Accountability issues and high stakes standardized assessment: practices, challenges, and impact for english language learners

English language learners (ELLs) are the fastest growing student population in American schools. Reform policies represented by the No Child Left Behind legislation has mandated the inclusion of ELLs in high-stakes statewide assessments administered in English. Nationwide, ELLs have been performing below proficient on these mandated state tests. This mixed-methods study examined the extent to which the assessment system addressed the educational needs of ELLs. The study investigated the practices, challenges, and impact of high-stakes statewide assessments on high school ELLs from the perspective of ESL teachers, content area teachers, and ELLs. The study also included an analysis of the testing accommodations provided to ELLs. This mixed-methods study used a teacher online survey and interviews with both teachers and ELLs as sources of data collection. Survey participants included seventy-one teachers while interview participants involved seven teachers and ten ELLs. The findings revealed that the assessment practices used pose major challenges to ELLs who lack proficiency in the English language. Results also showed that the assessment policy failed to acknowledge the challenges ELLs face as well as the unique assessment needs of ELLs. The assessment policy failed to see that the process that works for native English-speaking students does not necessarily work for ELLs. The study highlighted the problems with the assessments used with ELLs and pinpointed helpful testing accommodations and alternate assessment options for ELLs that is hoped to create equity and excellence in the assessment of ELLs.Ed.D.Includes bibliographical referencesby Mary Fara