Master Plan for English Learners

Disclaimer

This website was created during non-work hours using donated software, hardware and web hosting. It is intended for discussion, modification and eventual adoption by the Roseville Joint Union High School District (California). Until such process is completed, the opinions expressed on this website are the opinions of the author alone.

Identification of English Learners

Overview

Each school district is required to determine a student's status as language minority. Schools have a responsibility under federal law to serve students who are limited English proficient and need ESL or bilingual instruction in order to be successful in academic subjects. (San Francisco, 2008, CDE 2011) Given this responsibility, school districts/charter schools have the right to ask for the information they need to identify these students. The Home Language Survey (HLS) must be given to all students enrolled in the school district/charter school. (CDE 2011)

State and Federal Law

The Home Language Survey (HLS)

The Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VI, Language Minority Compliance Procedures, requires school districts/charter schools to identify limited English proficient students (language minority students). (CDE 2011)

Parents cannot remove (opt out) their student from the Home Language Survey requirement nor can they opt out of any subsequent testing to determine the students minority language status.

California public schools are required to determine the language(s) spoken in the home by each student. In order to gather this information, all parents/legal guardians are required to complete the Home Language Survey (HLS) for each of their school-aged children. When the parent/legal guardian enrolls his/her child in the District for the first time, they complete the HLS as a part of the District's enrollment procedure. The District uses the HLS to determine the primary language of each student. The HLS is dated, has a signature of parent/guardian, have each state-authorized question answered, and be kept on file at the school. If the District cannot obtain a signature after reasonable efforts, alternative documentation will be on file.

The Home Language Survey contains four questions: Testing the student is mandatory if any of these questions are answered with a language other than English:

1. Which language did your son or daughter learn when he/she first began to talk?

2. What language does your son or daughter use most frequently at home?

3. What language do you use most frequently to speak to your son or daughter?

Testing the student is optional if question 4 is answered with a language other than English:

4. Name the languages in the order most often spoken by the adults at home:

The decision whether to test the student or not is made after (a) reviewing the student's cumulative folder, and (b) interviewing the family.

Initial Assessment

Per California Education Code, all students whose Home Language Survey indicates a language other than English Only for one or more of the first three questions on the HLS must be assessed in English language skills within thirty calendar days of initial enrollment. For initial testing, the District will use the state authorized California English Language Development Test (CELDT). CELDT is a criterion-referenced test based on the ELD Standards that assesses students' English language proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing. (CDE 2011)

California English Language Development Test (CELDT)

The CELDT test is administered to all returning students and new students during the annual testing window, which runs from July 1 to October 31. Prior to the state budget cuts approximately 40% of the students were tested before the opening of school. The rest of the students were tested by pulling them out of class. It is the department's philosophy that removing students from class for testing is to be avoided whenever possible.

All tests are sent to the state contractor for official scoring as required. Any high-importance test is first scored unofficially in-house before being sent for official scoring. High-importance includes all students who score low on the speaking portion and other students by request of their instructors.

Identification

A score indicating "less than fluent" based on the cut scores established by the CELDT publisher identifies the student as an English Learner (EL). Such a studnet is classified as "Initial Fluent English Proficient." The status is noted in the student information database, parents are notified of the finding and a copy of the documentation is placed in the student cumulative folder.

Assessment

All identified English Learners must be assessed for primary language proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing within ninety days of enrolling in the school district. (CDE 2011)

Primary Language Proficiency

Primary language proficiency is determined by using a translation of students' transcripts from his/her home country. Students who show success in primary language-based courses are deemed to be proficient in their primary language.  Primary language proficiency can also be determined through testing in the student's native language, when available.

Notification of Results of Initial Assessment

State law requires school districts to notify parents of English Learners of the results of the CELDT upon the completion of their child's initial assessment. (CDE 2011)

The initial assessment is evaluated internally. If the internal assessment concludes that the student is not fluent in English, the assessment is evaluated twice: Once in-house immediately and then formally by the state test contractor. A testing specialist trained for assessing the CELDT conducts the in-house assessment, however, it is still considered an unofficial assessment. The only official evaluation is the one performed by the state contractor for the CELDT. Parents are notified within two days if their student is determined to lack fluency in English. Recommendations for program placement are made verbally.

The state contractor for CELDT provides the official assessment. The state contractor evaluates the test and the results are returned to the district. The district forwards the results to the parents. In compliance with state law, the notification of results takes place within 30 days of receiving the results from the state contractor. (CDE 2011)

The district data manager enters results of language assessment on the student information database.

Parents whose children speak a language other that English must be notified within thirty calendar days of the completion and results of their child's initial assessment. A sample notification letter may be viewed here.

Policy and Procedures for the Assessing and Enrolling Students

Students who have a primary language other than English and enter the district after the beginning of the school year will be tested as soon as practical, usually within two days of enrolling. Each student is tested using the CELDT. The steps are:

1. Assess the student using the CELDT.
2. Report the results to the English Learner Coordinator and to the counselor.
3. English Learner Coordinator informs the counselor of the results and informs proper placement in appropriate classes.

All program options are open to all English learner students. Placement is determined by the academic counselor in consultation with the family and the English Learner Coordinator.

The district seeks to have all students placed in learning environments best suited to their individual learning needs.  Parents are notified of the student's initial placement using this form.

Transfer Students

English Learners who transfer from another district will have their assessment result data entered in the District database and will be placed based upon the information available. Any transfer student whose assessment data is not available will be assessed using the CELDT.

Student Placement

The Principal or counselor will use the results of language assessment to determine the proper placement of the student. The Principal, counselor or district English Learner Coordinator may meet with the parents/guardians to review any concerns they may have about the testing results or program placement recommendation.

The program options in the district are:

  1. The Roseville High English Learner Program features English Language Development, Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) and Structured English Immersion (SEI);
  2. English Language Development course at each of the district's high schools; or
  3. The Long-Term English Learner Program at Roseville High.

Parents are notified in writing within 30 days of placement in an ELD or SDAIE class.

Sources

California Department of Education. "2011–12 CELDT Information Guide." Available at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/el/resources.asp

Accessed at 17 June 2009.

California Department of Education. English Learner Instrument (Including NCLB). 2011. Accessed at www.cde.ca.gov/ta/cr/documents/el201011c.doc on 14 October 2011

ctelreview.com. "The Home Language Survey" PowerPoint accessed 17 June 2009. Used with permission.

Indiana Department of Education. "Use of Home Language Survey"

Pennsylvania Department of Education . "HOME LANGUAGE SURVEY. Background and Basis" Accessed 17 June 2009.

Public Law, 88-352 · Stat. 78 Stat. 241. "Civil Rights Act of 1964." (n.d.) In New World Encyclopedia. Retrieved 14 October 2011, from http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964

The Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VI. Language Minority Compliance Procedures.

San Francisco Unified School District, 2008. The New Lau Action Plan. September, 2008. Accessed on 2 July 2011 at www.sfusd.edu/en/programs/english-language.../lau-action-plan.html