Abstract
The purpose of our study was twofold: (1) to review the literature on high-stakes accountability testing and English learners (ELs) in the USA, applying qualitative systematic review methodology, and (2) to draw substantive conclusions about the impact of high-stakes accountability testing on ELs, reported in studies published between 2001 and 2016. Thirty-seven studies (n = 37) meeting the eligibility criteria were evaluated using the Methodological Quality Questionnaire. Findings indicate construct irrelevant variance (non-random factors that systematically affect ELs’ test performance) challenges the appropriateness of inferences drawn about ELs’ content knowledge based on assessment performance. Further, language policy in schools, driven by high-stakes tests, promotes increased instructional time for basic skills tutorials with fewer opportunities for problem solving and other higher-order learning activities. Moreover, theory utilization was rare (n = 8, 22%). Among studies that utilized theory, few explicitly referenced it to discuss study findings.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
Language programs for ELs comprise the following: (1) one-language programs (English as a second language (ESL) without mother tongue or native language instruction) or (2) two-language programs: ESL and native language instruction (see Baker 2001).
Although the EL students recruited for the study of Noble et al. (2012) were classified as formerly limited English proficient (FLEP), the authors of the study (Noble et al. 2012) considered these students to be ELs. The authors justified the inclusion of the FLEP students as follows: “We recruited 12 ELLs who were classified as Formerly Limited English Proficient (FLEP) by their schools because they had been considered Limited English Proficient (LEP) within the school year or the previous 2 years (MA DOE, 2004b). The FLEP students we interviewed demonstrated that they were still learning the English language skills needed to interpret science assessments, and thus we considered this group of 12 students to be ELLs” (Noble et al. 2012, p. 784). The authors of the current review agreed and included the study of Noble et al. (2012) in the sample of eligible studies.
References
*Studies included in the systematic review
*Abedi, J. (2002). Standardized achievement tests and English language learners: psychometrics issues. Educational Assessment, 8, 231–257. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15326977EA0803_02.
Acosta, S., & Garza, T. (2011). The podcasting playbook: A typology of evidence-based podagogy for prek-12 Classrooms with English language learners. Research in the Schools, 18(2), 39–56 Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/results/2AEE762C76DE4B35PQ/1?accountid=7082.
Acosta, S., & Goltz, H. (2014). Transforming practices: A primer on action research. Health Promotion Practice, 15(4), 465–470. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524839914527591.
Acosta, S., Goltz, H. H., & Goodson, P. (2015). Autoethnography in action research for health education practitioners. Action Research, 13(4), 411–431. https://doi.org/10.1177/1476750315573589.
Acosta, S., Garza, T., & Hsu, H-Y. (2017, April). Assessing Study Quality Using the Methodological Quality Questionnaire: A Case Study of Novice Rater Training. American Educational Research Association (AERA) 2017 Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX. AERA Online Paper Repository http://www.aera.net/repository.
Acosta, S., Chen, X., Goltz, H., Goodson, P., & Padrón, Y. (2018). A case study of novice bilingual education teachers conducting action research and diffusing teaching innovations. Urban Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085918805148.
Acosta, S., Garza, T., Hsu, H-Y., & Goodson, P. (under review). Assessing Quality in Systematic Literature Reviews: A Study of Novice Rater Training.
American Educational Research Association. (2006). Standards for reporting on empirical social science research in AERA publications. Educational Researcher, 35(6), 33–40. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X035006033.
American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th). Washington, DC: Author.
Andrews, R. (2005). The place of systematic reviews in education research. British Journal of Educational Studies, 53(4), 399–416. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8527.2005.00303.x.
Au, W. (2007). High-stakes testing and curricular control: a qualitative metasynthesis. Educational Researcher, 36(5), 258–267. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X07306523.
Bachman, L. F. (1990). Fundamental considerations in language testing. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Baker, C. (2001). Foundations of bilingual education and bilingualism (3rd ed.). Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
*Betts, J., Bolt, S., Decker, D., Muyskens, P., & Marston, D. (2009). Examining the role of time and language type in reading development for English language learners. Journal of School Psychology, 47(3), 143–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2008.12.002.
