Spellings: English-Learners Need More Help

Washington

The nation needs to “pick up the pace” in helping English-language learners do well in school, Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings said last week in a speech at a conference here for teachers and administrators who work with such students.

“English-language learners are the fastest-growing student population in the United States,” Ms. Spellings told the 1,200 attendees at a luncheon during the Education Department-sponsored conference, held Nov. 30 through Dec. 2.

She noted that by 2025, one in four students in U.S. classrooms is expected to be an English-language learner. “Our education system is in a race to keep up with these students. We have to pick up...