Learn more about the best practices for assessing English Learners, and what state and district leaders can do to strengthen assessment systems to better support these students.
Students identified as English Learners (ELs) make up nearly 11 percent of the nation’s K-12 population, with the largest numbers enrolled in elementary grades. While all students are expected to learn and master grade-level academic content, ELs must also develop proficiency in English. A persistent challenge is that academic assessments administered in English can make it difficult to determine if perceived gaps in EL academic outcomes are due to limited knowledge of academic content or barriers due to language proficiency. Another challenge is a lack of assessment tools and resources to help educators assess and monitor ELs’ progress toward English proficiency throughout the academic year. Lastly, a particularly important challenge is the need for comprehensive assessment systems at state and district levels that capture ELs’ academic learning and their English language development.
This webinar will bring together a panel of experts to discuss assessment policy, best practices for assessing ELs, and recommendations for state and district leaders who are seeking to strengthen assessment systems to better support these students.
Speakers:
Khaled Ismail, Principal Consultant, EducationFirst
Mariana Castro, Co-Director, Multilingual Learning Research Center
Flavia Molea Baker, Coordinator, Multilingal Learners Programs, Rhode Island Department of Education
Moderator:
Delia Pompa, Senior Fellow for Education Policy, Migration Policy Institute
Related Content
