EVALUATION OF THE MULTI LANGUAGE ENRICHMENT
PROGRAM: 2014-15
Leonardo R. Ledezma, Ph.D.
EA15-126-4
At-a-Glance
T
2015 for grade five ELLs in DL who performed at the
English proficient levels (4 and 5), remained the same
as 2014 data. A comparison of the last four years’
percentages by broad ability level with 2015 results
showed a pattern of most ELLs performing at or below
broad ability level three (limited English proficient).
However, the percentage of ELLs at broad ability level
3 has decreased from 2011 (59.4%) to 2015 (35.4%).
he
Multi-Language
Enrichment
Program
(M-LEP), in accordance with federal, state and
local policies and mandates, provided Bilingual
Education and English-as-a-Second Language
(ESL) programs in grades prekindergarten through 12
to meet the affective, linguistic and academic needs of
English Language Learners (ELLs). The goal of the
M-LEP is to build a strong instructional program for all
ELLs to prepare students to be college and workforce
ready.
Figure 1: Comparison of WMLS-R broad ability levels for all grades
(5-12) for 2011-2014.
Students Served
Broad Ability Percent
In 2014-15, 67,253 (43%) of the total Dallas ISD student
population in grades prekindergarten through 12 were
identified as ELLs. The majority of identified ELLs were
in grades prekindergarten through five (70.6%). At the
elementary school level, 62.4 percent of ELLs received
one-way instruction and 2.3 percent received two-way
instruction.
Programs
The programs in elementary schools included Dual
Language (DL) one- and two-way, Newcomer for recent
immigrant students and content-based ESL. Programs
implemented in secondary schools included ESL,
Sheltered content courses and English Language
Institute (ELI) for recent immigrant students.
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
1
2
3
4
5
2011
10.0
17.4
59.4
12.7
0.0
2012
9.0
14.4
42.6
31.1
2.8
2013
9.4
14.5
36.0
34.7
5.4
2014
12.1
14.4
37.0
31.3
5.3
2015
12.5
16.6
35.4
30.4
5.0
At the elementary school level, grade five ELLs scoring
at the English proficient levels in two-way instruction
outperformed ELLs in one-way and ESL instruction
(86.0%, 58.6%, and 59.6% respectively). The majority
of ELLs in all grades in sheltered courses outperformed
ELLs in ESL instruction at the English proficient levels.
The majority of ELLs in all grades in sheltered
instruction outperformed ELLs in ESL instruction.
Beginning with the 2015-16 school year the district will
implement a new language proficiency assessment.
The online/PT Oral Language Proficient Assessment
will replace the WMLS-R.
In 2014-15, the DL one-way model was implemented in
155 elementary schools, and the two-way model in 19
elementary schools. The one-way model consisted of
one language group (Spanish speaking only) who
received instruction in two languages (English and
Spanish). The two-way model consisted of two
language groups (Spanish and English) who received
instruction through two languages (English and
Spanish). Students should achieve proficiency (perform
at or above grade level in both languages) in reading,
writing and mathematics, by the end of grade five.
TELPAS
TELPAS was administered to all ELLs in grades
kindergarten through 12. The data showed that a higher
percentage of ELLs in ESL instruction performed at the
AH composite rating with the exception of grade three.
At the secondary school level, a higher percentage of
ELLs in general education (program denials) classes
performed at the AH composite rating than ELLs in
other instructional models.
Of the total identified ELLs, 65 percent were served in
the DL program (PK-5); five percent were served in ESL
(grades PK-12); and 26 percent were served in
sheltered content courses (grades 6-12).
Woodcock Muñoz Language Survey-Revised
(WMLS-R)
Yearly progress indicated that 44.6 percent of the
students in grades one through 12 had a composite
rating higher or the same as the previous year. Slightly
more than fifty-four percent (54.2%) of grade five ELLs
had a composite rating one level higher than the
previous year; this was a higher percentage than in all
other grades.
ELLs were administered the spring 2015 WMLS-R and
results showed that 36.6 percent of all ELLs tested, met
one of the criteria for reclassification from ELL to
non-ELL status by attaining English proficient levels.
