Date of Conferral

2-13-2025

Degree

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

School

Education

Advisor

Andrea Wilson

Abstract

School districts are required to identify emergent bilingual (EB) students, provide appropriate bilingual education programs, and assess language acquisition progress to ensure equal educational opportunity. The problem investigated in this study was that, in 2022, only 38% of the EB student population in Southwestern School District (SSD, a pseudonym) demonstrated progress in achieving English language proficiency in the composite scores of the TELPAS assessment that included listening, speaking, reading, and writing language domains. The Summit K-12 computerized intervention program was instituted by SSD to address EB student language development. Guided by Sparrow’s holistic biliteracy framework, the purpose of this quasi-experimental, ex post facto study was to determine whether there was a significant difference in Spring 2024 TELPAS composite scores for EB students with minimum, medium, or high usage levels of the Summit K-12 program when controlling for Spring 2023 TELPAS composite scores. Archival data for 2,246 EB students were analyzed using ANCOVA. Results indicated no significant difference in the 2024 TELPAS composite scores based on students’ Summit K-12 levels of usage after controlling for 2023 TELPAS scores (p = .103) suggesting that the amount of time EB students spent using Summit K-12 did not differentially influence their performance on the TELPAS. Findings informed a policy recommendation prescribing an evidence-based practice approach to improving implementation of Summit K-12 by including rigorous professional development, enhanced data monitoring, and expanded stakeholder involvement. By strengthening the implementation of the intervention program, EB students are likely to experience stronger language acquisition growth thereby contributing to positive social change over time.

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