Literature Review Related to Assessment and Accountability Provisions Relevant to English Learners
This literature review summarizes the theoretical and research literature related to the characteristics of coherent, valid, reliable, and fair assessment systems that are aligned to English language proficiency (ELP) standards and accessible to all English learner (EL) groups. The body of this review consists of four sections: (1) Development and/or Adoption of State English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards, (2) Design and Development of the ELP Assessment System, (3) Technical Quality, and (4) Uses of an ELP Assessment System for Accountability. The report concludes with suggested areas for further research.
This literature review supports states in enacting the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) with respect to the assessment of English learners’ English language proficiency. Each section begins by reviewing ESSA regulations related to that area (e.g., Development and/or Adoption of State ELP Standards) and comparing ESSA to No Child Left Behing (NCLB), then provides detailed summaries of the literature that supports the area. The target audience for this resource are researchers and developers working on valid and reliable ELP assessment systems related to ESSA regulations.