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Effects of English learner student reclassification on student achievement in New Mexico
- Region:
Southwest
- Abstract:
Description: New Mexico requires English learner students to achieve a minimal score on the ACCESS for ELLs assessment, an English language proficiency assessment, to determine whether the students will be reclassified and exit English learner status. The assessment threshold has been set with a goal of ensuring that students who are reclassified can advance academically with their peers, while minimizing the risk of English learner students being reclassified prematurely. The New Mexico Public Education Department has identified a need to better understand whether the assessment threshold is appropriate for New Mexico students and the implications of reclassification for subsequent student outcomes.
A student's ACCESS for ELLs proficiency score is the only criterion determining reclassification in New Mexico. This study will examine two groups of similar English learner students: (1) students who attained an ACCESS for ELLs composite score at or above the New Mexico threshold of 5.0 and (2) students who attained an ACCESS for ELLs composite score just below 5.0 and remained classified as English learner students. The study will compare average achievement in English language arts and mathematics one year later between these two groups.
The findings from this study will help REL Southwest partners understand implications of the reclassification threshold and make decisions about the threshold and requirements for reclassification. Decisions on whether to maintain or change the threshold have the potential to affect English language development services to thousands of students in New Mexico.
Research Questions:
- What is the effect of English learner student reclassification on student achievement in English language arts and mathematics the following year?
- How does the effect of reclassification based on scores from the current version of ACCESS for ELLs compare to the effect of reclassification based on scores from the prior version of ACCESS?
- Does the effect of reclassification vary by student home language group, student gender, grade band, or school district?
Study Design: The researchers will use a regression discontinuity design. The regression discontinuity design assumes that students who score just above the New Mexico ACCESS for ELLs threshold will not meaningfully differ in terms of English proficiency from students who score just below the threshold. As such, the key difference between the two groups of students is whether or not students were reclassified, providing the opportunity to examine the impact of reclassification on subsequent achievement. A significant negative effect of reclassification on future achievement would suggest that students who score just above the current threshold may benefit from receiving additional English language development services. A significant positive effect of reclassification would suggest that students just below the current threshold may no longer require specialized English language development services.
Projected Release Data: Fall 2021
Research Alliance: REL Southwest English Learners Partnership
Study Related Products: Making an Impact report
Data management plan: View, download, and print the Data Management Plan as a PDF file (147 KB)
- Principal Investigators & Affiliation:
Rachel Garrett, American Institutes for Research
Eric Larsen, American Institutes for Research