Lynn Shafer Willner and Charlene Rivera

Wednesday, June 23, 2010: 11:00 AM-12:30 PMNational Conference on Student Assessment

Detroit, Michigan

Application of Resources Designed for Students with Disabilities Policy to the Design of ELL Accommodations Policy

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Topics for Today’s PresentationContext on our work

• Research on areas in state policy needing refinement

• GW-CEEE Guide for Refining State Assessment Policy for Accommodating ELLs

Analysis of SD Resources in CCSSO Accommodation Manual’s 5-Step Approach • Use SD policy to inform ELL policy, while still

providing clear guidance to meet ELL needs during testing

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Identified 6 Policy Areas Needing Refinement 1. Selecting ELL-responsive accommodations

2. Distinguishing policy intended for ELLs from policy designed for students with disabilities

3. Mapping accommodations to ELLs’ ELP levels and literacy

4. Distinguishing test administration practices from accommodations

5. Providing decision makers with guidance for assigning accommodations based on student background

6. Planning how to monitor the implementation of accommodations

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Focus on Impact of SD Policy on ELL Accommodation PolicyResearch base for ELLs small (11-14

studies), so historically have relied on SD policy framework as guide

Just under 1/3 of state policies continue to…• combine text for SD and ELL students• combine lists of ELL and SD accommodations • categorize ELL accommodations using SD

framework

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Use a systematic approach to policy refinement

Phase I. Refine accommodations list found in SEA policy

Phase II. Refine policy text to distinguish accommodations for ELLs and SDs

Phase III. Refine the policy text to address diverse needs of ELLs

Coaching Model for Policy Refinement

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ANALYSIS OF DISABILITIES RESOURCES IN CCSSO ACCOMMODATION MANUAL’S 5-STEP APPROACH

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Framework for Comparison2005 CCSSO Accommodations Manual: How To Select, Administer, and Evaluate Use of Accommodations for Instruction and Assessment of Students with Disabilities and Professional Development Guide

Step 1: Federal lawStep 2: Learn about accommodations for instruction and assessmentStep 3: Assignment of accommodations Step 4: Administration directionsStep 5: Monitoring documentationFact Sheets and Tools in appendices and how they might be used during training

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CCSSO Accommodations ManualIntroduction

• Manual structure and overview• Policy overview and general principles of the

state assessment program• List and description of assessments used in state

Check: Separate SD and ELL sections? Does the text only focus on SDs? Are ELLs

mentioned as well?

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(SD) Step 1: Expect students to achieve grade-level academic learning standards

• Federal and State Laws Requiring Participation• Equal Access to Grade Level Learning

Check: Do the SD and ELL Section show differences in

Federal and State Laws for each group

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(SD) Step 2: Learn about Accommodations for Instruction and Assessment • What are Accommodations?

• Accommodations Categories for Students with Disabilities

• Modifications or Alterations vs. Accommodations

Check: Step 2 title: Do you need to include “instruction?” in this section?

Does your state regulations require tracking of instructional accommodations/strategies in an ELL/LEP plan?

Definition of ELL accommodation - Add new version of definition to clearly addresses ELLs’ unique needs during testing

Accommodations Categories: Direct and Indirect linguistic Support

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(SD) Step 3: Selecting Accommodations for Instruction and Assessment for Individual SDs• Documenting Accommodations on a Student’s IEP or 504

plan• Involving Students in Selecting, Using, and Evaluating

Accommodations• Questions to Guide Accommodation Selection

Check Step 3: Determine Accommodations Convene the School ELL Accommodation Committee Documentation requirements for decision-making Short list of accommodations

Steps for Assigning Accommodations to ELLs Eligibility Requirements Procedure for Assigning Appropriate Accommodations to ELLs

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Basic Criteria for Selecting ELL-Responsive AccommodationsThe accommodation…1. Reduces construct-irrelevance due to language

by providing direct or indirect linguistic support2. Does not interfere with the test construct3. Can be offered in a standard form, not with

variation (can be offered with reliability)4. Provides support appropriate to the ELL’s level

of English language proficiency

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Rivera, Collum, Shafer Willner, & Sia (2006)

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ACCOMMODATIONSContent Area

ELP Level

When is Accommodation Appropriate?

Direct Linguistic Support – Oral

1.1 Provide audio version of assessment

Math, Science,

NOT Reading

Beg.Inter.

Student’s listening skills in English are higher than reading skills. May not be appropriate if student is newly arrived and has very limited exposure to English.

Direct Linguistic Support – Written3.1 Provide district approved English word-to-word dictionary All

Inter.Adv

Student has low level of English oral proficiency, exposure to reading English and has high native language literacy. Understands how to use dictionaries.

