Defining Adult English Language Learners ’ Educational Level Gain

is the accountability system for federally funded adult ba-sic education, adult secondary education, and English as a second language (ESL) education in the United States. (See www.nrsweb.org for more information.) Upon enrollment, students in these programs place into one of six educational functioning levels based on their pretest scores. Their prog-ress through these levels is reported each year by state de-partments of education to the U.S. Department of Educa-tion, Office of Vocational and Adult Education. Each state negotiates a target percentage of students at each educational functioning level that will advance at least one level (educa-tional level gain) each year. Educational level gain in lan-guage and literacy is measured by pretesting students with an approved standardized assessment, then posttesting them with an equivalent form of the same assessment after a pre-determined number of instructional hours or at the end of an instructional cycle. The minimum number of instructional hours recommended between pretesting and posttesting for NRS-approved assessments ranges from 40 to 120 hours (National Reporting System, 2006). Adults learning English as a second language are placed in NRS ESL levels that range from Beginning ESL Literacy to Advanced ESL. The primary objective of many of these learners is to develop the English language and literacy skills they need to meet their personal, community, academic, an