Making ELL students condition visible
What English language learners know and can do
May 21, 2012

Shifting the paradigm: from deficit to excellence
The function of deficit ideology…is to justify existing social conditions by identifying the problem of inequality as located within, rather than as pressing upon, disenfranchised communities so that efforts to redress inequalities focus on “fixing” disenfranchised people rather than the conditions which disenfranchise them (Weiner, 2003; Yosso, 2005).
Paul C. Gorski, 2010
Students need to come to understand that the reason for learning is to nurture their intellectual talents for the construction of our society into a more democratic just and caring place to live. Citizens must be well informed and have the educational abilities and sensitivities needed to critically examine the world in which we live.
Maxine Greene, 1995
2

Shifting the paradigm: from the old to the new
A scientific revolution is a noncumulative developmental episode in which an older paradigm is replaced in whole or in part by an incompatible new one. But the new paradigm cannot build on the
preceding one. Rather, it can only supplant it, for "the normal-scientific tradition that emerges from a scientific revolution is not only incompatible but
actually incommensurable with that which has gone before." http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/Kuhnsnap.html
3

OELL Process: a three pronged approach
DATA
Intervention
Project & Process
Mapping
Content
Expertise
4

Tested process for addressing capacity challenges
 Determine what generates the problem
 Reduce the problem to a level that we can resolve
 Determine unit for intervention
 Take quantum leaps and calculated risks
 Produce a plan of action
 Learning cycle: reflection, action, public dialogue
5

Process in action
Challenge
1. Creating a more accurate, data driven understanding of ELL academic achievement.
2. Finalizing a Settlement Agreement that could be implemented successfully in the BPS.
3. Connecting families new to Boston to a network of supports.
Intervention
 With external researchers aligned the English language development levels with MCAS results to inform programming & practices.
 Strengthened collaboration with USDOJ/OCR to include extensive discussions of BPS structures, policies and procedures.
 Hired parent liaisons dedicated to connecting families with CBOs services and supports.
4. Providing more targeted and high quality supports for schools.
5. Designing a more efficient and effective organization.
 Created an OELL Principals’ Board and an OELL
Student Council.
 Assigned Academic Design Specialists that provide technical assistance to schools.
 Improved quality of after school and summer programming.
 Introduced project planning and process mapping to improve quality and productivity.
6

Outline of Presentation
1. Descriptive data: knowing our English English
Language Learners
2. Academic achievement data: creating a more accurate, data driven understanding of ELL academic achievement
7

What is the BPS linguistic diversity?

46% of BPS students speak a language other than
English as their first language

BPS students’ families are from over 100 countries

BPS students speak over 80 different first languages

40% of BPS students are either currently learning
English or mastered academic English while attending BPS schools
Data as of April 17, 2012 from MyBPS > ELD Level tabs & May 24, 2012 “AllBPSwithTests.xls” file generated by BPS OIIT
8

What is the distribution of ELLs - by language?
Language #
Spanish*
Haitian*
Cape
Verdean*
Vietnamese*
Chinese*
Somali
Portuguese
Arabic
French
Other
Total
9,777
1,636
1,259
%
57%
10%
7%
965
948
316
305
187
182
1550
6%
5%
17,125 100%
2%
2%
1%
1%
9%
Data as of April 17, 2012 from MyBPS > ELD Level tabs
2%
1%
2%
1%
9%
6%
5%
7%
10%
57%
Spanish
Haitian
Cape Verdean
Chinese
Vietnamese
Portuguese
Somali
French
Arabic
Other
9

What is the distribution of ELLs - by program?
Program
Number of ELLs
SEI Language Program 5,767
Two-Way Bilingual
TBE (HILT for SIFE)
SEI General Ed.
909
281
10,168
Percent of all ELLs
34%
5%
2%
59%
Total 17,125 100%
Percent in
Programs
41%
59%
100%
Data as of April 17, 2012 from MyBPS > ELD Level tabs
10

What is the distribution of ELLs – by grade?
Level
Pre-K
Elementary
Middle
High
Total
Data as of April 17, 2012 from MyBPS > ELD Level tabs
Total ELL
1,169
9,281
3,097
3,578
17,125
Percent of ELL
7%
54%
18%
21%
100%
11

How many BPS students need ELL services?
Total ELL students
Subtotal Pre K
Subtotal K-12
Total FLEP students
Total non-ELL students
17,125 30%
1,169
15,956
5,850 10%
40%
22,975
33,719 60%
Total BPS students 56,694 100%
Data as of April 17, 2012 from MyBPS > ELD Level tabs and FLEP data from “all with tests form 3/24/2012
FLEP = Formerly Limited English Proficient
12

