Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners: Using Assessment Results and Data to Inform Decisions Michael Sabados, PhD, CSDE consultant Bureau of Data, Research and Evaluation Megan Alubicki, CSDE Consultant, ELL/Bilingual Bureau of Accountability and Improvement

Topics The CT Context LAS Links Considerations Implications for Schools Next Generation Assessment and ELLs

The CT Context

ELL STATUS OF STUDENTS WITH A DOMINANT LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH, CT State Department of Education

TOP 10 DOMINANT LANGUAGES FOR ELLS, LanguageStudentsChange in Students, to Percent of all ELLs Spanish21, %72.3% Portuguese %2.9% Creole-Haitian %11.1% Arabic %2.2% Mandarin % Polish %1.6% Albanian %1.5% Urdu3483.9%1.2% Vietnamese %1.1% French %0.8% All Others3,6180.4%12.3% Totals29, %100.0% CT State Department of Education

GRADE DISTRIBUTION OF ELLS AND NON-ELLS, CT State Department of Education

DISTRIBUTION OF LEAS BY SIZE OF ELL ENROLLMENT, TO CT State Department of Education ELL ENROLLMEN T

LAS Links Considerations

Using LAS Links subtest results to plan LAS Links results are reported for the Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing subtests, Comprehension and Oral composites and Overall. Scores fall into five performance levels. The Overall score is used to determine whether a student has met exit criteria and for compliance purposes. However, the subtests provide valuable information for a range of purposes at the classroom and school levels.

LAS Links Score Report Grade 6, Form B StudentSpeakingListeningReadingWriting Overall ComprehensionOral A 455* 2* B C D E F G *Top Number = Scale Score -Level range from 1 (Beginning)-5 (Above Proficient) *Bottom Number = Score Level -Comprehension scores come from specific items on Listening and Reading subtests; Oral scores reflect the Speaking and Listening subtests

AVERAGE YEARS OF ESL SERVICES BY PROFICIENCY ON THE LAS LINKS, 2011 CT State Department of Education

Percentage Proficient or Better on CMT and CAPT, 2011 CT State Department of Education

PERCENTAGE OF ELLS THAT WERE PROFICIENT ON CMT READING BY THEIR INITIAL LAS LINKS LEVEL, 2011 CT State Department of Education

Implications for Schools

How to communicate scores –Who? –How? –When? How to plan instruction that meets each students’ needs –all content areas –context of district

Next Generation Assessment and ELLs

17 Language Supports: Questions and Considerations Are all students eligible for certain language supports or are they only eligible based on group membership? (ELL, students with disabilities) Should access to tools, accommodations, and/or supports be based only on an individual student’s needs, as defined in their individual needs profile? Continuum of support? Population Comparability How will our decisions as a consortium take into account federal and state policy? What implications might our decisions have on future state and federal policy? Awareness about what our messages “say;” intentionality is needed for decision-making Policy Implications What is the rationale for full, paper-and-pencil translation in five languages? Could word-to-word and picture dictionary accommodations serve a similar purpose? Implications? What if there is not 100% buy in by SBAC states? Comparability issues? Translation Need for parameters, standardization, and professional development around selection of accommodations at the national, state, district and school level Guidance from SBAC for states and practitioners, cautious decision-making

Item and Task Review Review of all English language arts and mathematics for content, bias/sensitivity and accessibility o Content Review Role: Evaluate whether the items and performance tasks align with grade-level expectations, measure identified assessment targets, align with the specified levels of cognitive complexity, are clearly worded, have appropriate scoring information, and are of appropriate grade-level difficulty. o Bias/Sensitivity Review Role: Examine items and performance tasks for potential sources of bias, sensitivity issues, and stereotypes. o Accessibility Review Role: Examine items and performance tasks for potential access barriers for students with disabilities and English language learners.

Links CSDE Bilingual/ESL Page: Assessment Requirements for ELLs: Assessment Guidelines for ELLs Manual: Assessment_Guidelines_ pdf Assessment_Guidelines_ pdf Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium website: SBAC Overview and CT’s Role: TER_Summary% pdf TER_Summary% pdf SBAC Factsheet: pdf pdf

Questions Please feel free to contact us if you have additional questions! Megan Alubicki, ELL Consultant CT State Department of Education Bureau of Accountability and Improvement (860) Michael Sabados, Consultant CT State Department of Education Bureau of Data Collection, Evaluation, and Research (860)