Thursday, February 19, 2004 Posted: 11:06 AM EST (1606 GMT)
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Schools are getting more flexibility in how they test and
measure the progress of students with limited English skills as the Bush
administration again tries to address concerns over the government's education
overhaul.
//overhaul:〔修理{しゅうり}・改良{かいりょう}などのための〕分解修理{ぶんかい しゅうり}、総点検{そう てんけん}、徹底的調査{てってい てき
ちょうさ}
A policy announced Thursday offers two broad changes for some of the 5.5 million public school students learning English as a second language. In turn, many districts and schools may find it easier to make yearly progress goals and avoid federal penalties under the No Child Left Behind Law.
//yearly :【形】年1回の、1年の、
In their first year at a U.S. school, students with limited English skills will be allowed to take only a test in how well they know the language. Schools could count these students toward meeting the law's test participation rate, but their reading and math scores would not have to count in school performance.
The goal is to give teachers and students more time for English instruction. But the change will take pressure off schools that get poverty aid and face penalties for failing to show enough gains among students in major racial, ethnic and other subgroups.
//take the pressure off ~の負担{ふたん}を取り除く
The second change will allow schools to consider students as having limited English skills for as long as two years after these students become proficient and leave the language program.
The point is to address a common complaint from states and schools: that English learners will never show enough math or reading achievement because their group includes only students further behind, not the ones who improve and leave it.
effective enough to train