Giving Compass' Take:

• Michelle Berkeley explains how adaptive diagnostic tools can be used to improve education and provide strategies for English learners. 

• How can funders help districts improve their services for English learners? 

• Read a guide to finding and understanding English learner data. 

While we know generally that the EL student population is growing, we dove into the data to get a better sense of the urgency in making targeted efforts to better support these students. According to the U.S. Department of Education data collected in 2009-2010 and 2014-2015, the percentage of EL students increased in more than half the states, and increased over 40% in five states. By 2014-2015, there were over 4.8 million ELs in the country – which equates to roughly 10% of the total K-12 population. More staggering is the rate at which this population is expected to grow; according to the National Education Association, ELs are the fastest-growing student population group and are expected to comprise an estimated 25% of the public school student population by 2025. While ELs represent all races and ethnicities and over 400 spoken languages, a vast majority (more than 75%) of these students are Hispanic and Spanish-speaking.

Adaptive diagnostic tools identify areas of greatest need and assist teachers in translating assessment data into personalized instruction. Teachers receive clear results and data-based insights into what the student is and is not able to do and the appropriate next steps regarding the placement of a student and where to focus instruction.

Read the full article about adaptive diagnostic tools for English learners by Michelle Berkeley at Getting Smart.