Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p> The Global Education Reform Movement (GERM) emphasizes accountability and highlights the central role of testing in measuring outcomes and driving improvement. In the United States, assessment systems are central to reforms such as the <jats:italic>Every Student Succeeds Act</jats:italic> (2015) and <jats:italic>Race to the Top</jats:italic> (2009), which implemented standardized testing to evaluate student performance and hold teachers and schools accountable. A key component of this accountability system is English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessments for English Learners (ELs). While these ELP assessments help ensure that ELs receive necessary support, they also raise concerns such as restricting access to broader learning opportunities and reinforcing monolingual policies that hinder commitments to multilingualism. </jats:p> <jats:p>Aligning policy, education, and assessment requires collaborative effort. As GERM testing policies continue to evolve, a reactive approach to evaluating their consequences is no longer sufficient. Language assessment professionals need to collaborate with policymakers and relevant stakeholders to engage proactively in policy development. Frameworks such as the Theory of Action and Assessment Use Argument support the design of assessments that lead to equitable, meaningful outcomes, and sustained educational improvement.</jats:p>