The Achievement Progress of English Learners in Nevada and Utah

• In Event: 42.040 - Helping English Learner Students Thrive: What Studies Show and How States Can Help

Abstract

Purpose
This presentation consolidates findings from two studies on the same topics in Nevada and Utah, respectively. It aims to describe the cumulative progress of three grade-level cohorts of English learners (ELs) in English language proficiency (ELP), ELA, and mathematics over a six-year period.

Theoretical Framework
By better understanding the progress of ELs over multiple years in both ELP and subject content knowledge and how the progress is differentiated across EL subgroups, assessments, and grade levels, educators and policymakers can make informed decisions on providing supports timely to targeted ELs who are not achieving proficiency as expected and who are lagging behind their peers.
Methods
The studies examined the progress of three grade level cohorts of ELs in Nevada and Utah on their ELP tests, and their ELA and mathematics content tests. Three cumulative percentages are calculated when the ELs reached three milestones in each year of the study period (2006/7-2011/12):
• Scoring Proficient on the state ELP assessment (RFEP).
• Passing the ELA content assessment for the first time.
• Passing the math content assessment for the first time.
The studies also examined how the progress of ELs on each assessment vary by students’ initial ELP level, eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch (FRL), eligibility for individualized education program (IEP) services, gender, and grade level.
Data Sources
Data come from student administrative data system in Utah State Office of Education and in the two largest school districts (Washoe County and Clark County) of Nevada. The analytic sample included all ELs who were enrolled in each state’s public schools in the designated grade of the first year of the cohort, progressed to the next grade level each year, and who had the required test data.
Results
Consistently across the states, the largest differences in cumulative passing rates were associated with eligibility for IEP services and initial ELP level. Smaller differences in passing rates were associated with gender and eligibility for FRL. ELs in higher grade-level cohort had lower cumulative passing percentages on all three tests compared to ELs in lower grade-level cohort. Variations across the states include differences in passing rates on their state tests (e.g., different passing rates across the state ELP tests) and differences in the passing rate rankings across the three tests (e.g., in Nevada, more ELs passed ELP test, then math test, and then ELA test; in Utah more ELs passed ELA test, then math test, and then ELP test).

Significance
Few studies examined the achievement progress of ELs in all the three assessments (ELP, ELA, and math) over six years. These studies fill this gap. By looking into the details of the patterns and variations across the EL subgroups, they provide findings with implications for promoting EL students’ equal access to educational opportunities.

Authors

• Min Huang, WestEd

• Eric Haas, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

• Loan Tran, WestEd