Variation in Teacher Contributions to EL-Classified Students’ Performance on Standardized English Language Arts and English Language Proficiency Assessments

Abstract

Teacher quality is positioned as a critical element of education systems. However, studies that attempt to quantify the variation in teacher effectiveness and implications of this variation for student performance typically overlook the nuances of EL education that likely impact conclusions about teachers’ roles in shaping EL-classified students’ educational outcomes. Specifically, the provision of additional instruction on the English language is not explicitly addressed in examinations of teachers’ unique contributions to EL-classified students’ academic performance, nor do examinations of teacher contributions to student outcomes include English language proficiency as an outcome. Addressing these gaps can inform our conceptual understanding of how different sources of instruction throughout the education process contribute to variability in measured academic and linguistic performance among EL-classified students. In this study, using statewide data for Oregon EL-classified students who are in grades 6-8 and enrolled in both an English language development (ELD) and English language arts (ELA) class, I explored the extent to which variation is measured across ELA and ELD teachers in their contributions to EL-classified students’ performance on ELA and ELP assessments. I find that variation in both ELA and ELD teachers' instructional effectiveness, as proxied through changes in students' test scores, has implications for EL-classified students' ELA and English language proficiency performance. The variation is larger for teachers' own subject. This highlights the important role that content and language teachers play in supporting EL-classified students language and literacy development.