English Proficiency Testing Has Improved, National Report Shows

English Language Proficiency Assessment in the Nation

Standardized testing that seeks to measure students’ English language proficiency has improved significantly nationwide since 2001, when Congress passed the No Child Left Behind Act, according to “English Language Proficiency Assessment in the Nation: Current Status and Future Practice,” a report edited by Professor Jamal Abedi in November 2007. Such testing plays a critical role in the academic success of the nation’s estimated 5 million English language learners.

The No Child Left Behind Act mandated reliable, valid annual assessments of students’ English proficiency. In response, the U.S. Department of Education awarded grants to four consortia of states in 2002, and directed each to create and field-test a state-of-the-art assessment. The full report is available here (in pdf format).