ESL Coordinator Handbook

As a site based English as a Second Language (ESL) coordinator in the Washington County School District (WCSD), you are, first and foremost, an advocate for the Multilingual learners (MLLs) population at your school.  In addition to this great responsibility, you are the contact person at your school for the district office when issues regarding ELs arise.  You also serve on the school Language Development Team (LDT) and ensure that this team meets as needed to address the needs of ELs. You will also be asked to attend various district coordination meetings. You are expected to have your Utah English as a Second Language endorsement or be in the process of completing this endorsement.

You are to assist your school administration in maintaining your school’s compliance with the Washington County School District’s agreement with the United States Department of Education (ED) Office for Civil Rights (OCR). (The WCSD ESL Handbook constitutes this agreement.)

You are responsible to ensure that all Primary Home Language Other Than English (PHLOTE) students are assessed in a timely manner after registration and that they are placed appropriately in content classes that will allow them to be successful and keep them on track to graduate with their peers. You will also ensure that the annual Title III testing is conducted in a timely fashion and that testing materials are kept secure and stored properly.

1. Number of students who took and passed the WiDA Screener
2. Number of Fluent (lep=F) students monitored
3. Number of Opt-out (lep=O) students monitored
4. Number of EL (lep=Y) students monitored
5. Number of ELs whose parents attended SEP/SEOPs at least once during the school year 
6. Number of Els whose parents held governance positions this year (PTA)

August

• Review with secretary procedures for intake process (including receipt of a copy of registration form and birth certificate by ESL coordinator for all PHLOTE students).
• Assist counselors and administrators in placing students in appropriate classes according to English language proficiency level. 
• Create ESL folders for newly-registered PHLOTE students and place ESL folder in students’ cumulative folders.*
• Administer WIDA Screener to newly-registered PHLOTE students.*
• Enter LEP status into PowerSchool
• Send home English language learner placement (WIDA Screener) letters.*
• Complete individual language development plan (ILDP)*

October   

• Distribute Fluent EL Monitor Form to teacher(s) of Els for the following content areas: language arts, social studies, math, and science.
• Collect monitor forms from students’ teacher(s).
• File completed monitor forms in ESL folders.

January

• Begin annual Title III testing (WIDA ACCESS) 

March

• Finish annual Title III testing (WIDA ACCESS) 
• Distribute EL Monitor Form to teacher(s) of Els for these content areas: language arts, social studies, math, and science.
• Collect monitor forms from students’ teacher(s).
• File completed monitor forms in blue folders.

May

• Complete school ESL Monitoring Report and submit to district ALS coordinator.

* These items are ongoing throughout the school year as new PHLOTE and/or LEP students are identified.

• Registration form with completed home language survey
• Identification assessment results
• Copy of current parent notification letter 
• Review Assessment Data
  • ACCESS Individual Student Report
  • Year-end testing reports
  • Yearly language goals based off of WIDA ACCESS data
• Birth certificate or Documentation of reliable proof may include:  a religious, hospital or physician certificate showing the student’s date of birth; an entry in a family religious text; an adoption record; previously verified school records; previously verified immunization records; documentation from a social service provider; or other legal documentation , including from a consulate that reflects the student’s biological age (required for immigrant students)
• Monitor forms (Fluent Students Only)
• Copy of parent notification of exit from services with an amended ILDP (Fluent Students Only
• USBE Exit Rubric (Fluent Students Only)
• Written parent refusal of ESL services (when needed)
• Individualized language development plan (when needed)
• School Staff Observation Form (if needed)
• Supplemental Home Language Survey (if needed)

Procedure

1. Obtain copy of student’s registration form from the school secretary/registrar
2. Review registration form to ensure it is filled out completely
   1. If a language other than English is listed on the Home Language Survey (HLS), establish a time to administer the WIDA Screener.
   2. After administration of the assessment, score the assessment.
      1. Input student information into PowerSchool. 
         1. Immigrant (If applicable)
            1. Date first enrolled in US school system
            2. Country of Birth
         2. Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
         3. ELL Native Language (cannot be English)
         4. ELL Parent Language
      2. Create an ESL folder and place the testing protocols into the folder.
      3. Send District ESL Coordinator the students score along with their student number.
3. Place ESL folder into student’s cumulative file.
4. Obtain copy of student’s birth certificate from the school secretary/registrar (needed for immigrant students).

