The Correlates of Academic Performance for English Language Learner Students in a New England District. REL 2014-020

Abstract

The number of English language learners has grown in the Northeast & Islands Region over the past decade. While the total student population shrank 3.5 percent between 2001/02 and 2009/10, the population of English language learner students grew 7.6 percent and now constitutes 6.1 percent of students in the region, up from 5.5 percent in 2001/02. In Connecticut the shift was even greater. While the student population shrank 1.1 percent, the population of English language learner students grew 39.7 percent and now constitutes 5.3 percent of Connecticut's student population, up from 3.8 percent in 2001/02 (National Center for Education Statistics, n.d.). While the percentage of English language learner students may be small in some districts, these students often fail to meet state proficiency standards. A large urban district in Connecticut with a share of just over 10 percent of English language learner students in its student population was selected as the site for this study. The researchers used cross-sectional data from the Language Assessment Systems Links (LAS Links) assessment, which measures English proficiency in grades K-12; the Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) of math and reading in grades 3-8; and the Connecticut Achievement and Performance Test (CAPT) of math and reading in grade 10 to address three research questions: (1) What were the characteristics of English language learner students and of the English language learner programs and schools they attended in 2010/11; (2) Which student characteristics, types of English language learner programs, and school characteristics were most closely related to English language learner students' English proficiency scores in 2010/11; and (3) Which student characteristics, including English proficiency levels, and which types of English language learner programs were most closely related to English language learner students' math and reading performance? Key findings detailed in this report include: (1) Characteristics of English language learner students and of the programs and schools these students attended in 2010/11; (2) Student characteristics, types of English language learner programs, and school characteristics most closely related to English language learner students' English proficiency scores in 2010/11; and (3) Student characteristics and types of English language learner programs most closely related to English language learner students' math and reading performance. Appended are: (1) Literature review; (2) About the Language Assessment Systems Links assessment; (3) Measures of academic achievement; (4) Analysis sample; (5) Analysis methods; (6) Description of variable coding schemes for models; and (7) Regression tables.