Justificación del Control Interno en la Administración Pública 47

as LEP 23.1% 16.2% 14.1% 16.4%

B. % of NSOL Identified as LEP 54.2% 38.9% 34.0% 39.8%

C. Percent Change in LEP

Identification AY2003-2004 AY2003-2005 AY2003-2006 Of BPS -32.0% -42.8% -33.9%

In Elementary School -22.2% -29.5% -16.3%

In Middle School -42.4% -54.5% -47.2%

In High School -40.4% -55.4% -51.5%

D. LEP Enrollment by

Grade Level AY2003 AY2004 AY2005 AY2006 In Elementary School 47.8% 54.7% 59.0% 60.6%

In Middle School 17.0% 14.4% 13.5% 13.6%

The pattern of decline in the LEP enrollments varied across grade levels. The proportion at the elementary level increased from 47.8% in AY2003 to 60.6% in AY2006 (Table 4, D). This increase took place in the context of relatively stable overall elementary enrollments, suggesting that LEP students are becoming more prevalent in the enrollment at the elemen- tary level. But in terms of absolute numbers over time, the enrollment of LEP students in elementary school actually decreased by 16.3% in the period of observation.

The proportion of LEPs in both the middle and high school levels decreased. The decrease was most salient in high school, where the percent of LEPs decreased from 35.2% to 25.8% between AY2003 to AY2006; this represented a decline of 51.5% (Table 4, C and D). In both middle school and high school, there was a continuous decline across the four years (with a minimal recovery in middle school enrollments in AY2006). The decline in middle school enrollments in this population happened in a context of declining enrollments at this level in the district. The reverse was true in the case of LEP high school enrollments, where the decline in LEP enrollments took place in the context of the expansion of enroll- ments at this level in the district, signaling that LEPs were becoming a smaller cohort within this population.

The dimension and pervasiveness of the decline in LEP identification is one of the salient findings of this study of ELs in Boston post–Question 2. Given the much lesser decline in NSOL enrollments, the decline in LEPs cannot be attributed solely to declines in this popula- tion. Problems with the consistency in the coding of LEPs, reviewed in the implementation section of this report, may also affect the representation of LEPs in the data examined here, but not to the extent exhibited by the decline in LEPs for the district. Evidence of this is the fact that after AY2005, when the district addressed proactively its data problems by integrating a consistent “LEP code” to the district’s database, the numbers of LEPs identified remained well below the numbers identified in AY2003.

Interviews and documentary review point to other institutional factors that may be related to the decline in LEP identification. Specifically they point to mis-identification because of (1) the mis-assessment of students at the Family Resource Centers (FRCs) and (2) parents withholding information on native language and language use. The Family Resource Centers are BPS’ one-stop enrollment and assessment center. Their assessments of English proficiency were based on listening and speaking tests and not the complete battery of testing, which includes reading and writing assessments.46 _{This would tend to under-identify students not} capable of classroom work in English, which requires reading and writing skills that NSOL students, even those with strong verbal English ability, may not possess. In AY2004, the Newcomer Center was developed and charged with the assessment of high school students, but FRCs continued to conduct assessments for middle school and elementary school stu- dents through the observation period.

Parents were also a source of mis-identification. Interviews suggest that, because of the confusion during the initial implementation of the language programs, parents over-reported the use of English in the home in order to avoid having their children designated as LEP students and placed in SEI programs. Both these situations would lead to under-identifying LEP students.47

3. Participation of Students of Limited English Proficiency in BPS Programs

Students of limited English proficiency are enrolled in programs for English Learners and in General Education programs in BPS. The process of assignment involves the assessment of a student’s English ability as well as the assignment to a program for English Learners. Once assessed to be eligible for these programs, students can be assigned to the “default” program two-way or literacy programs. But LEP students are also found in General Education programs as they transition from programs for English Learners, or if their parents “opt out” of their children’s participation in these programs. Across the four years of observation, LEPs enrolled most frequently in programs for English Learners.

In this section we explore the enrollment of limited English proficiency students in programs for English Learners and in General Education programs. We end with a presentation of their participation in Special Education programs.

Table 5. enRollmentof StuDentSof limiteD engliSh PRoficiency. boSton Public SchoolS,

ay2003–ay2006

AY2003 AY2004 AY2005 AY2006

A. LEP 14,720 10,005 8,413 9,726

B. In General Ed 5,053 4,013 2,881 1,112

C. In EL Programs 9,667 5,992 5,532 8,614

3.1 Participation in Programs for English Learners

The participation of students of limited English proficiency in programs for English Learners declined from 9,667 students in AY2003 to 8,614 students in AY2006, a decline of 10.9% (Table 5, C). The decline in the proportion of students enrolled in EL programs followed a similar pattern to that observed previously, that is, a swift decline in the first two years of implementation, followed by a recovery in the third that did not reach the level of enroll- ment observed in the baseline period (Table 6, A). By AY2006, 88.6% of LEPs were enrolled in EL programs, compared to 65.7% in AY2003 (Table 6, B). This increase signals an improved process of placement on the part of BPS. The enrollments in EL programs in elementary schools and high schools increased to the greatest extent (Table 6, B). But numerically, all levels suffered a decline (Table 6, C).

Table 6. enRollmentin PRogRamSfoR engliSh leaRneRS. SelecteD PoPulationS. boSton

Public SchoolS, ay2003–ay2006

AY2003 AY2004 AY2005 AY2006