Two major reforms have transformed California's K-12 education system over the past decade. To revamp English and mathematics instruction, the Common Core standards were adopted in 2010, with district implementation beginning several years later. In 2013, the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) was enacted to increase funding for disadvantaged…

This research summary accompanies the report "Final Report of the i3 Impact Study of Making Sense of SCIENCE, 2016-17 through 2017-18." Science education has experienced a significant transition over the last decade, catalyzed by a re-envisioning of what students should know and be able to do in science. That re-envisioning culminated in…

This article examines how the use of automated scoring procedures for short-answer reading tasks can affect the constructs being assessed. In particular, it highlights ways in which the development of scoring algorithms intended to apply the criteria used by human raters can lead test developers to reexamine and even refine the constructs they…

In this study I examine the construct of aptitude in learning Chinese as a second language (L2) to an advanced level. I test 2 hypotheses: first, that L2 aptitude comprises 4 components--working memory, rote memory, grammatical sensitivity, and phonemic coding ability--and second, that L2 aptitude affects learning both directly and indirectly…

Placing heritage Speakers into Korean language classes is a challenging task because they display a wide range of proficiencies. Since Standard placement tests often fail to place students effectively within a program, placement procedures that take into account heritage language use need to be developed. This article describes the Steps that the…

This study examined the effectiveness of a transitional Spanish-English bilingual program, Academic Language Acquisition (ALA), in enhancing K-5 students' English-language proficiency, as well as their English performance in academic subject areas, in comparison with the Structured English Immersion (SEI) process. An existing reading program,…

In 1985, the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges adopted eight policy recommendations to guide future development in English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction. This report lists the policy recommendations and describes staff and systemwide activities that have occurred since 1985 in support of each. Specifically, the…

Designed to provide information and guidelines for the formation of policy on English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction in the California community colleges, this report to the Board of Governors offers policy recommendations and reports on the findings of a survey of community college ESL offerings. Section I provides background information,…

In response to state legislation and a statewide strategic plan that included a recommendation for quality standards and accountability defined as measurable goals and conditions, model standards for California English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) adult education programs were established. This document describes general standards, defines language…