English Learner Growth Models
One part of this project was to evaluate the growth models for English language proficiency states are using in their accountability systems. Growth models are typically used to measure how much academic proficiency students have gained from one year to the next using longitudinal records of individual student achievement in academic subjects such as reading and mathematics. The models determine whether each student is progressing academically on an academic subject to reach or exceed the state’s grade-level proficiency cut points (or thresholds) on annual tests of academic content areas. Previous growth model research, however, had not specifically examined English learner (EL) progress models.
All participating states received information on EL student progress within their state, whether there were any potential limitations of existing accountability models in capturing this progress and school contributions to it, and recommendations on additional models. Multiple years of student and school data gathered from participating states that used of a variety of English language proficiency assessments and academic assessments allowed for a robust evaluation of the growth models states use to monitor EL student achievement and progress over time.
The project outputs will benefit participating states and the research community in a greater understanding of:
• effective ways to model students’ English language progress towards proficiency;
• the role English language proficiency assessments play in growth models;
• the impact of model choice on state accountability;
• the impact of model choice on claims about student progress; and
• the relationship between growth model/English language proficiency indicator results and EL program implementation at schools.
Click the Resources button above to access EL growth model technical reports.
For questions about this project, please email communications@ccsso.org.
The contents of this webpage were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.