Structural Barriers to Multilingual Learners’ Literacy Outcomes in Georgia Schools

Abstract

This study investigates structural predictors of literacy outcomes for multilingual learners (MLs) in Georgia public schools. Drawing on ecological systems theory and the educational debt framework, it examines how chronic absenteeism, teacher preparedness, and school funding influence MLs’ English Language Arts performance on the Georgia Milestones assessment. Using multilevel modeling with 2024 data from 1,929 schools across 205 districts, findings reveal that chronic absenteeism and underqualified teaching staff significantly predict lower literacy scores, while targeted instructional investment predicts higher outcomes. General per-pupil spending was not a consistent predictor. Results highlight systemic rather than student-level barriers to ML achievement and emphasize the need for policy solutions addressing attendance, staffing equity, and resource allocation to improve literacy outcomes for multilingual learners