Page 19 - ELG1705 May Issue 447

DATA & ANALYSIS

Diplomas achieved by long-term
ELLS
?

 No Diploma
Local Diploma
Regents Diploma
Advanced Regents Diploma

graduation rates in the New York City (NYC)
system don’t differ from other students’ so
substantially if they are considered over six
years instead of four. Looking at this longer Diplomas achieved by short-term ELLs to college, this may signal that they have
time span enables us to take into account all graduated from high school ‘inadequately
the students who graduated late, and to get a prepared for college’, the authors say.
better picture of ELLs’ achievements. Results show that short-term ELL students
Interestingly, the statistically significant generally did better. However, the authors
differences when looking over six years were point out that ‘the data cannot establish the
actually between students who remained ELLs source of these differences.’ Did students do
for their whole career (long-term ELLs) and better because they were reclassified or did
students who were reclassified (short-term they reclassify because they were doing better?
ELLs). The authors suggest that the two cohorts could
The study analysed high school graduation differ in other ways (motivation, achievement,
outcomes of 1,734 ELLs who started grade 5 or previous education experiences, etc.).
6 in a NYC state school in the 2003–04 school Patterns identified in this report call for more
year. The students were followed all the way investigation, they say.
through until two years after their expected This study was focused around NYC,
graduation.  No Diploma but another recent study* published in
The authors say that they carried out the Local Diploma the American Educational Research Journal
study because previous reseach only provided Regents Diploma analysed the effect of ELL reclassification on
information on the performance of ELLs ‘at a Advanced Regents Diploma graduation rates across the US and found
particular point in time’. widely different results: mainstreaming
Information on long-term outcomes, such as appeared to be beneficial in some districts, but
high school graduation rates and preparation time than short-term ELLs. Also, 13 per cent highly detrimental in others. This suggests that
for college, is ‘scarce’, they said. more long-term ELLs graduated late than the reclassification does not have a universally
According to the new data, about 64 per short-term group. valid effect and is best understood on a local
cent of all ELLs graduated on time, within four The two cohorts differed also in the type of basis.
years of starting grade 9 – seven percentage diploma they obtained. Students in the NYC Policy makers, this research suggests, could
points lower than the graduation rate among state school system can study for one of three: make use of the data about the effect of
all students in the NYC public school system. either a Local Diploma, the popular Regents mainstreaming on students in their district
While ELLs have a lower on-time graduation Diploma or the most rigorous Advanced to adjust the type and quantity of support
rate, over six years the picture is much more Regents Diploma. they provide to students close to meeting the
positive. In fact, about 15 per cent of ELLs and ELLs in general don’t differ from the rest of criteria for reclassification – or they may modify
8 per cent of all other students graduate one or the student body in the type of diploma they the criteria themselves. However, this could
two years later than expected. This closes the choose. Their differences are again internal be more difficult with the passing of the Every
gap: ELLs’ six-year graduation rate was ‘similar to the group: 31 per cent of short-term ELLs Student Succeeds Act, which says states must
to the rate among all student in New York obtained an Advanced Diploma, compared to have uniform criteria for reclassification.
public schools’, the authors say. 4 per cent of long-term ELLs.
But the difference between long-term and This data is important to track students’ * ‘Graduation outcomes of students who entered New
short-term ELLs was statistically significant: 21 choices after graduation. Since a smaller York City public schools in grade 5 or 6 as English learner
students’, Kieffer and Parker. / ‘Evaluating English Learner
Reclassi cation Policy Effects Across Districts’, Cimpian,
per cent fewer long-term ELLs graduated on percentage of Local Diploma holders go on Thompson, et al.
editorial@elgazette.com 19

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