Home Language Survey

Purpose of the Home Language Survey:

1. 1. • Identifies a student whose home language is not English; and,
      • Identifies a student who may be tested on the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English because a language other than English is spoken at home.
      • The English proficiency test determines if students need language support services along with the regular education program.
      • Qualified students are entitled to these language support services as a civil right.

School Responsibilities: 

1. 1. • At registration, Utah uses a standard form of the Home Language Survey that identifies a student with a language other than English, or who comes from an environment where a non-English language is used.
      • Students must be tested for these services within the first 30 days of school year or within two weeks of entry into school, if after the first 30 days. 

Home Language Survey Questions

1. What language do you prefer for school-to-home information?
2. Which language does your child most frequently speak at home?
3. Which language do adults in your home most frequently use when speaking with your child?
4. Which language(s) does your child currently understand or speak? Do not include language(s) learned in a foreign language program.
5. Does your family come from a refugee background?
6. If the student was not born in the United States, what date was the student enrolled in a U.S. school: (DD/MM/YYYY). _____/_____/_____.

If the parent or guardian indicates a language other than English on this survey, the student is classified as PHLOTE. The school secretary provides a copy of the registration form and gives it to the site-based ESL coordinator. The coordinator then arranges for an English language proficiency placement assessment (WIDA Screener).

Supplemental Home Language Survey

The Supplemental Home Language Survey may be used if further information is needed to determine a student’s PHLOTE status.  If the parent or guardian indicates the influence of a language other than English on this supplemental form, the student’s English language proficiency is assessed.

Staff Observation and Referral

Any school staff member may request a language proficiency assessment at any time using the Staff Observation Form. 

Title VI 506

In compliance with Title IX, WCSD has an Indian Education Program.  As part of this program, all parents or guardians of American Indian students are asked to complete an Office of Indian Education Student Eligibility Certification Form 506; however, completing this form is optional.  When form 506 is signed, it is sent to the District’s Indian Education Department.  No copies of this form are kept at the school site.

Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202 1982

In compliance with the Plyler v. Doe Supreme Court decision:

• School officials may not require students to prove they are in the United States legally by asking for documents such as green cards, citizenship papers, etc.  They may only require proof that the student lives within the school district attendance boundaries just as they would for any other student.
• Schools should avoid intentional or unintentional attempts to document students’ status which could be an infringement of students’ Plyler rights.

Login

To access PowerSchool, enter powerschool.washk12.org/admin into the address bar on your browser,  then enter your username and password.

 Entering New Student Data

To complete this process, you must first log-in to PowerSchool. In the Search Students field, enter the student’s last name followed by a comma then a space and then the student’s  first name. (Example: nacimento,milton)  click on the magnifying glass icon. The student’s page will then load on the screen.  After this page has loaded, click on “Other Information” from the list on the left side of the page. 

Once the “Other Information” page has loaded, complete the appropriate fields. Click “Submit”.

Current Year LEP Count To complete this process, you must first login to PowerSchool.  Type lep=Y in the Search Students field and click on Enter or the blue magnifying glass icon.

Viewing Students List

1. Click on Quick Info.
2. Click on Student Lists.
3. Click on ELL Students by School.
4. Enter “Y” in Active Only Students then Submit.

To print lists, click printer icon in upper right corner

Current Year LEP Count To complete this process, you must first login to PowerSchool.  Type lep=Y in the Search Students field and click on Enter or the blue magnifying glass icon.

Viewing Students List

1. Click on Quick Info.
2. Click on Student Lists.
3. Click on ELL Students by School.
4. Enter “Y” in Active Only Students then Submit.
5. To print lists, click printer icon in upper right corner

Title III Definition [3201(5)(A),(B), and (C)]

The term “immigrant children and youth” means individuals who-

1. are aged 3 through 21;
2. were not born in any State; and
3. have not been attending one or more schools in any one or more States for more than three full academic years (FAY).

 What This Means for You

1. All kindergarten students who were born outside of the US and are enrolled in the WCSD are classified as immigrant students.
   1. If the student has attended a district-sponsored preschool, the FAY that they attended this preschool counts toward the three years noted in the Title III definition above.
2. First grade students who were born outside of the US and are enrolled in the WCSD are classified as immigrant students.
   1. If the student has attended a district-sponsored preschool, the FAY that they attended this preschool counts toward the three years noted in the Title III definition.
3. Second through twelfth grade students who were born outside the US and are enrolled in the WCSD may be classified as immigrant students if the total number of full academic years in any US school is not greater than three (3).
4. ESL coordinators should receive from the school secretary/registrar a copy of the birth certificate in order to ensure that the student was born outside the US. The copy of the birth certificate should be filed in the blue folder.

