Trajectories of Proficiency: English Language Development of English Language Learners

• In Event: 66.052 - Language Policy, Accountability, and English Language Learner Students

Abstract

NCLB contained two mandates specific to ELLs. First, states must assess the English proficiency of ELLs annually to ascertain English Language development (ELD). Second, all ELLs who have been in the U.S. for more than one year, regardless of English proficiency, are required to participate each state’s standardized tests. Analyzing ELD using four-years of student-level data, using descriptive statistics and logit regressions, these analyses show that the majority of ELLs do not attain English proficiency within four years and there are significant differences in the odds of attainting proficiency among ELLs. These findings support the existing research that ELLs need up to 7 years to reach proficiency and challenge the federal policy regarding the timing of participation in testing.

Author

• Michael Berardino, University of Massachusetts - Boston