The Impact of Language and High-Stakes Testing Policies on Elementary School English Language Learners in Arizona

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dawugda

The article reports survey results from third-grade English Language Learner (ELL) teachers in Arizona on school language and accountability policies, including Proposition 203, the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), and Arizona LEARNS. The instrument used 126 survey questions plus an open-ended interview prompt, administered by telephone to 40 teachers across urban, rural, and reservation schools. Mixed quantitative and qualitative analyses show widespread confusion about allowable practices and limited evidence of improved outcomes, with findings suggesting testing focus and implementation details may cause more harm than good.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages75

Reading Time3 h 9 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Survey design and administration

Policy effects on instruction and accountability

Overall conclusions and recommendations

EDUCATION POLICY ANALYSIS ARCHIVES A peer-reviewed scholarly journal Editor: Sherman Dorn College of Education University of South Florida Volume 14 Number 13 May 22, 2006 ISSN 1068–2341 The Impact of Language and High-Stakes Testing Policies on Elementary School English Language Learners in Arizona Wayne E. Wright University of Texas, San Antonio Daniel Choi Arizona State University Wright, W. E., & Choi, D. (2006) . The impact of language and high-stakes testing policies on elementary school English language learners in Arizona. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 14(13). Retrieved [date] from [http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v14n13/](http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v14n13/) . Abstract This article reports the results of a survey of third-grade teachers of English Language Learners (ELLs) in Arizona regarding school language and accountability policies—Proposition 203, which restricts bilingual education and mandates sheltered English Immersion; the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB); and Arizona LEARNS, the state’s high-stakes testing and accountability program. The instrument, consisting of 126 survey questions plus open-ended interview question, was designed to obtain teacher’s views, to ascertain the impact of these polices, and to explore their effectiveness in improving the education of ELL students. The survey was administered via telephone to 40 teacher participants from different urban, rural and reservation schools across the state. Each participant represents the elementary school in their respective school district which has the largest population of ELL students. Analyses of both quantitative and qualitative data reveal that these policies have mostly resulted in confusion in schools throughout the state over what is and is not allowed, and what constitutes quality instruction for ELLs, that there is little evidence that such policies have led Readers are free to copy, display, and distribute this article, as long as the work is attributed to the author(s) and Education Policy Analysis Archives, it is distributed for noncommercial purposes only, and no alteration or transformation is made in the work. More details of this Creative Commons license are available at [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/. All](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/. All)[ ](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/. All)other uses must be approved by the author(s) or EPAA. EPAA is published jointly by the Mary Lou Fulton College of Education at Arizona State University and the College of Education at the University of South Florida. Articles are indexed by H.W. Wilson & Co. Please contribute commentary at [http://epaa.info/wordpress/ and](http://epaa.info/wordpress/ and) send errata notes to Sherman Dorn ([epaa-editor@shermandorn.com](epaa-editor@shermandorn.com)). to improvements in the education of ELL students, and that these policies may be causing more harm than good. Specifically, teachers report they have been given little to no guidance over what constitutes sheltered English immersion, and provide evidence that most ELL students in their schools are receiving mainstream sink-or-swim instruction. In terms of accountability, while the overwhelming majority of teachers support the general principle, they believe that high-stakes tests are inappropriate for ELLs and participants provided evidence that the focus on testing is leading to instruction practices for ELLs which fail to meet their unique linguistic and academic needs. The article concludes with suggestions for needed changes to improve the quality of education for ELLs in Arizona. Keywords: English language learners; high-stakes testing; accountability; Proposition 203; No Child Left Behind; bilingual education; sheltered English Immersion; Arizona. El Impacto de el lenguaje de las políticas de examinación de grandes consecuencias en los estudiantes de escuelas primarias que estánaprendiendo ingles como

FAQs

Which Arizona and federal policies does the article examine for ELL instruction and accountability?

It examines Arizona’s Proposition 203, the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), and Arizona LEARNS, the state’s high-stakes testing and accountability program.

How was the survey administered and who participated?

The survey was administered by telephone to 40 third-grade teachers of English Language Learners from different urban, rural, and reservation schools across Arizona.

What overall impact do the analyses report for these high-stakes testing and language policies?

The analyses find that the policies largely led to confusion about allowed practices and what quality instruction for ELLs entails, with little evidence of improved education and indications that the policies may be causing more harm than good.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dawugda