HR1313 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1313 LRB095 21456 NHT 50934 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Illinois Measure of Annual Growth in English (IMAGE) Test was developed as a proficiency test and not as a test to measure student achievement relative to the Illinois Learning Standards (ILS); and

WHEREAS, The United States Department of Education has indicated through its peer review process that the IMAGE Test is no longer an acceptable achievement test for English Language Learner (ELL) students; and

WHEREAS, On February 15, 2008, the State Board of Education received notification from the U.S. Department of Education that the request for flexibility for ELL students made in a January 8th letter to the U.S. Department of Eduction was not approved; and

WHEREAS, The State Board of Education has not produced an acceptable replacement test to administer to students who are learning English; instead, the State Board of Education announced that the IMAGE Test will not be given in 2008 and that students with limited proficiency in English will take the same assessment test as English-speaking students; and

WHEREAS, Discontinuing the IMAGE Test or failing to implement a similar alternative examination will negatively impact students, schools, and districts throughout this State; assessment data may be swayed by poor test scores of students who simply do not understand English, resulting in schools or districts failing to meet federal standards; and

WHEREAS, The State Board of Education has offered a short term solution for 2008 that involves accommodations for the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) and the Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE), which include timing, scheduling, setting, and presentation; and

WHEREAS, The State Board of Education has proposed a 5-year English Language Learner Assessment Plan and a cost analysis for the development and implementation of a transadapted ISAT for math and science; and

WHEREAS, The 5-year English Language Learner Assessment Plan is a working document that must be flexible to accommodate changes in the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the peer review process, and new assessment requirements; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the State Board of Education to be responsible for communicating the lack of comparability of ELL assessment data to that of previous years to stakeholder groups and for denoting this on a school district's school report card under Section 10-17a of the School Code; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge the State Board of Education to work aggressively to implement the 5-year English Language Learner Assessment Plan; and be it further

RESOLVED, That as this plan is implemented, the State Board of Education recognize the importance of a comprehensive communication plan and aggressively pursue a dialogue with legislators, educators, students and their families, communities, and other stakeholder groups; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge the designation of appropriate resources needed to adequately address the assessment of ELL students; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the State Board of Education and the U.S. Department of Education.