How many BPS students are ELL with disabilities?
K2-12 BPS % SWD %
BPS Students 53,996 100% 10,378 100%
ELL Students 16,047 30% 3,076 30%
K2-12
Total
Students
Students without
Disabilities
Students with
Disabilities
BPS % ELL
53,996 100% 16,047
%
100%
43,618 81% 12,971 81%
10,378 19% 3,076 19%
Data source: MyBPS/ELD Tab as of 04/09/2012
13

What is the distribution of ELLs with disabilities by language?
14

How do SY2011 and SY2012 compare in terms of
ELD levels?
ELD level #
Spring 2011
%
% by
ESL need
2,983 18%
#
Spring 2012
%
1
2 2,725 16% 61%
3,206 18%
2,429 14%
3
4
4,492 27%
4,218 25%
4,098 24%
4,832 28%
5 2,294 14%
39%
2,560 15%
Total 16,712 100% 100% 17,125 100%
% by ESL need
56%
44%
100%
15

How many ELLs at the elementary Level
(Grades K-2 to 5) are receiving services?
Date
Total
ELLs
(K2-5)
Total ELLs receiving
ESL from a qualified hmr teacher
Total ELLs receiving
SEI from qualified hmr teacher
Total ELLs not receiving SEI or ESL from qualified hmr teacher
Spring
SY 2009-10
Winter
SY 2011-12
Improvement
6,088
9,200
1,902
4,396
3,088
7,570
+3,112 +2,494 + 4,482
3,000
1,606
-1,394 over the past two school years to compile this data
16

How many ELLs at the secondary level
(Grades 6 to 12) are receiving services?
Date
Total count of ELLs
(Gr.6-
12)
Total
ELLs in
ESL class
Total ELLs in ESL class with a certified teacher *
Total count of
ELLs in
SEI core courses
Total core content courses w/ ELLs
Total SEI core classes with qualified teacher ‡
4,847 2,824 2,449 4,836 18,529 4,166
Spring
SY 2009-10
Winter
SY 2011-12
5,471 2,960 2,745 5,326 21,590 13,466
Improvement +624 +136 +305 +490 +3,061 +9,300
*
Count by unique student ID
‡ Count by core content classes on ELL students schedules
BPS course schedule, OIIT’s allwithtesta.xls file, and HR
Category training file were periodically analyzed by BPS
OELL over the past two school years to compile this data
17

What are the drop out rates of ELLs - by program?
ELL Status
ELL
Dropout
# %
Non-Dropout
# %
173 5.1% 3,189 94.1
Total students
3,362
FLEP 58 4.0% 1,404 96.0% 1,462
Non-ELL or blank
Total
(Grades 9-12)
939 6.4% 13,761 93.6% 14,700
1,170 6.0% 18,345 94.0% 19,515
Data from Research, Assessment
Evaluation 18

What is the enrollment process for English language learners?
FRC
•Collect and verify documents (medical forms, residency, birth date)
•Administer Home Language Survey (HLS) to all families to identify potential ELLs
•Score HLS and inform families of the results
•Schedule an appointment at NACC if the HLS score is 1.25 or greater
•Assign an initial case number to the student
NACC
•Interview families and collect information about students academic background
•Assess K-12 in English and determine the initial ELD Level
•Administer native language test to grades 3-12 if the students have had interrupted learning or limited formal education
•Use test results to counsel families and recommend program placements and services
•Inform EPS of program recommendations
EPS
•Approve case for assignment
•Assign a BPS identification number to the case
•Review the school choices and use the NACC placement recommendations to assign the student to a school
•Maintain student assignment data
•Notifies families by letter of their final assignments
19

How many students were tested at intake – by language group?
Spanish: 1628
* Haitian Creole: 332
* Cape Verdean Creole: 243
* Chinese: 136
* Portuguese: 79
* Vietnamese: 79
* Somali: 64
* Arabic: 49
* Other: 249
Distribution of Non-Spanish First
Languages
Other
20%
Arabic
4%
Somali
5%
Vietnamese
7%
TOTAL TESTED: 2859
STUDENTS
Portuguese
7%
Chinese
11%
Haitian
Creole
27%
Cape
Verdean
Creole
19%
20

