Why?
Over the past two decades, Alabama has experienced over a 400 percent increase in the English learner (EL) student population. During this time, disparities have existed between ELs and non-ELs on the National Assessment of Education Progress and statewide assessments in reading and math. Teachers and leaders need access to research and evidence-based practices to improve academic outcomes for ELs and close the achievement gap. In response, Alabama identified the need to develop and implement a Framework for EL Success to support educators with tools for implementing high-quality instruction for ELs.
What?
Over the last four years, the Region 7 Comprehensive Center (R7CC) has provided technical assistance to the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) to co-develop and implement the Alabama Framework for EL Success, improving systems and creating shifts in practice to better meet the needs of EL students and teachers and the leaders who support them. During this process, the R7CC team continues to support the state with:
- Providing evidence-based practices and research to inform the development of the Framework and its theory of action.
- Co-developing and implementing a Framework Implementation Action Plan.
- Co-developing High-Quality Instruction and Assessment (HQIA) Guidance for ELs and aligned training and coaching tools.
- Supporting regional EL specialists and ALSDE with the implementation of HQIA at the school level using continuous improvement practices for refining and improving HQIA.
- Providing research and evidence-based resources for the co-development of an EL coaching toolkit to support the regional EL specialists.
- Progress monitoring and revising the Framework Implementation Action Plan for sustainability.
Impact?
The collaboration between ALSDE and R7CC will result in sustainable change, including:
- A system for monitoring and evaluating the Framework for EL Success.
- A refined and scalable professional learning system for HQIA for ELs.
- State and regional staff with the capacity to implement and evaluate HQIA for ELs.
Links
- Alabama Framework for EL Success
- Using Professional Learning Communities to Implement Evidence-Based Practices for English Learner Students in Alabama
- A Model of Collaboration Between REL Southeast and the Region 7 Comprehensive Center to Strengthen Alabama’s English Learner Outcomes
- Participation of English Learners in the National Assessment of Educational Progress Opportunity and Inclusivity
- Aligning English Language Proficiency Standards with Content-Area Standards: A Case for Developing Meaningful State Assessment Systems for Multilingual Learners