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How a district turned real-time data into action for every English learner
Blog
How a district turned real-time data into action for every English learner
What your colleagues are saying after their first year of Ellevation Benchmark
If you’re considering Ellevation Benchmark for your district, you’re not alone. EL administrators across the country are turning to Benchmark to bring timely, real data into their English Learner programs. Below, one of your peers – an EL administrator who incorporated Benchmark into their EL program across 13 buildings – shares her experience in her own words.
Her story is organized around the themes that matter most to EL leaders: ease of implementation, teacher buy-in, actionable data, and impact on instruction.
Ease of implementation and low disruption
One of the biggest concerns for any new assessment tool is ensuring implementation and training is straightforward.
“There was no disruption. The assessments could be done during instruction time. It was quick, it was easy, and…the students knew what to do.”
— EL Administrator
Her district scheduled a two-week window for teachers to administer assessments across all four domains. Looking ahead, she notes another benefit, “Coming up, we are not going to test the students in all four domains—which is another awesome thing that we love. If they are a Level 6 in Listening, they shouldn’t be tested again.”
Teacher buy-in and confidence
Getting teachers on board with a new assessment can be a challenge. This administrator found that Ellevation’s familiar interface and responsive support made securing teacher-buy in easy. “My teachers said, ‘I’m so glad we have this! It’s honestly that easy for the kids, for us.’ The teachers would bring their data to their student support meetings…[and they] felt prepared. I have English Learners in 13 different buildings. The teachers did not feel frustrated; every time we emailed Ellevation, they got right back. It’s like they were there with us.”
Real-time, actionable data to track ELD progress
Timely data has long been a gap in EL instruction. Benchmark changes that equation, “In the EL world, we need to move toward more data-informed instruction, but we don’t have timely data to do so. With Benchmark, having the real-time data helps to see what’s happening with the student [and] helps me and my teachers identify what is happening during student support meetings. General content teachers have been in awe to see that they can see real-life data and how they can search for the target domain and the strategy that supports it. It’s making an impact.”
Connecting data to instruction
Data is only as valuable as what teachers do with it in the classroom. Benchmark integrates directly with Ellevation Strategies to close the loop between assessment and action:
“During data meetings, we were able to bring data and focus on strengths, areas of opportunity, and what teachers can do to target one domain. Teachers then used Ellevation Strategies and selected a strategy that would target that domain…It’s a way for me to hold my teachers and myself accountable. When I go observe, I know what to look for.”
— EL Administrator
Breaking down silos between EL & general ed
A recurring challenge in EL programs is ensuring general education teachers feel equipped and included. Benchmark helped bridge that gap. The EL administrator said, “The biggest challenge has been ELs in the general content area. Teachers don’t know how to support them. Everyone, including general content teachers, has access to Ellevation. Now they feel like a part of the team and see how they can best help. It helps break down the silos that existed between teams.”
KEY takeaways for EL administrators
Ellevation Benchmark is driving greater measurement and progress capabilities for districts like this one. Here's what you can expect when you choose it for tracking ELD progress in your district:
Minimal disruption to instruction—assessments can be embedded into existing class time
Teachers feel prepared and supported, with responsive help from the Ellevation team
Real-time data and insights into ELD that make student support meetings more focused and productive
A direct link between assessment results and instructional strategies via Ellevation Strategies
Increased ownership and inclusion for general education teachers who serve ELs
A built-in accountability structure for administrators during classroom observations