Full Report - Center for Collaborative Education
Full Report - Center for Collaborative Education Full Report - Center for Collaborative Education
Table 32. Annual High School Dropout Rates of LEP students in ELL programs by English Proficiency Level. BPS, SY2009. LEP LEP MEPA Test Takers 1 Level 12 Level 23 Level 34 Level 45 Rate of English Proficient Annual High School Dropout Rates 7.0% All 6.6% 9.2% 7.4% 5.3% 2.9% LEPs Not in an ELL Program 8.7% 12.2% 6 13.0% 6 9.7% 4.3% LEPs In ELL Program7 5.9% 9.0% 6.4% 3.5% 2.3% SEI 6.5% 10.4% 7.1% 3.8% 2.6% Other bilingual (TBE and SIFE) 1.2% 2 3.0% 2 0% 0% 0% Note:. 1 The differences in the high school dropout rates between the following groups of LEP students were significant: in and not in programs (p=.006, minimal effect size); SEI and other bilingual programs (p=.001, minimal effect size); SEI and not in program (p=.038, minimal effect size); and other bilingual program and not in program (p=.000, small effect size). 2 The differences in the high school dropout rates between the following groups of LEP students scoring at MEPA Level 1 were significant: SEI and other bilingual program (p=.021, small effect size) and other bilingual program and not in program (p=.047, small effect size). 3 The differences in the high school dropout rates between LEP students scoring at MEPA Level 2 in different programs were not significant. 4 Differences in the high school dropout rates between the following groups of LEP students scoring at MEPA Level 3 were significant: in and not in programs (p=.000, small effect size); SEI and not in program (p=.000, small effect size); and other bilingual and not in program (p=.034, small effect size). 5 Differences in the high school dropout rates of LEP students scoring at MEPA Level 4 were not significant when comparing by ELL program type. 6 Represents less than 10 students. 7 Not all ELL programs appear here because (a) there are no Two-Way programs in high schools and (b) this analysis is based on SIMS data which does not disaggregate SEI programs or other bilingual programs. ! IN DEPTH: A Brief Look at LEP Dropouts and MCAS Participation in a high-stakes testing regime, especially where graduation depends on testing outcomes, is often mentioned as a precipitant of dropout behavior among students in reaction to fear of the tests or to having failed them. We explore this question by conducting a small retrospective cohort study of twelfth grade LEP students who dropped out in SY2009 and observing their Grade 10 MCAS testing outcomes in the three years that preceded the dropout behavior (i.e., tests taken at any point between Grades 10 and 12, as is possible under the MCAS system). All were BPS students for the whole study period. Forty-nine LEP twelfth graders dropped out in SY2009. Of these dropouts: • 10.2% (5 students) dropped out in twelfth grade having never taken neither the tenth grade MCAS ELA nor the tenth grade MCAS Math exams between SY2006-SY2009. • 22.4% (11) passed both the Grade 10 MCAS ELA and Grade 10MCAS Math exams at some point during the period SY2006-SY2009. • 63.2% (31) failed one or both tenth grade MCAS ELA and Math exams. + 22.4% (11) of the dropouts dropped out having failed both the Grade 10 MCAS ELA and Grade 10 MCAS Math exams. + 10.2% (5) dropped out having failed one Grade 10 MCAS exam and having never taken the other Grade 10 MCAS exam. + 30.6% (15) dropped out having taken both exams but only having passed one of them (5 passed ELA, 10 passed Math). This indicates that a much higher percentage of LEP dropouts in SY2009 had failed one or both MCAS tests required for graduation. 60 Improving Educational Outcomes of English Language Learners in Schools and Programs in Boston Public Schools
In Sum This chapter has focused on a critical issue in regard to the education of LEP students: their high rates of dropping out. Between SY2006 and SY2009, the dropout rates of high school students declined substantially; by SY2009, the high school dropout rate of LEP students was lower than that of English proficient students. Among LEP students, the largest proportion of dropouts (53.2%) left school in the late high school grades. Many of the factors associated in the literature with higher rates of dropping out in high school (and for which data were available) have been reviewed here. For example, in our review of the interaction of demographic factors and dropout behavior among LEP students we found that differences in gender, income, and mobility were found to be significant in the dropout rates of LEP students in high school. English proficiency was also a factor; higher rates of dropping out were found among the students scoring at the lowest levels of MEPA performance. Comparisons of the characteristics and behavior of LEP high school students who dropped out with those of students who remained in school, showed that among dropouts there was a higher proportion of males; of those who were not eligible for free or reduced price lunch (not low-income); of native speakers of Spanish and Portuguese; of mobile students; of students with disabilities; and students scoring at MEPA Levels 1 and 2, as compared to LEP students who did not drop out. All of these differences, except for disability, were found to be statistically significant. LEP students who dropped out of high school in SY2009 had a significantly lower median attendance rate and significantly higher out-of-school suspension and retention rates than those who did not drop out. Factors related to schools characteristics and program participation were also reviewed and some proved to be significant in the dropout rates of LEP students. For example, the high school dropout rate is lower among LEP students enrolled in ELL programs than among those in programs not for ELLs. The same is true across LEP students at all levels of English proficiency. Dropout rates among students not in ELL programs are particularly high among those scoring at the lower levels of MEPA. Finally, differences in a school’s LEP density, accountability status, and teacher qualifications were found to be significant in relation to the dropout rate of LEP high school students. 