*Brown, C. L. (2005). Equity of literacy-based math performance assessments for English language learners. Bilingual Research Journal, 29, 337–363. https://doi.org/10.1080/15235882.2005.10162839.
*Callahan, R. M. (2006). The intersection of accountability and language: can reading intervention replace English language development? Bilingual Research Journal, 30, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/15235882.2006.10162863.
*Capraro, M. M., Capraro, R. M., Yetkiner, Z. E., Rangel-Chavez, A. F., & Lewis, C. W. (2010). Examining Hispanic student mathematics performance on high-stakes tests: an examination of one urban school district in Colorado. The Urban Review, 42(3), 193–209. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11256-009-0127-0.
*Cawthon, S., Leppo, R., Carr, T., & Kopriva, R. (2013). Toward accessible assessments: the promises and limitations of test item adaptations for students with disabilities and English language learners. Educational Assessment, 18, 73–98. https://doi.org/10.1080/10627197.2013.789294.
Chiu, M. M., & Khoo, L. (2005). Effects of resources, inequality, and privilege bias on achievement: country, school, and student level analyses. American Educational Research Journal, 42(4), 575–603. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312042004575.
Collier, V. P., & Thomas, W. P. (2007). Predicting second language academic success in English using the Prism model. In J. Cummins & C. Davison (Eds.), International handbook of English language teacher, part 1 (pp. 333–348). New York: Springer.
Colquhoun, H. L., Brehaut, J. C., Sales, A., Ivers, N., Grimshaw, J., Michie, S., Carroll, K., Chalifoux, M., & Eva, K. W. (2013). A systematic review of the use of theory in randomized controlled trials of audit and feedback. Implementation Science, 8(66), 2–8 Retrieved from http://www.implementationscience.com/content/8/1/66.
Cooper, H. (2010). Research syntheses and meta-analysis: a step-by-step approach (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage.
Cummins, J. (1984). Bilingualism and special education: issues in assessment and pedagogy. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
Cummins, J. (2000). Language, power, and pedagogy: bilingual children in the crossfire. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
Daly, A. J. (2010). Studying the terrain ahead: social networking theory and educational change. In A. J. Daly (Ed.), Social network theory (pp. 259–274). Cambridge: Harvard Education Press.
Dorans, N. J., & Kulick, E. (1986). Demonstrating the utility of the standardization approach to assessing unexpected differential item performance on the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Journal of Educational Measurement, 23(4), 355–368 Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/1434554?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents. Accessed 15 Dec 2019..
Durán, R. P. (2011). Ensuring valid educational assessment. In M. d. R. Basterra, E. Trumbull, & G. Solano-Flores (Eds.), Cultural validity in assessment: addressing linguistic and cultural diversity (pp. 115–142). New York: Routledge.
*Escamilla, K., Mahon, E., Riley-Bernal, H., & Rutledge, D. (2003). High-stakes testing, Latinos, and English language learners: lessons from Colorado. Bilingual Research Journal, 27, 25–49. https://doi.org/10.1080/15235882.2003.10162590.
*Escamilla, K., Chávez, L., & Vigil, P. (2005). Rethinking the “gap” high-stakes testing and Spanish-speaking students in Colorado. Journal of Teacher Education, 56, 132–144. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487104273791.
Every Student Succeeds Act, S.1177, 114th Cong. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-114s1177enr/pdf/BILLS-114s1177enr.pdf
Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics. (2013). America’s children: key national indicators of well-being, 2013. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office Retrieved from https://www.childstats.gov/pdf/ac2013/ac_13.pdf. Accessed 15 Dec 2019.
Feliciano, C., & Lanuza, Y. R. (2017). An immigrant paradox? Contextual attainment and intergenerational educational mobility. American Sociological Review, 82(1), 211–241. https://doi.org/10.1177/0003122416684777.
