California proficiency standards according to FIA’s new interactive data map, which explores how every Oakland public school (both district and charter) performed in 2024 on the key indicators that matter most for student outcomes.
These achievements are no accident. So we talked with each school about how they are creating opportunities for students learning the English language to thrive. The methods vary, but they are similar in that they focus on providing students with the support they need to acquire the language skills that enable them to thrive academically. The highlights of our discussion are below:
Students at Lincoln Elementary utilizing science-based reading strategies
Lincoln Elementary – Schoolwide Assessment, Vocabulary Protocols and Family Communication Help English Learners to Soar
At Lincoln Elementary, Principal Mukta Sambrani believes that “math is a universal language, and so English language learners should have equal access.” This belief is the foundation of Lincoln’s school-wide implementation of literacy strategies across content areas. Teachers apply the same language development strategies used in literacy to math instruction. They dive deep into vocabulary, examining word roots so that a term like “polygon” becomes understandable and memorable. What makes this strategy work is trust and collaboration among the staff. “There’s a lot of trust and respect that’s given from teacher to teacher to teacher,” said Megan Blower, Teacher on Special Assignment at Lincoln Elementary. “So you know that kindergarten is teaching it with fidelity, and then you trust that the first-grade teachers are also teaching it using the vocabulary, using the protocols.”
Students are consistently encouraged to explain their answers and understand that multiple strategies can lead to the same solution.
This work is supported by deep family engagement at the school. Community School Manager Community School Manager Pikshan (Tina) Lui serves as a bridge for the school’s Chinese-speaking families, ensuring clear communication between home and school.
Catherine Thomas, a parent at the school, said that she feels the school’s individualized approach empowers her to support her children at home. She called the school, “truly a very special place.”
“Lincoln is taking the time to assess my children where they are, to figure out all of their individual needs in every subject,” she said.
Amethod’s Oakland Charter High School students attended the grand re-opening of four newly refurbished basketball courts at Lincoln Square Park in downtown Oakland funded by The Kevin Durant Charity Foundation.
Downtown Charter Academy – Inclusive Classrooms, Language-Rich Instruction, and Math as a Gateway to English Mastery
At Amethod Public Schools Downtown Charter Academy, the success of ELL students is not a separate initiative; it’s central to the school’s mission that all students thrive academically.
“We want to have the least restrictive environment for all students,” said Downtown Charter Site Leader Jillianne Whitfield, “and make them feel as included and as much a part of the community as everybody else.”
ELL students are immersed in general education classrooms, and tools for language acquisition are integrated into daily instruction. Teachers are equipped with a “Tip or Skill of the Week,” reminding them to employ clear visuals, activate background knowledge, and cultivate rich word walls — strategies intended to give every student, especially those learning English, the tools they need to navigate complex content.
“Regardless of what you teach, you are a language teacher,” said David Swingler, the school’s English Language Development specialist.
In DCA’s math classrooms, the focus is not just on finding the correct answer but on articulating the reasoning behind it and justifying their thinking with evidence. This process reinforces the academic language of mathematics. By treating math as another opportunity for language development, DCA ensures its ELL students are calculating and communicating, critiquing, and reasoning at a high level.
Students learning at Oakland Unity High
Oakland Unity High – Personalized Support Plans, Confidence-Building, and Daily Practice Empower English Learners
Oakland Unity High School Principal William Nee also believes deeply that a personalized strategy helps students learning English thrive.”
“The benefit of a small school is that you can know every kid,” Nee states. This allows his team to identify each student’s needs and then meticulously “craft a support plan around those students.”
For many learners, he observes, the most significant barrier is often not a lack of skills but a lack of confidence. “It’s more psychological,” Nee said. “You might know a little bit of a foreign language, but then you may get thrown into a situation where you freeze up. It’s breaking that ice so they are not overwhelmed psychologically.”
The ultimate goal is to create an environment where students feel safe enough to access the English skills they already possess and then practice them daily to attain proficiency.
Ivan is an English Language Learner student, like Estephany, who is a senior at Oakland Unity. He said he’s most proud of how he’s able to speak with his teachers in English and joke with his friends.
“I feel really proud of myself for developing my English,” he said.
