Module 2: Introduction

"With more immigrants having arrived in the United States during the 1990s than any other single decade, the number of public school students in need of additional language instruction has shot up dramatically in recent years (Bureau of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 2001).

A survey of state education agencies found that, in 2000-01, more than 4 million students with limited proficiency in English were enrolled in public schools across the nation, making up almost 10 percent of the total pre-K through 12th grade public school enrollment. According to that same report, the population of students who are English-language-learners has grown 105 percent, while the general school population has grown only 12 percent since the 1990-91 school year. States report more than 460 languages spoken by students with limited proficiency in English (Kindler, 2002). These burgeoning numbers pose unique challenges for educators striving to ensure that language-minority students achieve to high levels."

Excerpted from English-Language Learners

Welcome to ESOL Testing & Evaluation. This course is one of five courses needed to satisfy requirements for the state’s Category 1 ESOL endorsement. In this course, we will discuss the Federal, State and District assessments that are administered to English Language Learners (ELLs) in Broward County. We will also cover assessment techniques for placement and monitoring of ELLs, test interpretation, the cultural and linguistic factors on the assessment of ELLs, grading considerations, and authentic assessment strategies.

Meeting the academic needs of English Language Learners (ELLs) in our schools is an ongoing and growing process that has been propelled by advocates of ELLs and continues to be advanced by educators today. Some states, due to their larger numbers of ELLs, including New York, California, and Florida, have been faced with answering sometimes difficult questions about ESOL education for years. With the increase in ELL population and with the implementation of No Child Left Behind, all states are now charged with the responsibility of providing comprehensive and quality education to ELLs that meets their specific learning needs.

This week we will discuss the historical litigation and legislation that current ESOL mandates are founded upon. We will cover the six components of the META Consent Decree and discuss the implications of Federal and State legislation as it pertains to ELLs.