Final permission for new English language learners leeway.

While states have been allowed to exempt reading/language arts test scores for English Language Learners in school on a case-by-case basis since 2004, the U.S. Department of Education has recently given every state permission to leave out test scores of newly enrolled ELLs when considering a school's adequate yearly progress.

The policy applies to students who have been in a U.S. school for less than a year. But it still requires states to include those students' math test scores and, beginning next year, science test scores, with accommodations as are necessary. However, states are not required to include the results when determining a school's adequate yearly progress.

The policy requires states that do exempt recently arrived ELL students from the reading/language arts assessment to publicly report the number of students exempted for that reason. And local education agencies are still responsible for providing appropriate instruction to ELL students.