1 We are not able to test some of these variables because of the unavailability of data. Tung et al. show a slightly higher high school dropout rate (12.1%) in SY2006 than the data used for this study showed for the same year. 2 For a description of the methodology used to assess the dropout rates for this study and for a comparison of MDESE dropout data for Boston with that produced by the database developed for this project, see Appendix 1. Information on the dropout rates of sub-populations of English proficient students can be found in Appendix 2. Improving Educational Outcomes of English Language Learners in Schools and Programs in Boston Public Schools 61
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Table 32. Annual High School Dropout Rates of LEP students in ELL programs by English Proficiency Level.<br />
BPS, SY2009.<br />
LEP<br />
LEP MEPA Test Takers<br />
1<br />
Level 12 Level 23 Level 34 Level 45 Rate of English Proficient<br />
Annual High School Dropout Rates<br />
7.0%<br />
All 6.6% 9.2% 7.4% 5.3% 2.9%<br />
LEPs Not in an ELL Program 8.7% 12.2% 6 13.0% 6 9.7% 4.3%<br />
LEPs In ELL Program7 5.9% 9.0% 6.4% 3.5% 2.3%<br />
SEI 6.5% 10.4% 7.1% 3.8% 2.6%<br />
Other bilingual (TBE and SIFE) 1.2% 2 3.0% 2 0% 0% 0%<br />
Note:. 1 The differences in the high school dropout rates between the following groups of LEP students were significant: in and not in<br />
programs (p=.006, minimal effect size); SEI and other bilingual programs (p=.001, minimal effect size); SEI and not in program (p=.038,<br />
minimal effect size); and other bilingual program and not in program (p=.000, small effect size). 2 The differences in the high school dropout<br />
rates between the following groups of LEP students scoring at MEPA Level 1 were significant: SEI and other bilingual program (p=.021,<br />
small effect size) and other bilingual program and not in program (p=.047, small effect size). 3 The differences in the high school dropout<br />
rates between LEP students scoring at MEPA Level 2 in different programs were not significant. 4 Differences in the high school dropout<br />
rates between the following groups of LEP students scoring at MEPA Level 3 were significant: in and not in programs (p=.000, small effect<br />
size); SEI and not in program (p=.000, small effect size); and other bilingual and not in program (p=.034, small effect size). 5 Differences in<br />
the high school dropout rates of LEP students scoring at MEPA Level 4 were not significant when comparing by ELL program type. 6<br />
Represents less than 10 students. 7 Not all ELL programs appear here because (a) there are no Two-Way programs in high schools and<br />
(b) this analysis is based on SIMS data which does not disaggregate SEI programs or other bilingual programs.<br />
!<br />
IN DEPTH:<br />
A Brief Look at LEP Dropouts and MCAS<br />
Participation in a high-stakes testing regime, especially where graduation depends on testing<br />
outcomes, is often mentioned as a precipitant of dropout behavior among students in reaction<br />
to fear of the tests or to having failed them. We explore this question by conducting a<br />
small retrospective cohort study of twelfth grade LEP students who dropped out in SY2009<br />
and observing their Grade 10 MCAS testing outcomes in the three years that preceded the<br />
dropout behavior (i.e., tests taken at any point between Grades 10 and 12, as is possible<br />
under the MCAS system). All were BPS students <strong>for</strong> the whole study period.<br />
Forty-nine LEP twelfth graders dropped out in SY2009. Of these dropouts:<br />
• 10.2% (5 students) dropped out in twelfth grade having never taken neither the tenth<br />
grade MCAS ELA nor the tenth grade MCAS Math exams between SY2006-SY2009.<br />
• 22.4% (11) passed both the Grade 10 MCAS ELA and Grade 10MCAS Math exams at<br />
some point during the period SY2006-SY2009.<br />
• 63.2% (31) failed one or both tenth grade MCAS ELA and Math exams.<br />
+ 22.4% (11) of the dropouts dropped out having failed both the Grade 10 MCAS ELA<br />
and Grade 10 MCAS Math exams.<br />
+ 10.2% (5) dropped out having failed one Grade 10 MCAS exam and having never<br />
taken the other Grade 10 MCAS exam.<br />
+ 30.6% (15) dropped out having taken both exams but only having passed one of<br />
them (5 passed ELA, 10 passed Math).<br />
This indicates that a much higher percentage of LEP dropouts in SY2009 had failed one or<br />
both MCAS tests required <strong>for</strong> graduation.<br />
60 Improving <strong>Education</strong>al Outcomes of English Language Learners in Schools and Programs in Boston Public Schools