Who are ELL Students?

For many students who speak a second language at home and/or are in the process of learning English, they are classified as English Language Learner(s) (ELLs) and placed in specialized classes that assist them in this domain. For ELLs to advance out of these classes, they must pass an examination of English proficiency like the widely-used ACCESS Test. However, the nature of this assessment is incredibly difficult. It has been proven that the ACCESS Test’s design lacks efficiency, cultural competency, and does not accurately measure the linguistic growth of ELL students.

What is the Issue with the ACCESS Test? 

One primary contention with the ACCESS Test’s design is that there is no national definition for what constitutes English proficiency. Since the ACCESS Test provides a scale of proficiency (ranging from 1-6), individual states are able to designate their own passing score. While some states may assign a 4 or 5 as their passing score, the state of Maine holds that an ELL student must achieve a score of 6 (the highest possible score) to pass—it has the highest standard in the country.

What Happens When There is No Commonly Accepted Framework for English Proficiency? 

When states evaluate their ELL students at different standards, it produces too much variance and ultimately results in adverse outcomes. For English Language Learners in the system, poor English language proficiency predictions often put them in perpetual cycles where they cannot advance out of the ELL classroom because they are constantly classified and reclassified as ELLs. As a result, ELL students are relegated to the ELL classroom—frequently when they should no longer be—and are branded as English Language Learners for prolonged periods.