As New York City’s public schools struggle to accommodate an increasing number of English Language Learners, educators say the system is ill-equipped to support these students’ success. Among these ELLs, there are many immigrant students, often navigating language barriers, unstable housing and fear of immigration enforcement, who are placed in classrooms without the necessary resources to help them thrive.
Despite the existence of programs like bilingual education and English as a New Language (ENL), many educators say these efforts are inconsistent, underfunded and fail to meet the growing needs of ELLs. According to the Department of Education, 16.3% of NYC students in the 2023-24 school year were identified as ELLs. With over 200 languages spoken in NYC classrooms—including Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Bengali and Haitian Creole—schools are stretched thin in trying to provide adequate language support.
For many, like Monalisa Ferrari, a 25-year veteran educator at Brooklyn Theater Arts High School, the shortcomings of the system are personal. Ferrari, who immigrated from Haiti in 1979, recalls the difficulty of learning English while adjusting to a new country. Today, she sees the same struggles in her students but with even fewer resources to support their needs, raising concerns about how the city’s educational system is equipped to ensure ELLs succeed.
“It’s a revolving door,” she said. “Students arrive full of hope, settle in for a few weeks and then get relocated to another shelter, another borough, or another school. They lose their friends, their teachers and any sense of stability.”
Constant movement between shelters and schools disrupts students’ education, making it nearly impossible for them to build relationships or establish academic progress. “It’s hard enough learning a new language. But how can you focus when you don’t even know if you’ll be in the same school next week?” Ferrari said.
Ferrari’s experiences are not unique. Many educators across New York face similar problems, aggravated by a system struggling to meet their needs.
Benny Ntsakey, a Principal coach and instructional leader, has worked across multiple schools in New York and believes the system does not adequately assess multilingual learners. “Students are placed in classrooms based on age, not ability,” he said. “I’ve seen kids who already mastered subjects like biology sitting through the same material for a year because no one assessed them properly.”
Many students are placed in general education settings without adequate language support, leaving them to struggle with coursework while learning English simultaneously. “By the time they start grasping the language, they’re already behind academically,” Ferrari said.
Beyond academic struggles, economic instability adds another layer of hardship. Many immigrant families live in shelters where they lack control over their meals and living conditions. According to a report by New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, families with children made up the largest share of the shelter population in fiscal year 2024. As of Dec. 29, 2024, they represented 78% of asylum seekers in city-funded shelters.
“It’s another way they feel powerless. They’re told what to eat and what to wear. They have no choice,” Ferrari said.
Since Donald Trump took office in January 2025, his administration has ramped up immigration enforcement in New York City as part of his campaign pledge to carry out the “largest deportation in U.S. history.” Many shelters have been closed and fear of ICE raids has spread throughout immigrant communities.
The fear of immigration enforcement also prevents some students from attending school.
“Why would you come to school if you’re afraid of getting picked up by ICE?” Ferrari asked. “Some students have seen family members detained. Others have heard stories. It’s an open conversation among them.”
She said that teachers and counselors have reported an increase in anxiety, depression and even suicidal thoughts among students who have endured trauma before even arriving in the U.S. “They’re scared, isolated and some of them have already endured traumatic experiences before even arriving here,” Ferrari said.
That is why Dr. Claire Sylvan, founder and Senior advisor at Internationals Network, advocates for holistic support systems, including mental health resources, community partnerships, and policy changes–such as exemptions from high-stakes exams–to help students overcome these barriers.
Sylvan is a longtime educator and advocate for multilingual learners, with decades of experience working to improve educational outcomes for immigrant students. She founded Internationals Network to support schools that serve newly arrived immigrant and refugee students. The organization operates 31 schools and academies across the United States and works to create inclusive learning environments by providing professional development for educators, fostering bilingual and culturally responsive teaching practices, and promoting policies that ensure equitable access to education. Through partnerships with schools and community organizations, Internationals Network helps students build language skills while also addressing their social and emotional needs, ensuring they have the support to thrive academically and beyond.
These systemic efforts often fall short of meeting the growing needs of multilingual learners, leaving significant gaps in support. Despite various bilingual education programs, (ENL) support and professional development for teachers, educators say these initiatives don’t go far enough.
For one, funding for multilingual programs is inconsistent across districts. While some schools have access to two-teacher models, where ENL specialists assist in classrooms, others lack bilingual teachers entirely, forcing students to learn in an unfamiliar language without support.
Standardized testing remains a major barrier for immigrant students. “We are measuring their abilities with tests designed for native English speakers. It sets them up for failure,” Ntsakey said.
Also Read: Deportation Fears Keep Migrant Kids Out of School as ‘Everyone Is Scared’
The graduation rate for ELL students remains significantly lower than their English-proficient peers. According to NYSED reports, as of August 2024, the four-year graduation rate for ELLs in New York is approximately 52%, compared to 89% for non-EL students.
Despite these challenges, educators and community leaders are pushing for systemic solutions. In April 2024, many organizations, including the Flamboyan Literacy Project, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit assisting young immigrant learners, called on city leaders to open more schools and increase funding for specialized multilingual schools.
Darnell Benoit, president and founder of Flamboyan, expressed frustration that there were no concrete changes or commitments from policymakers to address the needs of immigrant students. She said advocates have never met with the chancellor or seen meaningful action from the New York City Department of Education.
She said the campaign for more resources and specialized schools for multilingual learners remains ongoing as they push for schools that meet their unique needs.
“The public school system is always prioritizing something else over immigrant students,” she said. “Every time we fight for resources, we have to compete for funding, attention and investment. Meanwhile, these students are falling behind.”
She advocates for expanding specialized schools that focus on language support, mental health resources and culturally responsive education. “These schools already exist and they work,” she said. “Students in these programs thrive because they are respected, understood and given the tools they need, not just to survive, but to excel.”
Benoit also stresses the need for stronger collaboration between schools and immigrant-led organizations to better support students and their families. “Schools should connect with local organizations that reflect their student populations. A Haitian student should have access to Haitian community resources, just like a Yemeni student should have support from their own community,” she said.
Also Read: Immigrant Parents Win Thousands in DOE Settlement
Claire Sylvan also believes that collaboration with community organizations is essential to addressing the multifaceted needs of immigrant students. She emphasizes that schools alone cannot provide all the resources and expertise required to support students who often face trauma, language barriers, and cultural adjustments.
“Making schools community schools, which allows them to partner with community organizations, would be a major thing that New York City could do,” she said
Educators like Ferrari and Ntsakey say teacher training and more bilingual staff are essential to improving outcomes. “When we create schools that work for them, we create schools that work for everyone,” Ntsakey said, emphasizing that specialized programs benefit not just ELLs but the entire student population.
Without systemic changes, low graduation rates and high dropout risks will persist for multilingual learners. “Investing in these students isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s what will make our schools stronger for everyone,” Benoit said.
For now, teachers, mentors and community advocates continue to fill the gaps, working to ensure that immigrant students receive the education they deserve—despite the many barriers in their way.