According to ED, students born in the territories of the United States other than Puerto Rico are not considered born in the US for purposes of determining immigrants under Title III. These territories include American Samoa, Guam, Marianas Islands, and US Virgin Islands. These students are considered “not born in US”. Children born outside the US to military personnel and children born outside the US and adopted by US citizens are also considered to be not born in the US.

The nature of the language assessment will be guided by the type of educational services the district decides to implement for its ELs.  At a minimum, the assessment will be designed to determine whether PHLOTE students possess adequate English language skills to participate meaningfully in the grade-level educational environment.  Through this assessment, the district will determine the proficiency level at which PHLOTE students can speak, read, write, and comprehend English.

Time Frame

The assessment of PHLOTE students in WCSD will follow the guidelines set forth in state and federal regulations summarized below.

Students (including kindergarten students) who enroll for the first time  in the WCSD at the beginning of a new school year will be given an identification and placement assessment (WIDA Screener) within 30 days of the first day of school. 

Students new to WCSD after the initial 30 day enrollment period of the school year will be given an identification and placement assessment (WIDA Screener) within ten days of their enrollment in school. 

The English language proficiency of students who are continuing their enrollment in WCSD schools and all students new to the district will be assessed each year between January and March using a state-approved proficiency measurement such as the WIDA ACCESS.

 Person(s) Responsible

Although you may have an ESL aide at your school to assist you in the testing, you are not to delegate all testing responsibilities to them nor leave it to them to ensure that all students are tested.  As the coordinator, you need to know who is being tested and why. You also need to know the results of the testing.

Documentation of Assessment Results

Once the language proficiency placement process has been completed, enter the data into PowerSchool and place test protocols in the student’s ESL folder regardless of the outcome of the assessment. Send a the results to the district ESL coordinator in order for the PowerSchool Special Programs page to be updated.  

Other Assessment Requirements

Under both state and federal guidelines, ELs are to participate in statewide assessments with their grade-level peers.  The assessments are listed on WCSD’s Assessment Department website 

Members may include but are not limited to:

Principal/vice principal

ESL coordinator

Content teacher(s)

Counselor

Homeroom teacher

School testing coordinator

 Possible discussion items for language development teams:

How did the student perform on the most recent RISE assessment?

What is the current language proficiency level of the student?

What is the student’s current reading level?

Is the student performing on grade level in language arts, math, science, and social studies?

What evidence is there that the student is/isn’t performing on grade level? 

What concerns do the content teachers have? 

Is the student’s attendance affecting their performance?

What are the individual needs of the student?

What interventions does the student qualify for?

What interventions does the student need?

What does the student need to maintain grade-level performance?

Exiting

In Utah the reclassification or exit criteria is based on the following two elements: 1) English Learners receive a composite score of 5 on the annual WIDA assessment based on the increased rigor of the revised WIDA ACCESS for ELs 2.0; and, 2) a teacher-student-parent conference is initiated to discuss the necessary support for the student’s ability to make continuous progress within 30 days of receiving the WIDA scores. An Exit Rubric will be used by the team to develop written recommendations for continued support on the following four indicators:

 The student:

1. Maintains progress as related to the increasing challenges of academic language in the content;
2. Accomplish learning tasks appropriate to grade level content standards, through both productive and receptive language functions that is speaking, writing and listening, reading);
3. Develops persistence as well as intra and intrapersonal skills to support self-regulation and prosocial behaviors; and
4. Perform well in a range of educational opportunities, and courses such as Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), designated honor courses, and/or programs designated as Gifted and Talented.

Source: Joint guidance from Division of Civil Rights, Department of Justice; and Office of Civil Rights, Department of Education – September 3, 2016

Monitoring

The monitoring process ensures that an ELs and former ELs can participate in and benefit from the grade-level program. This process includes academic progress checks every year for those currently classified as an EL and four additional years after exiting using the Fluent EL Monitor Form. (Secondary coordinators should make one copy of this form to be completed by teachers in the four content areas of Mathematics, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies.) These progress checks include, but are not limited to, a teacher survey of the student’s performance in the classroom and a review of the student’s grades. Based on the results of this review, interventions may be recommended if the student is not performing at or above district standards. The type(s) of interventions implemented will be based on the professional judgment of the language development team and may include the following.

