Turning Test Scores into Teaching Strategies to Transform Classroom Practice

Interpreting Assessment Results to Drive Instructional Shifts

As an ELD educator in California, the experience with the divergent English Language Proficiency Assessment for California (ELPAC) and Star Renaissance scores sharpened my focus on how different assessments reveal different aspects of student learning. While ELPAC data helped me identify gains in oral language development, the Star data highlighted a persistent gap in academic reading skills. This contrast emphasized the importance of not treating any single data point in isolation. Instead, triangulating data across multiple assessments allows for a more nuanced understanding of student needs, particularly for English learners who may demonstrate strengths in conversational fluency while still developing academic language proficiency.

After identifying the discrepancy, I intentionally restructured my literacy blocks to include more scaffolded reading opportunities. For instance, I implemented reciprocal teaching strategies where students would practice predicting, clarifying, questioning, and summarizing texts in small groups. These approaches are supported by research indicating that explicit strategy instruction improves reading comprehension, especially for multilingual learners and struggling readers¹. I also incorporated sentence frames and graphic organizers to help students internalize academic vocabulary and conceptual structures. This shift not only aligned with data findings but also made classroom instruction more inclusive and accessible for my junior high students, many of whom are navigating the complexities of grade-level texts while still acquiring academic English.

Collaborative Use of Data for Instructional Planning

One of the most effective practices I’ve adopted is using assessment data as a tool for collaboration with colleagues. When planning interdisciplinary units, I bring ELPAC and California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) data to our professional learning community meetings to identify shared students who may need additional support. For example, if a student shows strength in listening and speaking but low scores in reading comprehension, I work with science and social studies teachers to co-design scaffolds like visual aids, sentence starters, and guided reading questions aligned to their content. This cross-curricular approach ensures students are not just supported in English Language Development (ELD) time but throughout their academic day.

This collaborative use of standardized data aligns with state-level guidance. The California English Learner Roadmap, for instance, encourages educators to use assessment data collaboratively to inform instruction and promote equitable outcomes for English learners². By embedding data discussions into our weekly planning routines, we’ve created a culture where assessment is viewed not as a compliance exercise, but as a shared resource for improving teaching and learning. This has helped build a more coherent instructional program across grade levels and subject areas. In junior high, where students navigate multiple teachers and shifting expectations, this consistency is especially important for supporting ELs across content areas.

Balancing Standardized Data with Formative Assessment

While standardized assessments provide essential benchmarks, I place equal value on formative assessments conducted during instruction. Exit tickets,