This brief presents findings that demonstrate a relationship between key approaches in Communities Organizing to Advance learning (CORAL), an eight-year, $58 million after-school initiative of The James Irvine Foundation, and the academic progress of English learners. Reported findings include: (1) Children who participated in CORAL fit the profile of students that the After school Education and Safety Program (ASES)/Proposition 49 funding was designed to support; (2) Children participating in CORAL appeared to benefit from the program, with English Learners making progress in equal measure to their English-proficient counterparts; (3) To help participants feel supported and have a strong sense of belonging in the program, CORAL was intentionally structured to create strong relationships between instructors and children; and (4) Team leaders used instructional strategies that engaged English Learners and helped them become full participants in the literacy activities. The brief suggests four key lessons for policymakers and funders interested in the success of English learners as a growing student population: (1) When designing after-school programs, consider the benefits of serving children with varied language and achievement levels; (2) Use a blend of academic and enrichment activities as the foundation for successful programming; (3) Strengthen program quality by providing ongoing professional development for after-school instructors; and (4) Invest the resources necessary to provide quality, comprehensive after-school programming. Although English learners benefited and made gains in their literacy skills, this program did little to shrink the achievement gap because these students started so far behind their English-proficient classmates. The authors conclude that additional research is needed about what programs can and should do to close the gap. (Contains 8 endnotes.)