ERIC Number: EJ815350
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008-Apr
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1062-7197
EISSN: N/A
Validity and Fairness of State Standards-Based Assessments for English Language Learners
Young, John W.; Cho, Yeonsuk; Ling, Guangming; Cline, Fred; Steinberg, Jonathan; Stone, Elizabeth
Educational Assessment, v13 n2-3 p170-192 Apr 2008
English language learners (ELLs) constitute one of the fastest growing subpopulations of students in the United States. It is important to determine whether the assessments used by states in determining students' proficiencies are valid and fair for ELLs. This study focused on several standards-based assessments in mathematics and science administered to 5th and 8th graders. In assessing construct validity, all of the assessments were found to be essentially unidimensional in their underlying factor structure for native English speakers and for several ELL examinee groups. The use of translation glossaries/word lists as a testing accommodation was effective for supporting the unidimensionality of some of these assessments, specifically for the one at the 8th-grade level. (Contains 15 tables and 2 figures.)
Descriptors: Testing Accommodations, State Standards, Word Lists, Construct Validity, Validity, Second Language Learning, Factor Structure, Glossaries, English (Second Language), Language Acquisition, Federal Legislation, Achievement Tests, Reading Tests, Mathematics Tests, Test Bias, Reliability
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education; Grade 5; Grade 8
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United States
Identifiers - Laws, Policies, & Programs: No Child Left Behind Act 2001
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Iowa Tests of Basic Skills; Stanford Achievement Tests
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A