How Long Does it Take Students to Reach Minimum English Proficiency? Implications for NCLB Reauthorization

Since the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was signed into law, schools have been allowed to administer grade-level content reading exams in the native language of English Language Learner (ELL) students for up to three years after they enter the school system. From that point, the students are expected to take the state assessments in English. Districts and schools that fail to demonstrate gains for ELL students on these academic exams risk penalties that range from permitting parents to transfer their children to alternative schools to closing the school entirely. Some advocates, educators, and state education agencies have complained about the federal requirements, claiming that they ignore the variation in the speed with which students learn English (Kossan, 2008; Zehr, 2007). Students may show significant progress in acquiring English, but still struggle to meet proficiency standards when tested in English on grade-level content and, thus, the policy may be unfair to those