A Critical Ethnographic Case Study on ELPAC Standardized Testing and Fifth-Grade Latinx Emergent Bilinguals: Teacher Pedagogy, Perceptions, and Attitudes that Transform Classroom Learning

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 1:45 pm - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Bridging Global and Local Education: Testing, Digital Skills, and Teacher Impact

Abstract

This qualitative critical ethnographic case study explores how the ELPAC impacts fifth-grade Latinx Emergent Bilinguals’ access to curriculum and instruction. Grounded in Critical Race Theory (CRT), it focuses on three areas: how ELPAC results influence instruction in English Language Development and English Language Arts, the implementation of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) strategies, and how teacher perceptions affect educational access. The study reveals how standardized testing, limited teacher preparation, and compliance-driven mandates perpetuate inequities. Teacher attitudes, shaped by policy and inadequate training, often restrict access to culturally responsive instruction. Findings call for reexamining reclassification policies, providing professional development rooted in SLA theory, and implementing inclusive, CRT-aligned curriculum reforms to promote equity and affirm the linguistic and cultural identities of Latinx Emergent Bilinguals.

Author

• Nancy Madrid, Los Angeles Unified School District