Accommodating Students With Disabilities on State English Language Proficiency Assessments

All English language learners (ELLs) are to participate in an annual assessment of English language proficiency (ELP) under Title III of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This includes ELLs with disabilities, regardless of whether they are high-incidence disabilities (e.g., learning disability) or low-incidence disabilities (e.g., deaf or hard of hearing). This article summarizes findings from a national study of state ELP accommodation policies for ELLs with disabilities on these state assessments. It highlights the policy differences across states in the accommodations offered and also provides information on state-specific policies. Several recommendations based on the analysis are provided.