Fry, R. (2007). The changing racial and ethnic composition of U.S. public schools. Washington: Pew Hispanic Center Retrieved from http://www.pewhispanic.org/2007/08/30/the-changing-racial-and-ethnic-composition-of-us-public-schools/. Accessed 15 Dec 2019.
Gándara, P., Losen, D., August, D., Uriarte, M., Gómez, M. C., & Hopkins, M. (2010). Forbidden language: a brief history of U.S. language policy. In P. Gándara & M. Hopkins (Eds.), Forbidden language: English learners and restrictive language policies (pp. 20–33). New York: Teacher College Press.
Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: the theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books.
Garrard, J. (2011). Health sciences literature review made easy: the matrix method (3rd ed.). Boston: Jones and Bartlett.
Garza, T., Acosta, S., & Hsu, H-Y. (2013, July). Evaluating a systematic rating review scale: The Methodology Quality Questionnaire. American Psychological Association (APA), 121st Annual Convention, Honolulu, HI. AERA Online Paper Repository http://www.aera.net/repository.
*Goldstein, D., & Alibrandi, M. (2013). Integrating GIS in the middle school curriculum: impacts on diverse students’ standardized test scores. Journal of Geography, 112(2), 68–74. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221341.2012.692703.
Gonzalez, J. E., Acosta, S., Davis, H., Durodola, S. P., Saenz, L., Soares, D., Resendez, N., & Zhu, L. (2017). Latino maternal literacy beliefs and practices mediating socioeconomic status and maternal education effects in predicting child receptive vocabulary. Early Education and Development, 28(1), 78–95. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2016.1185885.
Goodson, P., Buhi, E., & Dunsmore, S. (2006). Self-esteem and adolescent sexual behaviors, attitudes, and intentions: a systematic review. Journal of Adolescent Health, 38(3), 310–319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2005.05.026.
Greenhalgh, T., & Peacock, R. (2005). Effectiveness and efficiency of search methods in systematic reviews of complex evidence: audit of primary sources. British Medical Journal, 331(7524), 1064–1065. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.38636.593461.68.
*Guerrero, M., & Sloan, K. (2001). When exemplary gets blurry: a descriptive analysis of four exemplary K-3 Spanish reading programs. Bilingual Research Journal, 25, 173–201. https://doi.org/10.1080/15235882.2001.10162789.
Gutiérrez, K. D., & Penuel, W. R. (2014). Relevance to practice as a criterion for rigor. Educational Researcher, 43(1), 19–23. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X13520289.
Hamilton, L. S., Stecher, B. M., & Yuan, K. (2008). Standards-based reform in the United States: history, research, and future directions. Santa Monica: RAND Corporation Retrieved from http://www.rand.org/pubs/reprints/RP1384. Accessed 15 Dec 2019.
Hannes, K., Raes, E., Vangencheten, K., Hayvaert, M., & Dochy, F. (2013). Experiences from employees with team learning in a vocational learning or work setting: a systematic review of qualitative evidence. Educational Research Review, 10, 116–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2013.10.002.
*Heilig, J. V. (2011). Understanding the interaction between high-stakes graduation tests and English learners. Teachers College Record, 113(12), 2633–2669 Retrieved from http://www.tcrecord.org/Content.asp?ContentId=16201. Accessed 15 Dec 2019.
*Hosp, J. L., Hosp, M. A., & Dole, J. K. (2011). Potential bias in predictive validity of universal screening measures across disaggregation subgroups. School Psychology Review, 40(1), 108–131.
*Irby, B. J., Tong, F., Lara-Alecio, R., Meyer, D. J., & Rodriguez, L. (2007). The critical nature of language of instruction compared to observed practices and high-stakes tests in transitional bilingual classrooms. Research in the Schools, 14(2), 27–36 Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.srvproxy2.library.tamu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eue&AN=32428702&site=ehost-live. Accessed 15 Dec 2019.
Jadad, A. R., Moore, R. A., Carroll, D., Jenkinson, C., Reynolds, D. J. M., Gavaghan, D. J., & McQuay, H. J. (1996). Assessing the quality of reports of randomized clinical trials: is blinding necessary? Controlled Clinical Trials, 17(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/0197-2456(95)00134-4.
