Should ELLs with disabilities participate in state and district assessments?
For an accurate picture of where the educational system’s strengths and weaknesses are, schools need to determine how all students, including ELLs with disabilities, are learning content in reading, math, and science. Schools also need to determine how ELLs with and without disabilities are learning the academic English needed to master the content. Students who are excluded from measurement are excluded from school improvement plans based on those measurements. Unintended effects such as limited access to resources to improve schools are important reasons to include ALL students in measurement for accountability. But it is important for the students themselves: by raising expectations that ELLs with disabilities will learn at high levels, and then testing their accomplishments, successful outcomes will be raised as well. If all students are to benefit from educational reforms, all students must be included. ELLs with disabilities can participate in the assessment system in several way
Related Questions
- How can students with disabilities participate in assessments if the state or district does not know all of the accommodations needed by the students who take the test?
- How can students with disabilities participate in state or district assessments?
- Should English language learners participate in state and district assessments?
