In/Exclusion of English Learners in Longitudinal Research: A Historical Review of Indiana’s School Accountability for English Learners
Abstract
English Learner (EL) achievement on standardized tests (ISTEP+) in Indiana publicly presents ELs as underachieving relative to non-ELs. This public narrative of EL performance is situated in a landscape of multiple educational policy changes at the state and federal levels (Indiana Department of Education, 2014c; "No Child Left Behind," 2001). The changing criterion for being EL, inclusion of ELs in state testing and misinterpretation of federal laws at the State Education Agency (SEA) level are examined along with the narratives of EL leaders charged with local implementation.
Findings demonstrate that measuring the longitudinal growth and patterns of ELs over time is complex, as 14 documented changes have occurred in educational policy from 1999 to the 2013-2014 school year. Implications demonstrate the need for policy analysts to understand the local ecologies of Indiana schools serving ELs, including the narratives of those commissioned to implement reform changes for ELs.
References
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