Are the results of standardized tests the only way to hold schools accountable for English-language learners performance?
While it is true that the previous practice of not including English-language learners in state and other large scale assessments resulted in not making schools accountable for these students, the current practices of making accommodations to include larger number of English-language learners does not necessarily solve the problem. First, large scale tests are seldom used to improve instruction. They are mostly used to sort and track students. Second, only a imited number of English-language learners are included in the large acale assessments. Third, the results of these tests are not only limited but in many cases non-valid since they do not properly reflect students’ knowledge. Fourth, in many states the data is not desgregated by English-language proficiency level; therefore, it becomes almost impossible to make schools accountable for the specific performance of these students. What is needed is a more comprehensive system that ensures that English-language learners are evaluated
