Who should decide about the participation of an English language learner in an assessment?
Because decisions should not be made on the basis of arbitrary criteria, it is essential that specific criteria exist and that decision makers know these and the student well. Knowing the student well includes knowing about the student’s instructional program as well as the student’s strengths, weaknesses, and other relevant characteristics. Although some states and districts are forming teams to make decisions about students receiving English as a Second Language (ESL) or Bilingual Education Services, most still rely on test administrators or teachers to make these decisions. It is critical for these people to know the importance of student participation in assessment. For English language learners who also have an IEP or 504 plan, assessment decisions are usually made by the IEP team. In these cases, it is important that an ESL professional serve on the IEP team so that decisions are made that take into account both the student’s disability and linguistic needs. 4. How should partici
