The Impact of Language and High-Stakes Testing Policies on Elementary School English Language Learners in Arizona

Creator

Wayne E. Wright
Daniel Choi

Files

Publisher

Arizona State University, University of South Florida

Publication Date

May 2006

Abstract

This article reports the results of a survey of third-grade teachers of English Language Learners (ELLs) in Arizona regarding school language and accountability policies—Proposition 203, which restricts bilingual education and mandates sheltered English Immersion; the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB); and Arizona LEARNS, the state’s high-stakes testing and accountability program. The instrument, consisting of 126 survey questions plus open-ended interview question, was designed to obtain teacher’s views, to ascertain the impact of these polices, and to explore their effectiveness in improving the education of ELL students. The survey was administered via telephone to 40 teacher participants from different urban, rural and reservation schools across the state. Each participant represents the elementary school in their respective school district which has the largest population of ELL students. Analyses of both quantitative and qualitative data reveal that these policies have mostly resulted in confusion in schools throughout the state over what is and is not allowed, and what constitutes quality instruction for ELLs, that there is little evidence that such policies have led to improvements in the education of ELL students, and that these policies may be causing more harm than good.

Keywords

United States. No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Bilingual education, English language--Study and teaching (Elementary)--Foreign speakers, Educational assessment, Accountability, English language--Study and teaching--Immersion method, Immersion method (Language teaching)

Extent

75

Geographic Location

Arizona

Volume

14

Issue

13

Language

English; Spanish

Media Type

Journals (Periodicals)

Format

Digital Only

Note

Citation: Wright, W. E., & Choi, D. (2006). The impact of language and high-stakes testing policies on elementary school English language learners in Arizona. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 14(13). Retrieved [date] from http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v14n13/.

Identifier

E11-00486

Creative Commons

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Wright, Wayne E. and Choi, Daniel, "The Impact of Language and High-Stakes Testing Policies on Elementary School English Language Learners in Arizona" (2006). Education Policy Analysis Archives (EPAA). 200.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/usf_EPAA/200