A Guide to understanding LEP, ESL and Title III issues



Title III / LEP Handbook

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools

A school staff guide for how to comply with

state and federal guidelines while serving our

English Language Learner population

2014-2015

(Published Fall 2014)

Table of Contents

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS) page 3

LEP Classification vs. ESL Service page 5

Who is Involved in the LEP/ESL Title III Program? page 6

The ESL Teacher: A Description page 10

Common Acronyms Used by ESL Teachers page 11

LEP Registration Process page 13

What Will the Newcomer Center Provide? page 14

Initial LEP Identification page 15

LEP Student Grade Placement and Achievement page 16

Retention of LEP Students page 17

Retention Considerations for LEP Students page 18

ESL Services and ESL Service Agreement page 19

ESL Service Description page 20

Reclassification as LEP page 23

ESL Teacher Allotment Formula page 24

ESL Focus page 25

ESL Models page 26

ESL Service Frequency page 27

Additional Models of Instruction page 28

SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) page 29

Guidelines for Grading LEP Students page 31

ESL Academy at Winston-Salem Prep. Academy page 33

Title III and AMAOs page 38

Language Acquisition – an Overview page 41

ELD Common Core (WIDA) and “Can Do” Descriptors page 42

BICS and CALPs page 44

Factors that Will Affect Language Acquisition page 45

Framework to Classify Language Activities page 46

LEP Committee page 47

Translations/Transact page 49

Guide to Use

This guide was created to answer questions

that teachers, office staff, administrators or

just about anyone may have concerning LEP

students. The following sections have answers to commonly asked questions, followed by forms in the Appendices that are mentioned in the answers.

The ESL program is constantly changing. Please note that the content here is current at the time of publication. Updates will be shared with ESL staff at appropriate times.

*WSFCS staff has permission to reproduce anything in this handbook.

|Frequently asked Questions about LEP students |

| | |

|What does LEP mean? |LEP is an acronym used by the U.S. Department of Education. It means Limited English |

| |Proficient. |

|How is a student classified as LEP? |Each student who completes a Home Language Survey and indicates another language |

| |besides English must take the W-APT English language screener assessment at the |

| |Newcomer Center. |

|How many LEP students do we have in our district? |There were approximately 6,400 LEP students enrolled in our school district in |

| |2013-2014. |

|How many languages do we have in the WS/FCS district? |During the 2014-2015 school year, we identified approximately 99 different languages |

| |in our school district. |

|What are the W-APT and ACCESS assessments? |The W-APT is an English proficiency screener assessment. The ACCESS is the English |

| |proficiency assessment that LEP students take annually. |

|Which students must complete a Home Language Survey? |Each student in a North Carolina district must take a Home Language Survey as per |

| |North Carolina Board of Education policy. |

|Do all students need to do a new Home Language Survey each year? |No. A student does a Home Language Survey one time upon initial enrollment into the |

| |school system. If a child completes a HLS in another district, then the original HLS |

| |should match the HLS they complete in WS/FCS. Please contact the district LEP Program|

| |Manager if there are discrepancies. |

|What does ESL mean? |ESL or English as a Second Language is the service that we offer LEP students to help |

| |them develop their English language skills. |

|How do I know if an LEP student needs ESL services? |At the Newcomer Center, the W-APT assessment will tell us if a student meets the |

| |states LEP identification criteria. We offer all |

| |K -12th grade LEP students the option of receiving ESL services. |

|Are ESL services offered at every school? |No. ESL services are offered at ESL sites only. |

|Why do we offer LEP students ESL services? |Under the Supreme Court ruling Lau v. Nichols 1974, school districts are required to |

| |offer LEP students services that help them participate meaningfully. |

|What if an LEP student doesn’t want ESL services? |Parents have the right to refuse ESL services for their children. At the Newcomer |

| |Center parents complete an ESL service agreement where they have the option of waiving|

| |ESL services. |

|Do students have to re-waive ESL services every year? |No. Parents complete the ESL service agreement once upon enrollment. The agreement |

| |remains in the student’s cumulative folder. However, parents do reserve the right to |

| |have their child removed from ESL services at any time. |

|Do LEP students receive LEP testing accommodations? |Depending on an LEP student’s W-APT and ACCESS scores, an LEP student may be eligible |

| |for LEP testing accommodations. |

|Do LEP students who have waived ESL services still need to take the ACCESS |Yes. Even if an LEP student waives ESL services, the student is still LEP and must |

|English language assessment each year? |take the ACCESS English language assessment each year. |

|If an LEP student waives ESL services, does this mean he cannot receive LEP |No. An LEP student may receive LEP testing accommodations regardless of whether he |

|accommodations? |has waived ESL services. |

|When can an LEP student use LEP testing accommodations? |An eligible LEP student can use LEP testing accommodations on any state content |

