Effects of High-Stakes Testing on English Language Learners
English language learners enrollment in the Council member districts has remained relatively stable over the past several years. In 2007-08, 1.1 million ELLs were enrolled in urban schools, accounting for 16.5 percent of total district enrollment. In 2009–10, 1.2 million ELLs were enrolled, accounting for 17.5 percent of total district enrollment (Uro & Barrio, p. 26, 2013). The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 required students in grades three through eight to be tested every year in reading and math. While NCLB now holds educators more accountable with student learning, it now also tests English language learners (ELLs) in content areas (Coltrane, 2002, p.1). This denotes a question of validity and reliability with assessment. The positive and negative effects for ELLs may result on the heightened emphasis on high-stakes testing because their assessments are meant to raise the standards for learning; however, the disadvantage is that most of these high-stakes tests are only offered in English. When ELLs do not have access to the assessment due to their lack of language, it is hard to determine what is truly being tested; the content area or their language. This results in how the test data should be interpreted (Coltrane, 2002, p.1). In 2000, the Center for Equity and Excellence in Education found the assessment accommodations most frequently used for ELLs did not ensure that the learners’ linguistic needs were being met (Rivera, Stansfield, Scialdone, & Sharkey , 2000). These accommodations included timing/scheduling and setting.
Research shows there are several ways educators can improve students’ scores on high- stakes assessments by choosing appropriate accommodations and modifications early in the assessment period. Educators must consider these accommodations for each individual student. One accommodation that works for many students is the translation of the test (Coltrane, 2002, p. 2). In order for this accommodation to be considered
Research shows there are several ways educators can improve students’ scores on high- stakes assessments by choosing appropriate accommodations and modifications early in the assessment period. Educators must consider these accommodations for each individual student. One accommodation that works for many students is the translation of the test (Coltrane, 2002, p. 2). In order for this accommodation to be considered
References: Denver Public Schools (2013), English Language Acquisition. Retrieved on June 28, 2013, from http://ela.dpsk12.org Educational Testing Service (2009). Guidelines for the assessment of English language learners Uro, G. & Barrio, A. (2013). English language learners in America’s great city schools: Demographics, achievement, and staffing