Executive Summary .1 Introduction: Adolescent English Language Learners and the Literacy Challenge 5 Academic Literacy for Adolescents .8 Diversity and Adolescent ELL Literacy .10 Keeping Adolescent Learning in Mind .13 Identifying the Major Challenges to Improving Literacy in Adolescent ELLs .14 Challenge 1: Lack of Common Criteria for Identifying ELLs and Tracking Their Academic Performance .14 Challenge 2: Lack of Appropriate Assessments .18 Challenge 3: Inadequate Educator Capacity for Improving Literacy in ELLs .22 Challeng e 4: Lack of Appropriate and Flexible Program Options .26 Challeng e 5: Limited Use of Research-Based Instructional Practices 33 Challeng e 6: Lack of a Strong and Coherent Research Agenda for Adolescent ELL Literacy 39 Conclusion .42 References 43 Appendices .47 Appendix A: Adolescent ELL Literacy Advisory Panel .47 Appendix Bdata:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABAQMAAAAl21bKAAAAA1BMVEXh5PJm+yKVAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAAApJREFUCNdjYAAAAAIAAeIhvDMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie7" alt=":p" title="Stick Out Tongue :p">r oject Methodology .49 Appendix C: High School and District Profiles 52