| |assessment. |

|Can an LEP student use LEP testing accommodations on the ACCESS English |No. An LEP student cannot use LEP testing accommodations on the ACCESS English |

|language proficiency assessment? |language proficiency test.* |

| | |

| |*The exception would be if the student has an IEP that specifically states that he/she|

| |can use accommodations on the ACCESS because of exceptionality. |

|How do we decide what LEP testing accommodations an LEP student might need? |Each school has a designated LEP coordinator. The LEP coordinator chairs an LEP |

| |committee that makes decisions regarding which LEP students receive LEP |

| |accommodations. |

|What happens when an LEP student exits LEP status? What if they are still |Under Title III, school staff must monitor former LEP students for two additional |

|struggling academically? |years after they exit LEP status. |

LEP Classification vs. ESL Service

LEP = Limited English Proficient

This acronym denotes that a student has certain documented limitations regarding his ability to understand, speak, read and write in English. In North Carolina the W-APT/ACCESS test determines whether a student is LEP.

Classification as an LEP student can affect the student, and all the staff around him, in many ways.

• The student has the right to access second language services in

addition to all services provided to non-LEP students.

• The student may qualify for test accommodations.

• The student must be assessed annually with the ACCESS

(Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State to State for English Language Learners).

• Teachers and schools must take steps to provide instructional

modifications that address the needs of the LEP student in all classrooms.

• The number of LEP students will directly affect the Title III federal

funding and LEP state funding a school system receives.

ESL=English as a Second Language

This is the program model most schools in Winston-Salem use to address the

language needs of their LEP students. A student's parents can decide

whether he accepts or waives ESL services. If a parent waives services, this does not change the child's LEP status. (The student will continue to test on the ACCESS until he exits LEP status.) Thus, you can have LEP students in your school even if you are not an ESL site.

My student is not in ESL. How do I know if he is LEP?

First, look for the home language survey. If a language other than English is

listed, he should have a W-APT/ACCESS score. W- APT/ACCESS scores are kept in the cumulative folder. If you need help interpreting the letters or numbers, ask your testing coordinator. Note: Occasionally a student may not have W-APT/ACCESS scores in his folder. This may occur with older students who may have placed out of LEP status years before, and whose English language proficiency scores were purged from the cumulative folder. For further guidance, contact the your school’s LEP Coordinator, the district ESL Lead Teacher, the district Title III/LEP Program Manager or the district LEP data manager at the Newcomer Center.

Who is involved in the LEP/ESL/Title III program?

The LEP/Title III Program in WSFCS is both district-led and school based.

Each school has the freedom to develop the program that best meets the needs of its LEP students, within state and federal standards. Following is a list of people who help in the administration of the LEP/Title III program, along with each of their duties.

Title III/LEP Program Manager, WSFCS

David Sisk is our LEP / Title III Program Manager. He is responsible for helping schools understand the legal and fiscal requirements for our LEP program and how to provide appropriate services to LEP students. He communicates with the NC State Department of Instruction on a regular basis to receive updated information about LEP requirements and to maintain compliance with federal Title III legislation. He arranges professional development sessions for ESL and classroom teachers, and also manages the district Title III funds available to assist schools in setting up and maintaining ESL, bilingual and other LEP programs. He is also the district coordinator for the Toyota Family Literacy Program (TFLP). David's office is in the Instructional Services area (2rd floor) of the administrative center. His email address is dtsisk@wsfcs.k12.nc.us. His office telephone is 336.727.8029 (ext. 34226).

ESL Lead Teacher, WSFCS

Rebecca “Ann” Talton is our ESL Lead Teacher. Ann works to provide leadership and support for our system's ESL teachers in various ways. She provides additional training (WIDA standards, best practices with LEP students, etc.) and provides information to teachers about possible resources for ESL classrooms. Additionally, she assists in the collection of LEP data throughout the year. Ann is based on the 2nd floor at the Administrative Center. Her telephone is 336.748.4000 (ext. 51512). Her email address is ratalton@wsfcs.k12.nc.us.

LEP Facilitator Middle and High Schools, WSFCS

Amanda Cannon is our LEP Facilitator and SIOP coach for middle and high schools. Amanda provides training for classroom teachers on how to best meet the needs of LEP students in different classroom settings. Her trainings emphasize the value of the SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) and the WIDA (World Class Instructional Design and Assessment) standards. She is located on the 2nd floor of the Administrative Center. 336.748.4000 (ext. 51511) Her email address is alcannon@wsfcs.k12.nc.us.

