Does growth in overall school achievement really mean no English learner left behind

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a correlation between English learner achievement, overall student achievement, English language development, and reclassification. Meeting the needs of the growing English learner population has been an ongoing challenge across the nation and, in particular, the state of California. This correlational study examined the group English language arts achievement scores of students in grades two through six attending schools in three California counties to determine if there was a relationship between trends in overall school achievement and the achievement of English learners attending those same schools. Results were examined to determine if that rate of growth was also reflected in the growth of the language acquisition and subsequent reclassification of English learners attending those schools. Additionally, the language achievement of the students across the schools was examined and compared to achievement data to determine if any overall trends existed and if predictions could be made as a result of those comparisons. There were five research questions considered during this study. In the comparison of English learner achievement and language acquisition, a significant correlation was found. This was also the case with a comparison of the English learner subgroup and the overall achievement-tested population. As the scores in one group or test went up, the scores in the other group or test also went up. A negative correlation was found to exist between the number of English learners at a school and the overall achievement rates. The data for the two questions related to reclassification showed that no relationship existed. In particular, this study has implications for how districts may view group data and highlights the issues associated with the subjective nature of reclassification of English learners in the state of California.