*Johnson, E., & Monroe, B. (2004). Simplified language as an accommodation on math tests. Assessment for Effective Intervention, 29, 35–45. https://doi.org/10.1177/073724770402900303.
Kieffer, M. J., Lesaux, N. K., Rivera, M., & Francis, D. J. (2009). Accommodations for English language learners taking large-scale assessments: a meta-analysis on effectiveness and validity. Review of Educational Research, 79(3), 1168–1201. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654309332490.
Koretz, D. (2017). The testing charade: pretending to make schools better. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Lazear, E. P. (2006). Speeding, terrorism, and teaching to the test. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 121(3), 1029–1061. https://doi.org/10.1162/qjec.121.3.1029.
Lee, J. (2008). Is test-driven external accountability effective? Synthesizing the evidence form cross-state causal-comparative and correlational studies. Review of Educational Research, 78(3), 608–644. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654308324427.
*Lee, O., Maerten-Rivera, J., Penfield, R. D., LeRoy, K., & Secada, W. G. (2008). Science achievement of English language learners in urban elementary schools: results of a first-year professional development intervention. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 45, 31–52. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20209.
Li, H., & Suen, H. K. (2012). The effects of test accommodations for English language learners: a meta-analysis. Applied Measurement in Education, 25, 327–346. https://doi.org/10.1080/08957347.2012.714690.
Littell, J., Corcoran, J., & Pillai, V. (2008). Systematic reviews and meta-analysis. New York: Oxford University Press.
*López, O. S. (2010). The digital learning classroom: improving English language learners’ academic success in mathematics and reading using interactive whiteboard technology. Computers & Education, 54, 901–915. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2009.09.019.
*Maerten-Rivera, J., Lee, O., & Penfield, R. (2010). Student and school predictors of high-stakes assessment in science. Science Education, 94, 937–962. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.20408.
*Maerten-Rivera, J., Ahn, S., Lanier, K., Diaz, J., & Lee, O. (2016). Effect of a multiyear intervention on science achievement of all students including English language learners. The Elementary School Journal, 116(4), 600–624. https://doi.org/10.1086/686250.
*Mahon, E. A. (2006). High-stakes testing and English language learners: questions of validity. Bilingual Research Journal, 30, 479–497. https://doi.org/10.1080/15235882.2006.10162886.
*Martiniello, M. (2008). Language and the performance of English-language learners in math word problems. Harvard Educational Review, 78, 333–368 429. Retrieved from https://www.hepg.org/her-home/issues/harvard-educational-review-volume-78-issue-2/herarticle/_652. Accessed 15 Dec 2019.
*Menken, K. (2006). Teaching to the test: how No Child Left Behind impacts language policy, curriculum, and instruction for English language learners. Bilingual Research Journal, 30, 521–546. https://doi.org/10.1080/15235882.2006.10162888.
Menken, K. (2008). English learners left behind: standardized testing as language policy. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
Menken, K., & Solorza, C. (2014). No Child Left Behind: accountability and the elimination of bilingual education programs in New York City Schools. Educational Policy, 28(1), 96–125. https://doi.org/10.1177/0895904812468228.
Moja, L. P., Telaro, E., D’Amico, R., Moschetti, I., Coe, L., & Liberati, A. (2005). Assessment of methodological quality of primary studies by systematic reviews: results of the metaquality study cross sectional study. BMJ [British Medical Journal], 330(7499), 1053–1055 Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/25459599.
*Muyskens, P., Betts, J., Lau, M. Y., & Marston, D. (2009). Predictive validity of curriculum-based measures in the reading assessment of students who are English language learners. The California School Psychologist, 14, 11–21 Retrieved from http://www.casponline.org.
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. (2001). 20 U.S.C. §1.
*Noble, T., Suarez, C., Rosebery, A., O’Connor, M. C., Warren, B., & Hudicourt-Barnes, J. (2012). “I never thought of it as freezing”: how students answer questions on large-scale science tests and what they know about science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 49(6), 778–803. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21026.
Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students. (2012). Biennial report to Congress on the implementation of the Title III State Formula Grant Program, school years 2006–07 and 2007–08. Washington, D. C. Retrieved from http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/files/uploads/3/Biennial_Report_0608.pdf. Accessed 15 Dec 2019.
*Olson, K. (2007). Lost opportunities to learn: the effects of education policy on primary language instruction for English learners. Linguistics and Education, 18, 121–141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.linged.2007.07.001.
*Pacheco, M. (2010). English-language learners’ reading achievement: dialectical relationships between policy and practices in meaning-making opportunities. Reading Research Quarterly, 45, 292–317. https://doi.org/10.1598/RRQ.45.3.2.
Paivio, A. (1986). Mental representations. New York: Oxford University Press.
Petticrew, M., & Roberts, H. (2006). Systematic reviews in the social sciences: a practical guide. Oxford: Blackwell.
Polanin, J. R., Maynard, B. R., & Dell, N. A. (2017). Overviews in education research: a systematic review and analysis. Review of Educational Research, 87(1), 172–203. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654316631117.
Popham, W. J. (2008). The role of assessment in federal education programs. Washington: Center on Education Policy Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED503908.pdf. Accessed 15 Dec 2019.
Reljić, G., Ferring, D., & Martin, R. (2015). A meta-analysis on the effectiveness of bilingual programs in Europe. Review of Educational Research, 85(1), 92–128. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654314548514.
*Richardson, R. D., Hawken, L. S., & Kircher, J. (2012). Bias using maze to predict high-stakes test performance among Hispanic and Spanish-speaking students. Assessment for Effective Intervention, 37(3), 159–170. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534508411430320.
*Rivera, C., & Stansfield, C. W. (2004). The effect of linguistic simplification of science test items on score comparability. Educational Assessment, 9, 79–105. https://doi.org/10.1080/10627197.2004.96.
*Roehrig, A. D., Petscher, Y., Nettles, S. M., Hudson, R. F., & Torgesen, J. K. (2008). Accuracy of the DIBELS oral reading fluency measure for predicting third grade reading comprehension outcomes. Journal of School Psychology, 46(3), 343–366. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2007.06.006.
Ruiz, R. (1984). Orientations in language planning. NABE Journal, 9(2), 15–34. https://doi.org/10.1080/08855072.1984.10668464.
*Shaftel, J., Belton-Kocher, E., Glasnapp, D., & Poggio, J. (2006). The impact of language characteristics in mathematics test items on the performance of English language learners and students with disabilities. Educational Assessment, 11, 105–126. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15326977ea1102_2.
*Shyyan, V., Thurlow, M. L., & Liu, K. K. (2008). Instructional strategies for improving achievement in reading, mathematics, and science for English language learners with disabilities. Assessment for Effective Intervention, 33, 145–155. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534508407313239.
Slavin, R. E., & Cheung, A. (2005). A synthesis of research on language of reading instruction for English language learners. Review of Educational Research, 75(2), 247–284 Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/3516050. Accessed 15 Dec 2019.
Solano-Flores, G. (2011). The cultural validity of assessment practices. In M. D. R. Basterra, E. Trumbull, & G. Solano-Flores (Eds.), Cultural validity in assessment: addressing linguistic and cultural diversity (pp. 3–21). New York: Routledge.
Solano-Flores, G., Wang, C., Kachchaf, R., Soltero-Gonzalez, L., & Nguyen-Le, K. (2014). Developing testing accommodations for English language learners: illustrations as visual supports for item accessibility. Educational Assessment, 19, 267–283. https://doi.org/10.1080/10627197.2014.964116.
Solórzano, R. (2008). High stakes testing: issues, implications, and remedies for English language learners. Review of Educational Research, 78(2), 260–329. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654308317845.
Spolsky, B. (2012). What is language policy? In B. Spolsky (Ed.), The Cambridge handbook of language policy (pp. 3–15). New York: Cambridge University Press.
