Assessing English Language Proficiency in U.S. K–12 Schools Innovations in Language Learning and Assessment at ETS Series

Assessing English Language Proficiency in U.S. K?12 Schools offers comprehensive background information about the generation of standards-based, English language proficiency (ELP) assessments used in U.S. K?12 school settings. The chapters in this book address a variety of key issues involved in the development and use of those assessments: defining an ELP construct driven by new academic content and ELP standards, using technology for K?12 ELP assessments, addressing the needs of various English learner (EL) students taking the assessments, connecting assessment with teaching and learning, and substantiating validity claims. Each chapter also contains suggestions for future research that will contribute to the next generation of K?12 ELP assessments and improve policies and practices in the use of the assessments. This book is intended to be a useful resource for researchers, graduate students, test developers, practitioners, and policymakers who are interested in learning more about large-scale, standards-based ELP assessments for K?12 EL students.

Series Editors’ Foreword

Acknowledgements

Contributors

Illustrations

Acronyms

Introduction

Chapter 1

Introduction: Assessing K-12 English Learners’ English Language Proficiency

Mikyung Kim Wolf

Section I. Contexts and Fundamental Considerations in the Development of K-12 ELP Assessments

Chapter 2

Standards-Based K-12 English Language Proficiency Assessments in the United States: Current Policies and Practices

Edynn Sato & Karen D. Thompson

Chapter 3

The Construct of English Language Proficiency in Consideration of College and Career Readiness Standards

Alison L. Bailey & Mikyung Kim Wolf

Chapter 4

Innovations and Challenges in K-12 English Language Proficiency Assessment Tasks

Ahyoung Alicia Kim, Mark Chapman, & Heidi Liu Banerjee

Chapter 5

A Review of Validity Evidence for K-12 English Language Proficiency Assessments: Current State and Future Direction

Timothy Farnsworth

Section II. Empirical Research and Practical Considerations on the Development of K-12 ELP Assessments

Chapter 6

Collaborating with Educators on the Development of English Language Proficiency Assessments

Maurice Cogan Hauck & Emilie Pooler

Chapter 7

Examining Students’ Response Processes in a Computer-Based English Language Proficiency Assessment

Mikyung Kim Wolf, Danielle Guzman-Orth, Cathryn Still, & Phoebe Winter

Chapter 8

Generating Score Reports: Psychometric Issues to Consider

Hanwook (Henry) Yoo, Joyce Wang, David P. Anderson, & Eric Zilbert

Chapter 9

Validating Threshold Scores for English Language Proficiency Assessment Uses

Patricia Baron, Robert Linquanti, & Min Huang

Chapter 10

Accessibility Considerations for English Learners with Disabilities in English Language Proficiency Assessments

Danielle Guzman Orth, Lorraine Sova, & Traci Albee

Section III. Some Future Considerations in K-12 ELP Assessment

Chapter 11

Using Automated Scoring in K-12 English Language Proficiency Assessments

Keelan Evanini, Yoko Futagi, & Maurice Cogan Hauck

Chapter 12

Teachers’ Perspectives on the Use of Summative English Language Proficiency Assessments for Instructional Purposes

Alexis A. Lopez & Georgia Earnest García

Chapter 13

Towards a Model of Validity in Accountability Testing

Micheline B. Chalhoub-Deville

Subject Index

Mikyung Kim Wolf is Senior Research Scientist at the Center for English Language Learning and Assessment Research at Educational Testing Service.