Grade five ELLs scored higher at levels 4 or above than
students in other grades. However, percentages in
1
Iowa and Logramos
reading, seventh grade writing and eighth grade
science and social studies were lowest for ELLs. Exited
ELL students outperformed non-ELL, ELL, district and
State students on STAAR End-of-Course (EOC) tests.
Sheltered ELL students outperformed ESL students on
all five EOC tests. Non-ELL students showed higher
percentage passing rates on all EOC tests than ELL
students. The highest percentage passing rates were
for exited ELLs on Biology (95.1%) and U.S. History
(94.3%). The lowest percentage passing rates were for
ESL English l (8.3%) and English ll (15.7%).
ELLs in kindergarten through grade two were
administered the Iowa or Logramos (Third Edition).
Although Spanish-speaking ELLs in the DL program
were to test with Logramos, the Language Proficiency
Assessment Committee (LPAC) made the final
decision. ELLs who spoke a language other than
Spanish could only test with the Iowa. The Iowa
Reading test results were similiar for kindergarten ELLs
in the DL two-way program and the district totals. ELLs
DL two-way students were higher than the district total
for first grade reading but not for second grade. The
Logramos Reading results showed that percentage of
DL two-way students scored above the district totals for
grades 1 and 2.
Recommendations
Given the results of STAAR writing and science in
English and Spanish the program should consider
implementing an intervention to support teachers and
tutor students. This is especially important if considered
in conjunction with the PBMAS report that showed ESL
students in reading, science, social studies and writing
performing below standard.
STAAR
Exited ELL students scored at higher percentages in all
components of STAAR than both non-ELL and ELL
students. ELL students scored at a higher percentage
at the satisfactory level than non-ELL students on third,
fourth and fifth grade reading. Sixth and eighth grades
reading, seventh grade in writing, eighth grade in
science and social studies were lowest for ELLs. ELL
students did better on all tests in reading administered
in Spanish, but not in writing and science, than ELLs
tested in English.
Ensure that all DL campus principals continue to be
trained in the dual language implementation process
and document their participation during the 2015-16
school year.
Hire additional M-LEP instructional coaches to serve
more campuses, improve services to teachers and
allow more time for the coaches to meet the teachers’
needs.
Percent Satisfactory
Figure 2: STAAR Reading: ELLs
100.0
80.0
60.0
40.0
20.0
0.0
‐20.0
Continue campus audits in 2015-16 to monitor the
fidelity of program implementation.
Grade
3
Grade
4
Grade
5
Grade
6
Grade
7
Grade
8
Total
2013‐14
63.7
60.0
81.2
57.9
43.8
67.6
63.4
2014‐15
63.9
61.8
83.1
53.0
45.8
66.8
63.1
Difference
0.2
1.8
1.9
‐4.9
2.0
‐0.8
‐0.3
Provide professional development training with an
emphasis on instructional support for low performing
content areas according to 2014-15 Iowa/Logramos
and STAAR/STAAR EOC results.
As the district implements IPT, the new language
proficiency assessment, ensure that test administrators
are properly trained and proper testing and scoring
procedures are adhered to throughout the 2015-16
school year.
Exited ELL students outperformed non-ELL, ELL,
district and State students on STAAR End-of-Course
(EOC) tests. Sheltered ELL students outperformed ESL
students on all five EOC tests. Non-ELL students
showed higher percentage rates on all EOC tests than
ELL students. The highest percentage passing rates
were for exited ELLs on Biology (95.1%) and U.S.
History (94.3%). The lowest percentage passing rates
were for ESL English l (8.3%) and English ll (15.7%).
Ensure that students are tested with the appropriate
assessments and in the appropriate language.
Continue to train and retrain campus staff to ensure the
accuracy of identifying ELLs within limited English
categories and corresponding instructional programs in
the district’s student database for reliable reporting.
For more information, see Evaluation
Bilingual/ESL Program EA15-126-2.
The STAAR ELL reading total was 66.7 percent met
Satisfactory level on English reading testing and 71.1
percent on Spanish reading testing. On STAAR writing
and science the scores were higher in English than on
the Spanish test.
Exited ELL students scored at higher percentages in all
components of STAAR than both non-ELL and ELL
students. A higher percentage of ELL students scored
at the satisfactory level than non-ELL students on third,
fourth and fifth grade reading. Sixth and eighth grades
2
of
the