43 percent of GUSD English language learners reach proficiency
on state assessment
Gilroy – A total of 43 percent of Gilroy Unified School District’s English learners were ranked advanced or early advanced on the California English Language Development Test compared to 47 percent statewide, according to results released this week.
“I am pleased to see that nearly half of our English learners are scoring at the top proficiency levels,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell said in a written statement. “As English learners become more proficient in English they are more likely to become more successful in their academic subjects.”
In the 2004-2005 school year, about 45 percent of the 2,485 EL students tested in Gilroy scored at either the advanced or early advanced level. But O’Connell said schools should tread carefully when making year-to-year comparisons because the population of EL students can change dramatically.
That’s what happened at Eliot Elementary School. When the new building was built and the district switched over to neighborhood schools, the number of EL students increased. In some cases they had a gain of 20 percent or more, said Principal Diane Elia.
Before moving to the east side of Gilroy, they had a total of 35 EL students, she said. And because the district allowed students and their siblings to remain at the school, even when the boundaries were amended the numbers will continue to rise for two more years.
The CELDT. which assesses kindergartner and first grader’s listening and speaking skills and listening, speaking, reading and writing skills for grades second through 12, was given to 2,485 English learners students throughout the district and 1.3 million students statewide.
This is the fifth year the state has required school districts to annually assess all EL students with one state test. California schools have the largest number of EL students.
For more information log onto http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr06/yr06rel19.asp
