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Policy And Practice Brief 6: Considerations For Using Access Test Scores In Decision-Making, Carolyn N. Waters, Merc English Learner Research & Evaluation Team, Virginia Commonwealth University Jan 2021

Policy And Practice Brief 6: Considerations For Using Access Test Scores In Decision-Making, Carolyn N. Waters, Merc English Learner Research & Evaluation Team, Virginia Commonwealth University

MERC Publications

Since the implementation of The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), all students identified as English learners (ELs) in U.S. public schools have been required to take an annual assessment of English language proficiency (ELP) for federal accountability. Virginia and many other state education agencies (SEAs) use the WIDA ACCESS for ELLs© test (ACCESS), not only to comply with this mandate, but also to inform a variety of high-stakes decisions for EL instruction, such as determining when multilingual learners have reached English proficiency, deciding about Language Instruction Educational Program (LIEP) entry and exit, informing classroom instruction and assessment, …


Lessons From The Past And Challenges For The Future: Inclusive Education For Students With Unique Needs, William Evans, Robert A. Gable, Amany Habib Jan 2021

Lessons From The Past And Challenges For The Future: Inclusive Education For Students With Unique Needs, William Evans, Robert A. Gable, Amany Habib

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

The school-age population of students is becoming increasingly more culturally and linguistically diverse. There is mounting recognition that English Learners (EL) represent a unique group of students who have special educational and linguistic needs. This article considered the needs of learners with diverse special needs such as (a) learning and behavior challenges and (b) English Learners identified as students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE). We highlighted some potential lessons to be learned from past-to-present efforts to serve students with behavior problems. Selected evidence-based practices were featured that are applicable to learners with special needs, thereby supporting the development …


Policy And Practice Brief 7: Special Considerations For Access Testing During Covid-19, Carolyn N. Waters, Merc English Learner Research & Evaluation Team, Virginia Commonwealth University Jan 2021

Policy And Practice Brief 7: Special Considerations For Access Testing During Covid-19, Carolyn N. Waters, Merc English Learner Research & Evaluation Team, Virginia Commonwealth University

MERC Publications

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person instruction in Virginia public schools was suspended in March 2020 for the remainder of the school year. In 2020-2021, Virginia schools offered an evolving range of virtual, hybrid, concurrent, and face-to-face instruction. Despite the challenges of schooling during the pandemic, federal high-stakes testing mandates remained in place in 2020-2021, and all students identified as English learners (ELs) were still required to take the annual assessment of English language proficiency (ELP), the WIDA ACCESS for ELLs©. Since this test cannot be administered remotely, ELs participating in virtual schooling were expected to return to school buildings …