How many students were tested - by English language development level?
Levels
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
#
1351
301
273
Level 4
Level 5
390
171
LEVEL 5-PRE
LAS
126
PROFICIENT 247
LEVEL 4
14%
LEVEL 5-PRE
LAS
4%
LEVEL 5
6%
PROFICIENT
9%
LEVEL 3
10%
LEVEL 2
10%
LEVEL 1
47%
21

Outline of Presentation
1. Descriptive Data: Knowing our English English
Language Learners
2. Academic achievement data: Creating a more accurate, data driven understanding of ELL academic achievement
22

Process for analyzing data and conducting research
• Make the problem manageable: Look for patters and focus in on a problem that we can address
• Clarify your question: What do we need to know and for what purpose?
• The process to answer the question
• Can we answer our question with data that is available?
• What data do we have and what conclusions can we draw?
• How does it relate to other available data?
• How can we triangulate/verify the results of our analysis?
• Keep in mind action at multiple levels: district, grade level (E, K-8, M, H), school, program strand, classroom
23

BPS Commissions Two Studies
(Spring 2010-Fall 2011)
• Uriarte, Miren; Karp, Faye; Gagnon, Laurie; Tung, Rosann;
Rustan, Sarah; Chen, Jie; Berardino, Michael; Stazesky, Pamela; de los Reyes, Eileen; and Bolomey, Antonieta, "Improving
Educational Outcomes of English Language Learners in Schools
and Programs in Boston Public Schools" (2011). Gastón Institute
Publications. Paper 154. http://scholarworks.umb.edu/gaston_pubs/154 .
• Tung, Rosann; Diez, Virginia; Gagnon, Laurie; Uriarte, Miren;
Stazesky, Pamela; de los Reyes, Eileen; and Bolomey, Antonieta,
"Learning from Consistently High Performing and Improving
Schools for English Language Learners in Boston Public Schools"
(2011). Gastón Institute Publications. Paper 155. http://scholarworks.umb.edu/gaston_pubs/155
24

What do ELLs need in terms of instruction?
Language instruction through content
Academic
Language
Content instruction through language
25

What do the ELA & Math MCAS data tell us when disaggregated by MEPA Level?
English Language Arts
MCAS Performance Levels
Mathematics
MCAS Performance Levels
Total W or F NI P or A Total W or F NI P or A
# % % % # %
Only students tested in both 2011 MCAS and MEPA
Total 7,205
% %
25% 49% 25% 7,246 32% 39% 29%
MEPA Level 1
MEPA Level 2
MEPA Level 3
MEPA Level 4
MEPA Level 5
72
320
1,452
3,171
2,190
97%
86% 14%
55% 41%
20% 61% 20% 3,172 27% 45% 28%
3%
3% 0%
0%
4%
93
344
88% 11% 1%
78% 16% 6%
1,454 54% 33% 13%
45% 52% 2,183 15% 39% 46%
All 2011 MCAS tested students
ELL 7,291 29% 49% 22% 7,381 36% 38% 27%
FLEP 1,899 2% 25% 74% 1,904 7% 29% 64%
Non-ELL, Non FLEP 17,202 14% 31% 55% 17,225 26% 32% 42%
All Students 26,392
Data from 2011 MADESE DART for ELLs.
17% 36% 47% 26,510 28% 33% 39%
26

Commissioned research on BPS ELL's test results yields similar findings
The Mauricio Gaston Institute for Latino Community
Development and Public
Policy (2011) found that: “the command of English required to pass standardized tests designed for English proficient students, such as the MCAS, far exceeds the levels of
English proficiency represented by MEPA Levels
1–3, and to some extent 4.
BPS SY 2009 Elementary
School (grades 3-5) Findings
English
Proficiency
Level
MEPA Level 1
MEPA Level 2
MCAS ELA
Pass Rate
(NI+P+A)
0.0%
15.6%
MEPA Level 3
MEPA Level 4
MEPA Level 5
31.2%
74.8%
95.3%
English
Proficient
84.0%
27

What are the key findings?
FACT:

MCAS testing relies strongly on academic English and reading comprehension.
CONCLUSIONS:

The English mastery necessary to pass MCAS exceeds the level of academic English understood by ELLs with MEPA levels 1,2, and
3.

MCAS only measures content knowledge of ELLs at MEPA levels 4&5.

MEPA level 4 confirms that a student has acquired some academic
English and can score Needs Improvement on MCAS

MEPA level 5 confirms that the student has mastered the academic
English necessary to demonstrate content knowledge, and can score Proficient or Advanced on MCAS
28

Questions?
29