61 In/Exclusion of English Learners In/Exclusion of English Learners in Longitudinal Research: A Historical Review of Indiana’s School Accountability for English Learners TRISH MORITA-MULLANEY, Purdue University English Learner (EL) achievement on the Indiana Standards of Educational Progress (ISTEP+) standardized test in Indiana publicly frames ELs as underachieving relative to non-ELs. This public narrative of EL performance is situated in a landscape of multiple educational policy changes at the state and federal levels. The changing criterion for being EL, inclusion of ELs in state testing and misinterpretation of federal laws at the State Education Agency (SEA) level are examined along with the narratives of EL leaders charged with local implementation. Findings demonstrate that measuring the longitudinal growth and patterns of ELs over time is complex, as 14 documented changes have occurred in educational policy from 1999 to the 2013-2014 school year. Policy analysts need to understand the local contexts of Indiana schools serving ELs, including the narratives of those commissioned to implement reform changes for ELs. Keywords: Language policy, educational reform, English learner, school accountability, NCLB lexibility waiver STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM English Learner (EL) achievement on standardized tests in Indiana publicly presents ELs as underachieving. English Language Arts and Mathematics testing achievement languishes with ELs compared to English-only peers and formerly classiied ELs (Indiana Department of Education, 2014g). End of Course (ECA) assessments at the high school level in English Language Arts and Mathematics also show measurable achievement gaps, with social studies and science testing showing even