Teacher-assisted tutoring

Peer tutoring

Sheltered instruction

Special Education*

Study hall

Summer and inter-session programs

 * No limited English proficiency student will be placed in special education based on language limitations.

To help students learn content in a new language, teachers instructing ELs are encouraged to use the following strategies.

• Use clear and concise articulation
• Make eye contact (when culturally appropriate)
• Use visuals
• Employ gestures/body movement/pantomime
• Use shorter and simpler sentences spoken at a slightly slower rate
• Use high-frequency vocabulary
• Eliminate idiomatic expressions
• Model
• Scaffold
• Activate students’ prior knowledge
• Provide cooperative learning activities
• Differentiate instruction

Three Principles to Help English Learners Succeed

“You will notice that many of the recommended practices for children learning a second language parallel our recommendations for all students.  Though all kids benefit from them, children learning a second language depend on these practices.  Without them, school can be a confusing and frustrating place.  With these practices, school makes sense for second language learners and they join their classmates in learning throughout the day.”

-Stephen Cary, Second Language Learners

1. Increase Interaction

Think-Pair-Share

Chunk ‘n’ Chew

Tea Party

Inside-Outside Circle

Paraphrase Passport

Mix and Match 

Round Table

Rotating Review

Four Corners

Jigsaw Expert Groups

Folded Value Lines

Numbers

2. Increase Comprehensibility

Teach the Text Backwards

THIEVES

ABC Summarize

Graphic Organizers

Quick Write

Web of Understanding

Think Aloud

Information Gap

Save the Last Word for Me

Whip Zip

From Text to Graphics and Back Again

3. Increase Thinking Skills

Numbered Heads

Explicit Questioning

List-Group-Label

3-2-1 

Increase Interaction

Think-Pair-Share

1. Question or problem is posed related to the area the students are covering.
2. Students are instructed to individually think about the answer.
3. Students are paired with another student to discuss their answer.
4. After the discussion, students share their answers verbally with the class.

Chunk ‘n’ Chew

1. The teacher presents the lesson in 11-to-17 minute chunks.
2. Students are given time (11-15 minutes) to process the information presented.
3. Students are in pairs and they re-teach the information to each other.
4. Students may also take time to draw or write (summary, reflection, etc.) in a journal.

Tea Party

1. Students read information on individual cards several times.
2. Students pair up and take turns reading their cards to each other. They move apart, form new pairs and read and share information with each other.

Inside-Outside Circle

1. Students stand in two circles: one circle faces in and the other one faces out.
2. Students form pairs by facing another student in the other circle.
3. Students in one circle begin speaking while the other students listen.
4. The speaking and listening roles are then reversed.
5. The circles rotate so each student has a new partner and the speaking and listening resume.

Paraphrase Passport

1. Students form pairs.
2. The teacher poses a question or problem.
3. Students individually think about the answer or solution.
4. The first partner begins speaking while the second partner listens without commenting.
5. The first partner stops talking.
6. The second partner paraphrases what the first partner said while the first partner listens silently.
7. The partner confirms the accuracy of the paraphrasing.
8. The roles reverse.

Mix and Match

1. Students mix, repeatedly quizzing new partners using information summarized on cards as prompts and trading these cards before new pairs are formed.
2. Afterwards, students rush to find a partner with the card that matches theirs.

Round Table

1. In teams, students take turns generating written responses to the team project.
2. Students pass their papers clockwise so each teammate can add to the prior responses.Rotating Review
3. Teacher posts charts that are each labeled with different topics.
4. Groups of students are assigned to each chart.
5. Chart groups discuss the topic orally before writing.
6. Scribe records a summary of the group’s discussion on the chart.
7. Groups rotate to the next chart, discuss it, and then a different scribe writes a summary on the chart.
8. Rotating continues using different scribes until the groups return to the chart where they began.
9. Groups review and discuss what other groups added to their chart.

Four Corners

1. The teacher chooses four concepts from their content area and labels each corner of the room with one of the concepts.
2. The students choose one concept they wish to discuss and they move to that corner.
3. The teacher plans an activity for the students at each corner such as a project or another cooperative learning task which the students complete and then share with the class.

