PROVIDENCE – Less than 4% of multilingual learners across Rhode Island are achieving English-language proficiency, according to results from the R.I. Department of Education’s 2020 ACCESS 2.0 assessment released Dec. 9.
The assessment, RIDE said, measures students’ academic skills with the English language and was administered earlier this year prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The assessment offers insight into students’ performance from the prior year, RIDE said.
Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green in a statement called the results “devastating” and said the data shows that equity gaps persist in Rhode Island. Additionally, the system, Infante-Green said, undervalues what each multilingual learner brings to the school community.
“We need to increase the student supports and teacher resources needed to address this systemic challenge, which should include a clear blueprint of success for every multilingual learner,” Infante-Green said.
More than 15,500 students participated in the assessment that was conducted in February, RIDE said. Of that total, about 13,000 were economically disadvantaged and approximately half were from Providence.
RIDE said the assessment also indicates that the population of multilingual learners has increased in the state. Such a student population, RIDE said, has required in-person learning by the department and local education agency leaders during the 2020-21 school year because of the type of instruction delivery these students need.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
