Guide Offers Advice on Setting ELL Standards

The U.S. Department of Education has released a guidebook designed to help states set new proficiency standards and academic-achievement targets for English-language learners.

The report, commissioned by the Education Department and written by English-language-learner experts at the American Institutes of Research, the Wisconsin Center for Educational Research, and WestEd, describes empirical methods state policymakers may use to determine exactly what English proficiency means for students, how long it should take students to reach it, and how to factor in students' proficiency levels when measuring their academic progress.

The guidebook, Exploring Approaches to Setting English-Language Proficiency Performance Criteria and Monitoring English-Learner Progress, is directed at assessment and accountability officials in state departments of education, other senior state education officials, providers of technical assistance to districts, and advisers to education governing boards. Although it's still in draft form until some time next month, Education Department officials said they do...