CTB/McGraw-Hill Language Proficiency Consortium Examines Latest English Language Learner Issues

MONTEREY, Calif., Dec. 14, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The CTB/McGraw-Hill English Language Proficiency Collaboration and Research Consortium (ELPCRC) has completed their first annual 2010 Summit, convened to discuss English Language Learning (ELL) issues and challenges. The Summit focused on today's critical initiatives, including alignment of ELL programs to the Common Core Standards, strategies for 21st Century Skills, tools and methods for identification of ELL students, and future development of ELL resources.

"The annual Summit is a forum for achieving tighter collaboration between CTB and its customers," said Ellen Haley, president of CTB/McGraw-Hill. "Participants share their experiences, with the common goal of improving consistency, uniformity and quality in their ELL programs. CTB, in its role as facilitator, receives practical feedback that we can use to advance ELL education though LAS Links®, CTB's integrated system of English language proficiency assessments and instructional tools."

Formed in 2007, the English Language Proficiency Collaboration and Research Consortium -- which includes member states Colorado, Connecticut, Indiana, Maryland, and Nevada -- is a means for educators to pool resources towards the improvement of ELL testing and instruction. Consortium members utilize CTB/McGraw-Hill's LAS Links English language assessment for Federal Title III reporting of Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAO) in their English as a Second Language programs. LAS Links is used by schools and districts nationwide to meet federal, state and local requirements for English Language Learners, including initial placement and progress monitoring.

The 2010 Consortium Summit was attended by state-level representatives from Colorado and Nevada, and district-level representatives from Texas and Florida. CTB/McGraw-Hill hosted the Summit, and serves as a non-voting, supporting member of the Consortium.

The primary outcomes of the meeting included:

• evaluation of the requirements that will be needed to align ELL solutions with Common Core State Standards;
• development of an ELL products and services roadmap incorporating user feedback; and
• demonstration of an online English language proficiency assessment launched in China that incorporates speech recognition technology.

The Consortium was also informed of CTB's English Language Learner Assessment Panel, which is a CTB advisory group comprising industry experts that will contribute to the continuing development of LAS Links. For more information about the Consortium, visit elpcrc.org.

About LAS Links®

LAS Links is designed to strengthen English language learning (ELL) programs with an integrated system of English language proficiency assessments and instructional tools. LAS Links addresses all language assessment needs -- from gauging the abilities of new students and measuring their progress to lesson plans, instructional tools, and training materials. LAS Links can be used to quickly and accurately place students into the appropriate bilingual and ELL programs, and help monitor student progress. The LAS Links product family includes benchmark assessments, K-12 assessments, and placement tests. For more information, visit CTB.com/LASLinks.

About CTB/McGraw-Hill

CTB/McGraw-Hill has an 85-year record of innovation and excellence in assessment, and serves more than 18 million students in all 50 states and in 46 countries. One of the first American publishers to introduce objective, standardized achievement tests to schools, today CTB/McGraw-Hill is a leader in testing with recognized products for online formative, adult, and language proficiency assessment. Dedicated to advancing the use of student performance data to inform instructional decision making, CTB/McGraw-Hill's innovation continues today with technologies that include Web-based assessment and reporting, student response device (clicker) software, and artificial intelligence for automated scoring of student essays. CTB/McGraw-Hill is part of McGraw-Hill Education, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP). McGraw-Hill Education is a leading global provider of instructional, assessment and reference solutions that empower professionals and students of all ages. For more information, visit www.CTB.com.

SOURCE CTB/McGraw-Hill