See Acosta, Rivera, & Shafer Willner (2008)

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ELP Level

Beginning Intermediate Advanced

Provide plain English version of test š ˜ ˜

Play audio tape/CD of test directions š

Provide customized dual-language glossary š ˜ ˜

Allow student to respond in writing in native language

š š

Allow student to respond orally in native language ˜ š

Allow extended time ˜ ˜ ˜

Likely to reduce construct-irrelevant variance due to languageš May reduce construct-irrelevant variance due to language

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(SD) Step 4: Administer Accommodations during Instruction and Assessment

• Accommodations during Instruction• Accommodations during Assessment • Planning for Test Day

Check: Detailed direction for administering accommodations in a

standardized, reliable manner If additional materials are needed to administer an

accommodation and specifies who is to provide them (e.g., whether it is necessary to order dictionary or script from SEA).

Test practices for all students vs. accommodations targeting a specific student need

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Administration Directions Special Instructions

Direct Linguistic Support - Oral

Read aloud test itemsThis includes reading aloud verbatim to the student the test items and answer choices. Test items and answer choices may not be simplified, clarified, or paraphrased for the student.

Reading aloud to the student the reading passages of the Reading and Language Arts content area test is NOT permitted.

Direct Linguistic Support - Written

Provide district approved word-to-word bilingual dictionary In a bilingual dictionary, no definitions are provided. Do not allow dictionaries that offer explanations and definitions, pictures, or examples of terminology

Provide the student with an opportunity to use the bilingual dictionary prior to the assessment. Provide extra time during the assessment to use the bilingual dictionary.

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(SD) Step 5: Evaluating and Improving Accommodations Use in Instruction and Assessment of Students with Disabilities• Collecting and Analyzing Data - monitoring guidelines• Questions to Guide Evaluation of Accommodation Us• Questions to Guide Instruction at the Student Level

Check Step 5: Evaluate and Improve Accommodations Use

Are SD monitoring practices (procedures and forms) already in place? If so, can ELL procedures and forms align with them?

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Fact Sheets and Tools• Fact Sheet 1 - Direct Linguistic Support

Accommodations • Fact Sheet 2 - Indirect Linguistic Support

Accommodations • Documentation Form • Assessment Planning Template • Teacher Tools – include for training purposes but

add examples of accommodation assignment and use by ELLs at beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels

Create a separate appendices/sections within policy for ELLs for SD Fact Sheets and Tools

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Final Thoughts

The goals of aligned, coherent ELL and SD accommodation policy and ELL policy that is ELL-responsive are not mutually exclusive.

States can use SD policy to inform ELL policy, while still providing clear guidance on how to meet ELLs’ linguistic needs during testing.

Questions/Discussion

Thank you

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Guide ReferenceRivera, C., Acosta, B., & Shafer Willner, L. (2008). Guide

for the refinement of state assessment policies for accommodating English language learners. Prepared for the LEP Partnership, U.S. Department of Education. Arlington, VA: The George Washington University Center for Equity and Excellence in Education. Available: http://ells.ceee.gwu.edu

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Additional ReferencesAcosta, B., Rivera, C., & Shafer Willner, L. (2008). Best practices in state assessment

policies for accommodating English language learners: A Delphi study. Arlington, VA: The George Washington University Center for Equity and Excellence in Education. Available from http://ells.ceee.gwu.edu/.

Francis, D., Lesaux, N., Kieffer, M., & Rivera, H. (2006). Research-based recommendations for the use of accommodations in large-scale assessments. Houston, TX: Center on Instruction. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://www.centeroninstruction.org/files/ELL3-Assessments.pdf.

Kopriva, Emick, Hipolito-Delgado, and Cameron (2007). Do Proper Accommodations Assignments Make a Difference? Examining the Impact of Improved Decision Making on Scores for English Language Learners. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 26 (3), 11-20.

Pennock-Roman, M. & Rivera, C. (2007). The Differential Effects of Time on Accommodated vs. Unaccommodated Content Assessments for English Language Learners.

Rivera, C., Collum, E., Shafer Willner, L., & Sia Jr., J. K. (2006). An analysis of state assessment policies addressing the accommodation of English language learners. in C. Rivera & E. Collum (Eds.) State Assessment Policy and Practice for English Language Learners: A National Perspective. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

Shafer Willner, L., Rivera, C., & Acosta, B. (2008). Descriptive study of state assessment policies for accommodating English language learners. Arlington, VA: The George Washington University Center for Equity and Excellence in Education. Available from http://ells.ceee.gwu.edu/.