Investing in School Leaders’ Efficacies and English Learners’ Language Development

Do Years of Experience and Hours of Training Really Matter?

This study examined if there were differences between central office administrators’, school administrators’, and bilingual and English as a second language (ESL) teachers’ efficacies when controlling for years of experience with bilingual/ESL classrooms and hours of training on the English language proficiency standards (ELPS). Data from a purposeful sample of 150 school leaders in an urban school district in Texas were examined. Face-to-face interviews captured school leaders’ perceptions about the ELPS and the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) implementation in bilingual/ESL classrooms. Quantitative results indicated that school leaders’ hours of ELPS training influenced leaders’ efficacies. Leaders’ perceptions revealed the benefits of the ELPS and TELPAS, but there was a need for differentiated instruction and school ELPS and TELPAS instructional advocacy. Recommendations included district strategic planning to meet the needs of all learners and leaders.