Jigsaw Expert Groups

1. Students are grouped evenly into jigsaw groups.
2. Group members number off.
3. Students are grouped a second time evenly into “expert” groups according to their number.
4. Expert groups study one topic.
5. Students are regrouped in original jigsaw groups so each group has at least one member from each expert group.
6. Experts report on their study.  Other students learn from the experts.

Folded Value Lines

1. Students arrange themselves on a value line using a scale from lowest to highest; They may line up by age, birthdays, language experience, opinion on a topic, etc.
2. Students fold the value line so opposite ends of the line meet.
3. Pairs face each other and discuss a question or topic.
4. The line is shifted to form new pairs and the discussion continues.

Numbers

1. The teacher poses questions that have numbers for answers. 
2. The students get into groups that are equal to the answer of the question. For example, “How many sides does a triangle have?” (Three)  Students will get into groups of three. 
3. The students will discuss the assigned topic.
4. If there is an odd number (not enough to make a full group), these students go to designated area for one turn and then must be in a group for the next question.

Increase Comprehensibility

 Teach the Text Backwards

1. Traditional sequence for using textbooks: 
2. Read the text.
3. Answer the questions at the end of the chapter.
4. Discuss the material in class.
5. Do the applications or expansions.
6. To teach the text backwards, the class completes an application or expansion first. This can be used to motivate students, activate prior knowledge, and establish a purpose for learning.
7. The teacher conducts a discussion to introduce new language and concepts.
8. The teacher examines the study questions and summary at the end of the chapter to preview the reading and identify key concepts.

THIEVES (This is a great strategy for previewing textbook chapters.)

1. Read the Title
2. Read the Headings (usually bolded)
3. Read the Introduction (usually first two paragraphs)
4. Read Every first sentence of each paragraph
5. Read the Visuals and Vocabulary (captions, illustrations, charts, graphs, maps)
6. Read the End of chapter questions
7. Read the Summary (usually last two paragraphs)

ABC Summarize 

1. Each student is given a letter of the alphabet and they must think of one word or idea beginning with that letter related to the topic.
2. After reading the story, the students work in pairs or small groups to think of words that start with the letters they have that reflect important points of the story.
3. The class creates a list of the most interesting words from A to Z generated by the pairs.  The teacher makes a special point to hear each justification.

Graphic Organizers

1. Students make graphic representations of the organizational patterns of text.
2. Graphic organizers:
3. Can be used to facilitate pre-reading and post-reading; pre-writing and revising; discussing and reasoning;
4. Involve visual and verbal information; and
5. Facilitate teachers and students learning from each other. 

Quick Write 

1. The students are given the topic to write on and a time limit (three minutes, for example).
2. Students then free write on the topic for the time given.Web of Understanding (Great strategy to equalize the balance of student contributions during a review of the text or unit of study)
3. Students sit in a circle and roll or toss a ball of yarn back and forth across the group.
4. As the ball comes to a student, that student contributes an idea or piece of information, a reaction, retelling, main idea, or important fact related to the to of study.
5. Each student must have an opportunity to touch the ball and share an idea before anyone has a second turn.

Information Gap

1. Each student has a card with only partial information on it.  
2. Students move within the large group sharing their information in order to find the other student with the missing information.
3. Information may involve descriptions of pictures, maps, or manipulatives.
4. Learners are evaluated on their effectiveness in bridging the information gap.
5. Information Gap assesses many language functions including: describing, giving information, and giving directions.

Save the Last Word for Me

1. Students read a designated text.
2. Students complete three to four index cards with the following information:
3. Side one: Students select an idea, phrase, quote, or fact from the text that evokes a response.
4. Side two: Students write their reaction to what they wrote on side one.
5. Students gather in small groups to discuss the information.
6. A student reads side one of his/her card and others in the group respond to the information shared.
7. The student who authored the card gets the last word by sharing side two of his/her card.
8. The process is repeated until everyone in the group has shared both sides of their cards.  

Whip Zip

1. The teacher poses a question to the students.
2. Each student responds briefly. 
3. If a student has no response at the time of his/her turn, they may say “Pass.”  This is a conditional pass because after the last person shares, these students will be asked to reply.  

