Districts and schools across the country are looking for ways to adequately meet the needs of newcomers, many of whom are not proficient in English when they arrive in the United States. In fact, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Schools and Staffing Survey reports that nearly 4 million, or 8 percent, of the nation's K-12 students were identified as limited English proficient in 2003-2004. According to the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (NCELA), there were more than 5 million English language learners (ELLs) by 2005, a figure that has grown by nearly 61 percent in the past decade, while overall K-12 enrollment has grown less than 3 percent. Not only must schools and districts determine how to effectively engage their ELL students in the academic and social life of the school, but they also are being held accountable to ensure that these students become proficient in reading and mathematics. A brief list of additional resources is included. (Contains 1 table.) [This document was produced by The Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement, administered by Learning Point Associates in partnership with the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL), under contract with the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education of the U.S. Department of Education.]