Maricopa USD’s ELL testing cited in national publication

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In the October 2007 edition of the nationally distributed District Administration -The Magazine for K-12 Educational Leaders, Maricopa Unified School District was mentioned in a special report entitled “ELL TESTING: A State of Flux.”

The article focused on schools nationwide and the efforts of districts to grapple with federal mandates and assessment options for English Language Learners (ELL). Maricopa Unified was briefly cited for the District’s program to test preschool children’s English and language skills using Children’s Progress, a company that provides computerized assessments for pre-K and kindergarten children.

Under direction from Superintendent Dr. John Flores, the District has made the assessment of both non-English and English speaking children a critical part of the orientation process. English language acquisition is a key component for the academic success of all students and programs like Children’s Progress help school personnel accurately and systematically gauge formative language skills.