July 27, 2006

Dear Chief State School Officer:

I am writing to announce a new U.S. Department of Education initiative -- 
the LEP Partnership. In order to design instruction better and improve academic 
performance for the Nation's more than 5 million limited English proficient 
(LEP) students, educators need to understand what these students know and don't 
know, and need to build knowledge and develop strategies and tests to maximize 
the participation of LEP students in the academic life of our schools.

Our ability to measure performance accurately is a key factor in improving 
  instruction and closing the achievement gap for those students. The LEP Partnership 
  is intended to support your efforts to develop and implement improved test accommodations 
  and content assessments in reading and mathematics designed for limited English 
  proficient students.

Through the LEP Partnership, the Department will provide technical assistance 
  and support to help improve assessments and accommodations for LEP students. 
  One area of technical assistance will focus on the approximately 20 States that 
  submitted evidence related to reading and mathematics assessments designed for 
  LEP students as part of the Department's 2005-06 peer reviews of State 
  assessment systems under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
  as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). In most cases, States 
  that submitted evidence on these assessments need to address issues identified 
  by the peer reviewers in order for the assessments to be considered for full 
  approval under NCLB. We want to help these States continue their work to develop 
  valid, reliable, and appropriate accommodations and assessments for LEP students 
  that will qualify for full approval under NCLB. Through the Partnership, these 
  States would agree to a plan, negotiated with the Department, for the development, 
  improvement, and implementation of LEP content assessments and accommodations 
  in time for the 2006-07 administration of State reading and mathematics assessments.

The Department will also sponsor opportunities for all States to participate 
  in forums on best practices in assessment and instruction for LEP students, 
  as well as provide participating States with access to technical assistance. 
  The Department intends to disseminate across all States information on the practices, 
  policy recommendations, assessment instruments, and tested accommodation practices 
  that grow out of the work of the LEP Partnership.

To begin the Partnership, the Department will be inviting teams from the States 
  that submitted evidence on LEP assessments -- including assessment directors, 
  accountability directors, and Title III/LEP/instruction policymakers -- 
  to attend a meeting in Washington, D.C., on August 28 and 29. At that meeting, 
  the State teams will meet with Department officials and experts to develop State-specific 
  plans and a timeline for improving LEP assessments in reading and mathematics 
  for the 2006-07 school year and beyond.

As part of the Partnership, the Department will also host a two-day meeting 
  on October 28 and 29, in Washington, D.C., for all States. States will be invited 
  to bring key staff involved in the State assessment and accountability effort 
  for LEP students. The Department will provide State teams with opportunities 
  to hear from and interact with some of the nation's top researchers about 
  the very latest in research and practice on assessment and instruction for LEP 
  students. Additional details about the agenda and location for both meetings 
  will be forthcoming.

The Department plans to support other technical assistance efforts focused 
  on the improvement of assessments for all students. Those plans are still in 
  development, based on peer review findings and State requests for assistance. 
  Our intent is to provide targeted and intensive assistance in the following 
  areas: assessments for students with disabilities, including those with the 
  most significant cognitive disabilities; alignment of assessments with standards; 
  technical quality; and achievement standards. If you have other specific areas 
  on which you believe the Department should focus assistance, I would appreciate 
  hearing from you.

The Department strongly supports ensuring that LEP students are included and 
  visible in our school accountability systems. We believe this will improve instruction 
  and achievement outcomes. At the same time, we recognize that developing high-quality 
  and appropriate assessments and accommodations for LEP students is a complex 
  and challenging issue for States. We hope that you will be willing to work with the Department on this issue so 
  that all students -- including limited English proficient students -- 
  can reach proficiency by 2013-14.

| | Sincerely,        
| | ------------------
| | /s/               
| | Margaret Spellings



|Last Modified: 07/27/2006
|-------------------------