Educators' responses to the CAHSEE, particularly as it affects the English Learner student population

Drawing on the literature on accountability systems, high-stakes assessments, and English Learners' needs, this study examined how the CAHSEE mandate was implemented in one high school district and one high school from a Theory of Action framework during the 2004 to 2007 academic years. The major aims of this study were to (a) describe why and how California developed the CAHSEE in order to be used as a measure to achieve higher levels of proficiency in basic Math and English for all graduating seniors; (b) describe the activities implemented at a district level that were aimed in guiding high schools within the district to implement CAHSEE interventions, with a special focus on English Learners; and (c) examine the ways in which one high school used policies, practices, and tools to implement CAHSEE interventions aimed at helping English Learners pass the CAHSEE.;Using embedded case study methods, official state documents were analyzed to identify the purpose behind the development of the CAHSEE. Documents were also collected from the district and high school in order to obtain a historical lens with which to examine the implementation of the CAHSEE in these two settings. Lastly, interviews with district administrators, principals, counselors and teachers were conducted to examine how they sought to make sense of and respond to the CAHSEE.;Findings suggests that while policy makers and state elected officials can design accountability systems and procedures that facilitate the implementation of a state mandate, they were unable to foresee the level of complexity and the length of time involved in implementing the CAHSEE at the local level. From a district perspective, the findings revealed that by inviting the high schools to be partners with them in the implementation process of the CAHSEE, the district was able to implement policies and curricular interventions to be in compliance with both the federal and state accountability systems. Finally, findings from one high school made visible the multifaceted issues involved in obtaining buy-in from educators to implement district, administrative, and departmental interventions that were aimed at having English Learners pass the CASHEE.