English Learners: Challenges in Assessment and the Promise of Curriculum-Based Measurement

Despite the growing body of research validating the use of curriculum-based measurement, few studies have focused on using this type of assessment with English learners. Proper assessment of English learners is essential for progress monitoring, determining language proficiency, predicting achievement, and identifying students with disabilities. However, because of linguistic and cultural factors, traditional norm-referenced standardized tests of achievement may not be valid for language minority students. In light of these issues, as well as the growing gap in achievement between language minority and language majority students, greater accountability in the education of English learners is needed. This article delineates some of the challenges in the assessment of English learners in schools, reviews studies that have used curriculum-based measurement with English learners, and outlines the usefulness of such an approach as part of a problem-solving model with this population. Limitations and areas for future research related to the use of curriculum-based measurement with English learners are also presented.