Examination of States’ English Language Proficiency Standards

1. Examination of States’ English Language Proficiency Standards National Conference on Student Assessment Detroit, MI June 21, 2010 Ellen Forte Laura Kuti edCount, LLC

2. Background • Title III policy • New with NCLB • SEA role • Systemic reform principles • Academic English

3. Title III Requirements States are required to : • implement ELP standards that link to the language demands inherent to academic standards • Implement annual ELP assessments aligned to ELP standards that yield reading, writing, listening, speaking, and comprehension scores • establish an accountability system for LEAs reflecting expectations for progress toward, and attainment of, ELP goals and achievement in the core academic content areas

4. Background • Title III policy • New with NCLB • SEA role • Systemic reform principles • Academic English • First national evaluation of Title III implementation • American Institutes for Research and edCount, LLC • Mixed-method approach

5. National Evaluation of Title III • Interviews with state Title III directors from all 50 states and the District of Columbia • Survey of 1,300 Title III districts • District case studies in five states (NY, NC, MN, NM, CA) • Analysis of longitudinal student achievement data from six states and two large districts • Review of each state’s ELP standards

6. ELP Standards Review: Guiding Questions • How are states’ ELP standards structured to address expectations from Kindergarten through grade 12 in each of the reading, writing, speaking, and listening domains as required under ESEA? • How are states’ ELP standards designed to support the achievement of academic achievement standards as required under ESEA? • How do states’ ELP standards reflect the principles of academic English language acquisition? • How accessible are states’ ELP standards to educators for curriculum and assessment development?

7. ELP Standards Review: Method • Literature review • Consultation with Technical Working Group members and the U.S. Department of Education • Protocol development • Training • Pilot • Protocol refinement • Training • 2 independent reviewers and a third reviewer who assisted in resolving discrepancies

8. ELP Standards Review: Data Collection • Standards in effect for the 2008-09 school year • 20 states used the Access for ELLs ELP assessment • 19 states used custom-made ELP assessments • 7 states used the ELDA (standards not common across states) • 5 states used LAS Links • 31 sets of standards and supplemental documents collected from states’ Department of Education websites • 30 states • 1 set for the 20 2008-09 WIDA states

9. ELP Standards Review: Guiding Questions • How are states’ ELP standards structured to address expectations from Kindergarten through grade 12 in each of the reading, writing, speaking, and listening domains as required under ESEA? • How are states’ ELP standards designed to support the achievement of academic achievement standards as required under ESEA? • How do states’ ELP standards reflect the principles of academic English language acquisition? • How accessible are states’ ELP standards to educators for curriculum and assessment development?

10. How are states’ ELP standards structured to address expectations from Kindergarten through grade 12 in each of the reading, writing, speaking, and listening domains as required under ESEA? Organization across grade levels • Grade-range clusters • Inclusion of Pre-K • Manifestation of reading, writing, speaking, and listening domains • Each domain separate • Two domains combined • No distinction

11. Language Domains: Example

12. How are states’ ELP standards designed to support the achievement of academic achievement standards as required under ESEA? Basic philosophy of the domain Degree to which ELP standards include specific connections to the language of the content areas Reflection of specific components of academic English

13. How are states’ ELP standards designed to support the achievement of academic achievement standards as required under ESEA? Basic philosophy of the domain Focus on social language of school and some aspects of academic language Focus on social and academic language of school and based on English/Language Arts (ELA) Standards Approach 2 with some additional focus on other academic content areas beyond ELA Integrated Content Area Standards with Academic English Focus

14. How are states’ ELP standards designed to support the achievement of academic achievement standards as required under ESEA? Degree to which ELP standards include specific connections to the language of the content areas English language arts Mathematics Science Social Studies

15. Example of Linkages to Content Areas “Connect events with people in U.S. history using timelines, graphics or illustrations” “Draw conclusions about resources or agricultural products on maps or graphs described orally from grade-level material” “Select examples of rights or responsibilities of people in U.S. or other countries using illustrations and written descriptions”

16. Example of Linkages to Content Areas

17. How are states’ ELP standards designed to support the achievement of academic achievement standards as required under ESEA? Reflection of specific components of academic English(Scarcella, 2003) Phonological Component (sounds, stress, intonation) Lexical Component (meaning of words) Grammatical Component (morphemes, syntax, rules of punctuation) Functional Component (discourse features and functions of language)

18. Language Skills and Functions: Phonological, Lexical, and Vocabulary Example

19. Language Skills and Functions: Discourse Example

20. How do states’ ELP standards reflect the principles of academic English language acquisition? TESOL Language Learning Principles: Language is functional. Language varies. Language learning is cultural learning. Language acquisition is a long-term process. Language acquisition occurs through meaningful use and interaction. Language processes develop interdependently. Native language proficiency contributes to second language acquisition. Bilingualism is an individual and societal asset.

21. Language Development Principles: Example of Principle 3, Cultural Learning

22. Language Development Principles: Example of Principle 5, Meaningful Use and Interaction “3. Request and provide information and assistance, orally or in writing, for personal, social, and academic purposes. (L, S, R, W)” “6. Understand and use a variety of oral communication strategies in American English for various social and academic purposes. Such strategies include indicating lack of understanding, clarifying or requesting clarification, restatement, and checking listeners’ understanding.(L, S, W)”

23. Language Development Principles: Example of Principle 7, Native Language Proficiency “One of the most reliable indicators of success in acquiring English is the level of language development in the student’s first language. A student with a highly developed first language may compress the above timeline.””

24. How accessible are states’ ELP standards to educators for curriculum and assessment development? Clear descriptions or examples of performance indicators Specific curricular suggestions

25. Support for Instruction: Performance Indicator Example “Write persuasive compositions that structure ideas and arguments in a logical way with consistent use of standard grammatical forms.” “Write a detailed summary of a story.” “Write pieces related to career development (e.g., business letter, job application, letter of inquiry).”

26. Support for Instruction: Curricular Suggestions Example

27. Future Considerations • States need guidance on how to structure standards and should incorporate current research on which to base their standards’ structure and content • Clear understanding of the construct of ELP and of academic English language • Inclusion of Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten standards • Links between instruction, standards, and assessment • Periodic reviews of the system

28. Examination of States’ English Language Proficiency Standards Ellen Forte eforte@edCount.com Laura Kuti lkuti@edCount.com