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, 2011-12
CT State Department of Education
TOP 10 DOMINANT LANGUAGES
FOR ELLS, 2011-12
Language
Students
Change in Students,
2007-08 to 2011-12
Percent of all ELLs
Spanish
21,352
-0.4%
72.3%
Portuguese
851
-26.4%
2.9%
Creole-Haitian
685
77.8%
11.1%
Arabic
641
75.1%
2.2%
Mandarin
542
-
1.8%
Polish
486
-26.0%
1.6%
Albanian
453
-9.0%
1.5%
Urdu
348
3.9%
1.2%
Vietnamese
314
-16.7%
1.1%
French
237
-15.7%
0.8%
All Others
3,618
0.4%
12.3%
Totals
29,527
-1.6%
100.0%
CT State Department of Education
GRADE DISTRIBUTION
OF ELLS AND NON-ELLS, 2011-12
CT State Department of Education
DISTRIBUTION OF LEAS
BY SIZE OF ELL ENROLLMENT,
2007-08 TO 2011-12
ELL
ENROLLMENT
CT State Department of Education
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
Student Speaking
Listening Reading
Writing
Overall Comprehension
Oral
A
455*
2*
360
1
380
1
432
1
406
1
423
1
456
2
B
527
4
520
3
557
3
560
4
541
4
532
3
527
4
C
498
3
470
2
543
3
300
1
452
1
527
3
490
3
D
566
5
581
4
504
2
581
4
558
4
532
3
581
5
E
492
3
482
2
524
2
494
2
498
3
506
2
488
3
F
610
5
555
4
598
4
570
4
583
4
574
5
595
5
589
4
646
5
625
5
567
4
700
5
G
645
622
5
5
*Top Number = Scale Score
*Bottom Number = Score Level
-Level range from 1 (Beginning)-5 (Above Proficient)
-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
Language Supports: Questions and
Considerations
Population
• 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?
• Need for parameters, standardization, and professional development around selection of
Comparability accommodations at the national, state, district and school level
• Guidance from SBAC for states and practitioners, cautious decision-making
Translation
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?
• 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
17
Item and Task Review
•Review of all English language arts and mathematics for
content, bias/sensitivity and accessibility
oContent 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.
Bias/Sensitivity Review Role: Examine items and performance tasks for potential
sources of bias, sensitivity issues, and stereotypes.
o
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:
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2618&q=320848
• Assessment Requirements for ELLs:
http://www.csde.state.ct.us/public/cedar/assessment/ell/index.htm
• Assessment Guidelines for ELLs Manual:
http://www.csde.state.ct.us/public/cedar/assessment/agl/resources/CT_ELL_
Assessment_Guidelines_2011-2012.pdf
• Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium website:
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/
• SBAC Overview and CT’s Role:
http://www.csde.state.ct.us/public/cedar/assessment/SBAC/SBAC%20SMAR
TER_Summary%208-17-11.pdf
• SBAC Factsheet:
http://www.csde.state.ct.us/public/cedar/assessment/SBAC/SBACSummary2
010.pdf
Questions
• Please feel free to contact us if you have
additional questions!
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Megan Alubicki, ELL Consultant
CT State Department of Education
Bureau of Accountability and Improvement
Megan.alubicki@ct.gov
(860) 713-6786
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Michael Sabados, Consultant
CT State Department of Education
Bureau of Data Collection, Evaluation, and Research
Michael.sabados@ct.gov
(860) 713-6856