From Text to Graphics and Back Again

The teacher:

1. Previews a chapter and determines how it is organized and what its key concepts are;
2. Completes a graphic organizer that will help students understand the organization of the text and/or important content and relationships in the chapter;
3. Writes several simple sentences that express the content and relationships illustrated on the organizer; and 
4. Describes the students’ writing task which uses the content, language, and relationships on the organizer.Thinking Skills

Numbered Heads

1. Students number off within each group. The groups are also numbered.
2. The teacher prompts, gives a directive, asks a question, etc.
3. Students think individually about the topic.
4. Groups discuss the topic so that any member of the group can report for the group.
5. The teacher chooses number to determine which group will answer.  The teacher then chooses another number to determine which member of the chosen group will answer.

Explicit Questioning 

• Remembering: Recalling information
• Understanding: Explaining or constructing ideas or concepts
• Applying: Using information in another situation
• Analyzing: Breaking information into smaller parts to explore relationships and overall structure
• Evaluating: Making judgments based on standards through checking and critiquing 
• Creating: Generating new ideas, products, ways of viewing things, etc.

Bloom’s revised taxonomy (n.d.). Retrieved June 26, 2008 from http://www.kurwongbss.qld.edu.au/thinking/Bloom/blooms.htm.

 Anderson, L.W., Krathwohl, D.R., Airasian, P.W., Cruikshank, K.A., Mayer, R.E., Pintrich, P.R., Raths, J., & Wittrock, M.C. (Eds.) (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing — A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives. Reading, MA: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.

List-Group-Label (This activity combines brainstorming and categorization as a way to help students organize concepts.)

1. The teacher writes the topic on the chalkboard.
2. The class brainstorms ideas including words or phrases they associate with the topic.
3. The class is divided into small groups which organize the words that have been listed according to what they have in common.
4. Once the categories of the words have been identified, the students decide on a label for each group of words.

3-2-1 

1. Following an activity, the students write:
2. Three things they learned;
3. Two things they found interesting; and
4. One question they still have.

Hill, J., & Flynn, K. (2006). Classroom instruction that works with English language learners. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

What It Means to be in Compliance: Elementary Setting

An overview of the agreement between the Office for Civil Rights and the Washington County School District regarding services for multilingual learners (MLLs)

Identification

The Home Language Survey (HLS) is included on the school registration form and is completed by the parent/guardian when a student is registered. When a parent or guardian responds to any of the following HLS questions with language other than English, the student is assessed using the WAPT to determine if s/he qualifies for English as a second language services (ESL).

1. What language do you prefer for school-to-home information?
2. Which language does your child most frequently speak at home?
3. Which language do adults in your home most frequently use when speaking with your child?
4. Which language(s) does your child currently understand or speak?

If the student qualifies for ESL, the parent is notified of the WIDA Screener results and the placement of the student in the ESL program.  Parents have the right to refuse ESL services, however, if they do, this decision must be documented in writing annually. Although ESL services are refused, the school is still responsible to ensure that the student is progressing in their academic English language acquisition.

Prior to placing a student into a class, a student’s English language proficiency must be assessed.  To accomplish this, it may be necessary to have the student return at a later time after registration to be tested. Once the ESL testing is completed, the class assignment will be finalized and the student may begin attending.

Student Placement

Students who qualify for ESL services are assigned to a teacher who has the Utah English as a Second Language endorsement.  This will help to ensure that MLLs receive instruction that is above and beyond that which is provided for native English-speaking students.  These services must include the following activities as organized by proficiency level.

Levels 1-4

• 30 minutes per day of English language development
  • 20 minutes of Imagine Learning English
  • 10 minutes of teacher-lead English language development focusing on four domains of language acquisition:
    • Listening
    • Speaking
    • Reading
    • Writing

• Teachers will also continually review their MLLs’ English language proficiency in relation to grade-level requirements and adjust the strategies implemented during instruction to reflect the students’ increasing English proficiency skills.
• Students are assessed annually using the WIDA ACCESS. These results are used to determine the ESL placement for the coming school year. 

Exiting

In Utah the reclassification or exit criteria is based on the following two elements: 1) English Learners receive a composite score of 5 on the annual WIDA assessment based on the increased rigor of the revised WIDA ACCESS for ELs 2.0; and, 2) a teacher-student-parent conference is initiated to discuss the necessary support for the student’s ability to make continuous progress within 30 days of receiving the WIDA scores. An Exit Rubric will be used by the team to develop written recommendations for continued support on the following four indicators:

 The student:

1. Maintains progress as related to the increasing challenges of academic language in the content;
2. Accomplish learning tasks appropriate to grade level content standards, through both productive and receptive language functions that is speaking, writing and listening, reading);
3. Develops persistence as well as intra and interpersonal skills to support self-regulation and prosocial behaviors; and
4. Perform well in a range of educational opportunities, and courses such as Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), designated honor courses, and/or programs designated as Gifted and Talented.

