Exploring English Learner Science Performance and Urban Teacher Satisfaction in Massachusetts

• In Event: 81.032 - MTCC Roundtable Session 37
  In Roundtable Session: 81.032-13 - Improving Science Pedagogical Approaches

Abstract

This study analyzed English learner (EL; n=3,315) overall performance and across content domains on the June 2012 Biology Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS). The results indicated that English proficiency (EP) was a strong predictor of performance; ELs overwhelmingly passed at higher EP levels. The results further suggested that EP introduced a construct-irrelevant variance on the Biology MCAS and raised validity issues for using this content assessment at lower levels of EP.
Using a mixed methods approach, this study further gave voice to urban content teachers who, through changing demographics, find themselves ESL content teachers. This study explored teacher job satisfaction in a high-incident urban district north of Boston.

Authors

• Mary A Mitchell, Lynn Public Schools

• Maura Walsh, Lynn Public Schools