For those hiring in ESL, which student performance metrics move the needle? I’m an assessment specialist; over 10 months I reduced placement mismatches by 18% across 412 intakes using a CEFR-aligned adaptive test and Rasch-calibrated items, and I’m debating whether to lead with cohort gain scores (A2→B1 within 12 weeks), time-to-proficiency, or reliability coefficients in my resume and interviews.