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Outcome Evaluation of the English for Speakers of Other Languages Program in Secondary Schools

Description:

This study examined the effects of instructional services provided through the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Program in secondary schools on English language acquisition and achievement in content areas in school years 2007-2008 through 2009-2010. Evidence showed that the majority of selected secondary grade cohorts and student sociodemographic subgroups made the annual progress toward English proficiency and attained the advanced English proficiency expected by the state. For both Maryland School Assessments subjects (reading and mathematics), Grade 8 ESOL students in 2008-2009, on average, significantly outperformed their peers in 2007−2008 after controlling for background characteristics.

Recommendations:

  • Continue to implement effective ESOL instructional services to ensure secondary students make consistent progress toward English language proficiency and attain the advanced English language proficiency level.
  • Provide more intensive English language instructional services to ESOL students in Grade 9, given that this grade level was least likely to meet the state's targets among all secondary grade levels.
  • Encourage ESOL students to take High School Assessment (HSA) tests when they have sufficient proficiency in English. This recommendation is based on positive and significant findings about the relationship between the odds of passing the HSA and student ESOL instructional levels.

    File Name: Eval_report_for_secondary_ESOL_outcomes.pdf (863 KB PDF)