no
forms in both English and Spanish are available. Reliabilities for
English and Spanish editions are .82 and .68, respectively, for sub
tests and .90 and .84, respectively, for total scores.
Data on norming samples, as well as validity and reliability, had
been reviewed on this test prior to commencement of the research.
However, when the publisher was contacted for an update on this data,
I was informed that the company had gone out of business.
Language Assessment Battery
The Language Assessment Battery (LAB) was chosen as the language
assessment instrument to be used in evaluating the limited English
proficient students within the school district where the research was
conducted. The choice of this instrument was not mine. The coordinator
of the bilingual program admitted that she was not happy with this test
but knew of no better equivalent instrument. The coordinator's main
complaint with the LAB was that there was only one form for each of the
three levels. Tests in English and Spanish are parallel and equivalent
and neither is a translation of the other.
The LAB was developed in 1975 by the School Board for the New York
City school system in response to a consent decree between the board
and ASPIRA of New York. The court case was instigated on behalf of
Puerto Rican and ocher Hispanic children who attended New York City
public schools, but who were unable to profit from instruction which
was mainly in English. The test was developed to
. . identify those children whose English
language deficiencies prevent them from
effectively participating in the learning
process, and who can more effectively