*Strunk, K. O., & McEachin, A. (2014). More than sanctions: closing achievement gaps through California’s use of intensive technical assistance. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 36(3), 281–306. https://doi.org/10.3102/0162373713510967.
Sunderman, G. L., Kim, J. S., & Orfield, G. (2005). NCLB meets school realities: lessons from the field. Thousand Oaks: Corwin.
Supovitz, J. (2009). Can high stakes testing leverage educational improvement? Prospects from the last decade of testing and accountability reform. Journal of Educational Change, 10(2–3), 211–227. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-009-9105-2.
Thompson, B. (2006). The foundations of behavioral statistics: an insight-based approach. New York: Guilford.
Torgerson, C. (2003). Systematic reviews. London: Continuum.
*Tsang, S.-L., Katz, A., & Stack, J. (2008). Achievement testing for English language learners, ready or not? Education Policy Analysis Archives, 16(1), 1–29 Retrieved from https://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/issue/view/vol16. Accessed 15 Dec 2019.
U.S. Department of Education. (2012). National evaluation of Title III Implementation—a survey of states’ English language proficiency standards. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/title-iii/national-implementation-report.pdf. Accessed 15 Dec 2019.
Umansky, I. M., & Reardon, S. F. (2014). Reclassification patterns among Latino English learner students in bilingual, dual immersion, and English immersion classrooms. American Educational Research Journal, 51(5), 879–912. https://doi.org/10.3102/0162373716664802.
Valentino, R. A., & Reardon, S. F. (2015). Effectiveness of four instructional programs designed to serve English learners: variation by ethnicity and initial English proficiency. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 37(4), 612–637. https://doi.org/10.3102/0162373715573310.
Valenzuela, A. (2005). Introduction: The accountability debate in Texas: continuing the conversation. In A. Valenzuela (Ed.), Leaving children behind: how “Texas-style” accountability fails Latino youth (pp. 1–32). Albany: State University of New York Press.
Valenzuela, A. (Ed.). (2016). Growing critically conscious teachers: a social justice curriculum for educators of Latino/a youth. New York: Teachers College.
*Vanderwood, M. L., Tung, C. Y., & Checca, C. J. (2014). Predictive validity and accuracy of oral reading fluency for English learners. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 32(3), 249–258. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734282913502937.
*Wiley, H. I., & Deno, S. L. (2005). Oral reading and maze measures as predictors of success for English learners on a state standards assessment. Remedial and Special Education, 26(4), 207–214. https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325050260040301.
Willig, A. C. (1985). A meta-analysis of selected studies on the effectiveness of bilingual education. Review of Educational Research, 55(3), 269–317 Retrieved from www.jstor.org/stable/1170389.
*Wolf, M. K., & Faulkner-Bond, M. (2016). Validating English language proficiency assessment uses for English learners: academic language proficiency and content assessment performance. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 35(2), 6–18. https://doi.org/10.1111/emip.12105.
*Wolf, M. K., & Leon, S. (2009). An investigation of the language demands in content assessments for English language learners. Educational Assessment, 14, 139–159. https://doi.org/10.1080/10627190903425883.
*Young, J. W., Cho, Y., Ling, G., Cline, F., Steinberg, J., & Stone, E. (2008). Validity and fairness of state standards-based assessments for English language learners. Educational Assessment, 13, 170–192. https://doi.org/10.1080/10627190802394388.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Our task in the present systematic review is to capture the impact on English learners (ELs) of the accountability culture as framed by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). Specifically, we aim to identify and review what researchers considered important in relation to high-stakes achievement testing and ELs [also known as limited English proficient (LEP) students]. To accomplish this, we examine original studies published between 2001 and 2016. This time span begins with the passage of NCLB and ends with the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in 2015: the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in 2015, which took effect during the 2016–2017 school year.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Acosta, S., Garza, T., Hsu, HY. et al. The Accountability Culture: a Systematic Review of High-Stakes Testing and English Learners in the United States During No Child Left Behind. Educ Psychol Rev 32, 327–352 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09511-2
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09511-2