The (Mis)Alignment of Teachers’ Ratings of Multilingual Leaners’ Science Skills and Standardized Tests

• In Event: Thursday Roundtable Session 2:30 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Reducing Structural Barriers to Educational Opportunity: Multilingual Education and Beyond (Table 27)

Abstract

This study using nationally representative data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study to examine differences in teachers' ratings of multilingual learners' science skills and their performance on standardized science achievement tests. our results show that teachers in the earliest grades of kindergarten appear to be observing science skills among MLs that are not captured by standardized science assessments insofar as their ratings of MLs’ science skills are higher than non-MLs after accounting for standardized achievement scores. This finding points to potential limitations in standardized science assessments in the early grades and latent science skills among ML learners that may manifest later as students develop English skills needed for demonstrating science knowledge on standardized tests.

Authors

• Chris Curran, University of Florida

• Lelydeyvis Boza, First Things First

• Katharine Taylor Harris, University of Florida

• Mark B. Pacheco, University of Florida

• Amber W. Deig, University of Southern Mississippi

• Tiffany S. Tan, Learning Policy Institute