How to Accomplish English Language Development Requirements (These recommendations are based on 20 minutes of student participation with the Imagine Learning software.)

1. ESL endorsed teacher provides a daily 10 minute lesson based on the MLLs linguistic needs.
   • Teacher provides the ELD lesson without the assistance of the ESL paraprofessional.  This gives the school site more flexibility with the ESL paraprofessional time.
   • ESL paraprofessional will manage teacher planned instructional activities in the classroom to allow the teacher time to provide the ELD lesson.  The paraprofessional will then move to the next classroom to repeat this delivery pattern.
   • Students may be pulled from a non-ESL endorsed teacher’s classes into an ESL-endorsed teacher’s class to receive the ELD lesson.

2. An ESL paraprofessional who is a certified teacher with an ESL endorsement can provide 10 minute ELD lesson based on the EL students linguistic needs.  Students can be pulled from various classes to receive services in this manner.

What It Means to be in Compliance: Secondary Setting

An overview of the agreement between the Office for Civil Rights and the Washington County School District regarding services for multilingual learners (MLLs)

Identification

The Home Language Survey (HLS) is included on the school registration form and is completed by the parent/guardian when a student is registered. When a parent or guardian responds to any of the following HLS questions with language other than English, the student is assessed using the WAPT to determine if s/he qualifies for English as a second language services (ESL).

1. What language do you prefer for school-to-home information?
2. Which language does your child most frequently speak at home?
3. Which language do adults in your home most frequently use when speaking with your child?
4. Which language(s) does your child currently understand or speak?

If the student qualifies for ESL, the parent is notified of the WIDA Screener results and the placement of the student in the ESL program.  Parents have the right to refuse ESL services, however, if they do, this decision must be documented in writing annually. Although ESL services are refused, the school is still responsible to ensure that the student is progressing in their academic English language acquisition.

Prior to placing a student into a class, a student’s English language proficiency must be assessed.  To accomplish this, it may be necessary to have the student return at a later time after registration to be tested. Once the ESL testing is completed, the class assignment will be finalized and the student may begin attending.

Student Placement

Students who qualify for ESL services are assigned to a teacher who has the Utah English as a Second Language endorsement.  This will help to ensure that MLLs receive instruction that is above and beyond that which is provided for native English-speaking students.  These services must include the following activities as organized by proficiency level.

Levels 1-4

• 30 minutes per day of English language development
  • 20 minutes of Imagine Learning English
  • 10 minutes of teacher-lead English language development focusing on four domains of language acquisition:
    • Listening
    • Speaking
    • Reading
    • Writing

• Content teachers will also continually review their MLLs’ English language proficiency in relation to grade-level requirements and adjust the strategies implemented during instruction to reflect the students’ increasing English proficiency skills.
• Teachers will also continually review their MLLs’ English language proficiency in relation to grade-level requirements and adjust the strategies implemented during instruction to reflect the students’ increasing English proficiency skills.

• Students are assessed annually using the WIDA ACCESS. These results are used to determine the ALS placement for the coming school year. 

Exiting

In Utah the reclassification or exit criteria is based on the following two elements: 1) English Learners receive a composite score of 5 on the annual WIDA assessment based on the increased rigor of the revised WIDA ACCESS for ELs 2.0; and, 2) a teacher-student-parent conference is initiated to discuss the necessary support for the student’s ability to make continuous progress within 30 days of receiving the WIDA scores. An Exit Rubric will be used by the team to develop written recommendations for continued support on the following four indicators:

 The student:

1. Maintains progress as related to the increasing challenges of academic language in the content;
2. Accomplish learning tasks appropriate to grade level content standards, through both productive and receptive language functions that is speaking, writing and listening, reading);
3. Develops persistence as well as intra and interpersonal skills to support self-regulation and prosocial behaviors; and
4. Perform well in a range of educational opportunities, and courses such as Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), designated honor courses, and/or programs designated as Gifted and Talented.