One in four students under the age of six comes from an immigrant family in which at least one parent does not speak English. Traditionally, states such as Nevada, California, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas have served the vast majority of English language learner (ELL) students, although the surging growth of this demographic--now 5.5 million students--can be seen nationwide in new "gateway" states, including South Carolina, Indiana, Arkansas and Virginia, which are attracting more immigrant families. It is almost inevitable that every teacher across the nation will encounter an ELL student during his or her career if it hasn't happened already. As this population continues to swell, the achievement gap between ELLs and their non-ELL peers continues to widen. Many educators and legislators point to early childhood programs as a solution. There is a vast body of research linking students' performance in their early years to their success in the K12 arena. Achievement patterns in language and reading are established largely in the period from birth through the end of the primary grades. Researchers have also linked early learning to various long-term benefits, including high employment and lower crime rates, compared to those who don't have access. Early learning programs help bridge the gaps in school readiness, and it's in those younger years when the brain is best suited for language acquisition.