Assessing English language proficiency in Costa Rican high schools
Jose Fabián Elizondo-González, Ana Carolina González-Ramírez & Walter Araya-Garita Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica
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https://doi.org/10.58379/LISI3879
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Volume 15, Issue 1, 2026
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Abstract: This study examines the English language proficiency of Costa Rican high school students using data from the 2022 administration of a Costa Rican English language proficiency test (PELEx PDL-MEP), involving 66,842 participants across public and private schools. Statistical analyses included Welch’s t-test to compare overall performance between public and private school students, Welch’s ANOVA with post hoc Games-Howell tests to analyze differences across fourteen school types, and multilevel modeling analysis to estimate clustering effects based on educational regions. Results showed that private school students significantly outperformed public school students, with a mean score difference of 13.56 points (Cohen’s d=1.78), placing private students predominantly in the B2 CEFR band and public students in the A2 band. Among public school categories, bilingual and specialized programs achieved the highest scores, approaching those of private schools, while adult education-focused options demonstrated the largest performance gaps. These findings highlight significant inequities in English proficiency across school types, emphasizing the need for targeted educational interventions and equitable resource distribution.
Keywords: bilingual education, CEFR, Costa Rica, language testing, public and private schools