Scores: When Self-Identified First Languages Differ From Official Language

• In Event: 53.041 - Research, Evaluation, Assessment, and Accountability in Schools: Showcasing the Work of Graduate Student Scholars

Abstract

Approximately 7000 eight grade students sit the Primary School Examinations (PSE) annually. The PSE is a multi-part examination that serves as a metric for academic achievement. Students self-identify their first language as being one of seven languages, but the PSE is only offered in English. Scores are used for high-stakes decisions regarding funding and admission to secondary school. This study asks three important questions:What factors contribute most variance to subscores on the PSE? Are there systematic differences (function) in the overall achievement across self-identified language groups? and What factors contribute most variance to school level achievement?

Authors

• Betty Jean Usher-Tate, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

• Gabriel Rodriguez, University of Massachusetts - Amherst

• Brooke Milstead, Buros Center For Testing