Addressing Conceptual and Policy Issues in Assessment and Accountability for Recently Arrived English Learners

• In Event: 44.042 - Developing Responsive Organizational Supports and Accountability for Recently Arrived English Learners: Federal, State, Local Perspectives

Abstract

This paper reports on the work of a large, multistate “community of practice” project convened by the US Department of Education (ED) in 2015-16 to address key conceptual, policy, and technical issues related to the assessment and accountability for recently arrived English learners (RAELs). The test-based accountability system mandated under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) generated controversy with respect to assessment and accountability of the RAEL population (Maxwell, 2014). Specifically, given strict testing provisions and strong evidence of the relationship between EL students’ English language proficiency level and their ability to demonstrate knowledge and skills on content assessments administered in English (e.g., Abedi, 2004; Cook et al., 2012), states argued RAELs need additional time to learn English and adjust to American schooling contexts before English reading/language arts could be measured meaningfully in English. They therefore argued that relief from accountability was needed beyond the one-year/one-time assessment exemption specified in NCLB. Florida successfully petitioned ED for a waiver extending time frames for RAEL assessment and accountability and several states followed suit (Mitchell, 2015). In 2015, ED convened seven states and several researchers with expertise in EL education, assessment, and accountability to explore policy and technical issues and options related to assessing RAELs and incorporating them into state accountability systems.

This paper reviews both the approaches that project participants engaged in to clarify key conceptual and policy issues to strengthen assessment and accountability for RAELs, and key learnings that resulted. This includes the development, group review, and refinement of state theories of action (Center for Educational Leadership, 2014) regarding how assessment and accountability policies and practices are expected to support improved educational opportunities and outcomes for RAELs; operationalizing which ELs exactly are in fact “recently arrived” in establishing definitional consistency within and across states (Linquanti et al., 2016); and conceptualizing what it means for RA ELs to meaningfully participate in academic content assessments given in English, particularly with respect to the student’s current level of English language proficiency, level of primary language literacy, prior formal schooling relative to current age/grade, disability status, and instructional program model. The paper also describes the resulting consensus framework for developing RAEL models; key principles in establishing assessment and accountability policies for RA ELs; and recommended procedures for implementing both.

Importantly, this project took place during the period when ESSA was signed into law and corresponding draft regulations (including with respect to RAEL assessment and accountability provisions) were published, commented on, and finalized. The paper therefore also shares lessons about productively managing the “delicate dance” interactions of state and federal policymakers, researchers, and educational practitioners as examination of empirical research; structured, facilitated discussions on policy and practice issues; and proposed rulemaking processes all occur simultaneously.

Authors

• Robert T. Linquanti, WestEd

• Howard Gary Cook, University of Wisconsin