English Language Arts

This report describes the results of two independent panels of English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics experts in adult education, community colleges, career education, and the military that were convened by MPR Associates to review the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The report provides a set of college and career readiness standards for ELA and math for adult students, based on the CCSS. It also describes how adult educators can use the CCSS to develop or revise current standards.

This study assessed the relationship between the English language arts and reading assessment scores of 11th grade students and their ability to both read and comprehend textbooks used in entry-level college English courses. Findings revealed a 75 percent comprehension level for students, and that 51 percent of students can read 95 percent of first-year English textbooks used in entry-level college classes. 

This study examines the efficacy of the curriculum in the Early Assessment Program (EAP) 12th grade Expository Reading and Writing Course (ERWC) on proficiency rates for non-proficient incoming freshman students. Survey data was collected from both teachers who received ERWC professional development and implemented at least two modules of the ERWC curriculum and a comparison group of teachers, along with assessment data.

This study examines the alignment of the American College Testing (ACT) and the American Diploma Project (ADP) national college readiness standards sets with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English language arts and reading (TEKS ELAR) standards for 9th-12th grade students, and their cognitive complexity. It was determined that a majority of the content in the ACT and ADP standards sets is addressed to some extent by the TEKS ELAR standards, and that the TEKS ELAR standards require higher levels of cognitive complexity than the other standards sets.

This technical brief by Uekawa, Merola, Fernandez, and Porowski presents a historical analysis of key indicators of dropout for Delaware students in grades 9-12. The authors identified three key indicators of dropouts: (1) students’ attendance; (2) students’ math course grades; and (3) students’ English language arts (ELA) course grades. They found that the greater the number of risk indicators among a group of students, the higher the rate of student dropout in that group.

This research by the Baltimore Education Research Consortium examined the drop out indicators from the Baltimore City Schools class of 2007. The authors identified chronic absence; failing English, or math, or both and/or a failing average for English, math science, and social studies; being at least one year overage; and being suspended for three or more days. This resource may be particularly useful for districts or schools looking to use drop out indicators in the middle grades to identify students in need of intervention efforts.

This study evaluates a sample of test questions used by institutions for placement into entry-level, credit-bearing courses in English and mathematics. The report summarizes the nature of the tests currently in use, discusses what states and institutes of higher education can do to adequately measure college readiness and align their tests with the state high school standards.

This series of fact sheets From Achieve provide strategies, key talking points and resources for discussing the college-and career-ready agenda. These resources may be most useful to state and local administrators in discussing the college and career readiness reforms within their state or district.