It is frustrating to constantly read things like this that lack nuance. Yes, some EL students in the past were placed in ESL classes that were one higher than their ELD level. This is because the teachers who work with them and know them realize that a test like ACCESS doesn’t tell the whole story. We have had ELs who score a 3 on the ACCESS who arrived in the first grade, speak English fluently, and have a reading disability. These kids don’t need an ESL class, they need more special education support. In the past, a teacher was able to bring together evidence showing this, and the student was able to get the reading support needed instead of an ESL class. This school year, because of this report and the state, we cannot and the student suffers. Or sometimes the student just doesn’t take ACCESS seriously and goofs off, now they have a score lower than their actual English level. Again, teachers know this and want to put students in the correct ESL classes…but now we can’t because outsiders don’t understand the nuance of teaching.

u/BostonGlobe it would be more helpful to paint a complete picture versus always trashing on BPS with a small summary. Rather than trying to inform the people of Boston, you chose to post this here and also in a SchoolSystemsBroke subreddit?!