LEP Facilitator Elementary Schools, WSFCS (Vacant, as of printing)

__________ is our LEP Facilitator and SIOP coach for elementary

schools. ______ provides training for classroom teachers on how to best meet

the needs of LEP students in different classroom settings. ___ trainings

emphasize the value of the SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation

Protocol) and the WIDA (World Class Instructional Design and Assessment)

standards. ___ is located on the 2nd floor of the Administrative Center. ___ email address is ______. ___ telephone is 336.748.4000 (ext. 51513).

Bilingual Community Coordinator, WSFCS

Ana Ortiz is our Bilingual Community Coordinator. She assists in communicating with our growing English Language Learner community in various ways. She also works on district level translations and interpretation responsibilities. Ana is the Assistant District Coordinator for the Toyota Family Literacy Program and works to support this family literacy model at several elementary schools. Ana is located on the 2nd floor of the Administrative Center . Her email address is adortiz@wsfcs.k12.nc.us. Her phone is 336.748.4000 (ext. 51514).

Bilingual Parent Liaison, WSFCS

Magaly Rodriguez is our Bilingual Parent Liaison. She works to provide supplemental parent services to our growing English Language Learner community by meeting with families, providing translation/interpretation services for schools (when necessary). She also helps to support ELL parent involvement initiatives and our ELL family literacy programs. Her email is mdrodriguez@wsfcs.k12.nc.us. Her phone is 336.748.4000 (ext. 51528).

Bilingual Programs Coach, WSFCS

Gwen Ashburn works directly with the WS/FCS foreign language department by offering instructional coaching to teachers in ELL bilingual programs and FL immersion programs. Additionally, she assists the Title III department by offering continual support for the Transitional and Developmental Bilingual programs located at Brunson, Easton, Forest Park, Diggs-Latham, Gibson and Old Town elementary schools. Her email address is gmashburn@wsfcs.k12.nc.us. Gwen is located on the 2nd floor of the Administrative Center. Her telephone is 336.748.4000 (ext. 51509).

Newcomer Center Staff

Lissette Granados is the Newcomer Center Coordinator. She is responsible for assuring that the initial W-APT assessment is administered to all students coming to the Newcomer Center who speak another language besides English. Additionally, she provides interpretation and translation services for families and makes recommendations to schools regarding course credit. The Newcomer Center assists families in the pre-registration process before students are assigned to a school. The Newcomer Center is located at Downtown Marketplace (601 N. Cherry St., Suite 270, Winston-Salem, NC 27101). The Newcomer Center telephone number is 336.747-6804. Lissette’s email is lgranados@wsfcs.k12.nc.us.

Elizabeth Perez is the LEP Data Manager. She assists Lissette in the daily functioning of the Newcomer Center. She also works with, maintains and updates the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction W-APT database and provides additional LEP updates to various LEP state and federal databases. Elizabeth is located at the Newcomer Center (336.747.6804). Elizabeth’s email address is eperez@wsfcs.k12.nc.us.

School LEP Coordinators

Every school has an LEP Coordinator, even if it is not an ESL site.

This person is designated by the principal at the school. The LEP Coordinator works closely with the ESL teacher (at an ESL site) to ensure that proper identification and assessment of LEP students occurs.

Responsibilities of the School LEP Coordinator include:

• ensuring the completion of the required Home Language Survey for every child who enrolls in our school system (placed in the cumulative folder). The Home Language Survey is only administered once at the time the child enrolls.

• verifying that students who answer another language other than

English on the Home Language Survey are sent to the Newcomer Center for an initial W-APT assessment. Note: If a child is arriving from another school in NC, please check with the Newcomer Center (747.6804) to see if the child has already taken the W-APT/ACCESS in another district.

• either assisting with or administering the Spring ACCESS assessment

to existing LEP students. New students will be tested at the Newcomer Center with the W-APT.

• coordinating efforts and assisting parents with the completion of

forms and other support services.

• maintaining accurate data regarding identifying LEP students at the

school.

•must be involved in determining whether an LEP student should be retained.

School ESL Teacher

ESL teachers are certified teachers. They have passed the Praxis II ESL test

in order to be deemed highly qualified under No Child Left Behind. They are not paraprofessionals or tutors. They are responsible for teaching English language learners to communicate for social and instructional purposes. They are also responsible for teaching the academic language necessary to communicate information, ideas and concepts in language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. The WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards are the North Carolina English Language Development Common Core standards (wida.us). These standards are resources for all school staff members. Likewise, ESL teachers are also responsible for integrating the Common Core and Essential Standards into ESL instruction. ESL teachers are also responsible for maintaining records of LEP student performance in the ESL classroom. ESL teachers are expected to attend county-wide ESL staff meetings.

NOTE: ESL Teachers must be involved in determining whether an LEP student should be retained.

School Classroom Teachers

Classroom teachers with LEP students are responsible for making their

classroom instruction as accessible and comprehensible as possible, even for students at a beginning level of English proficiency. They are also responsible for assessing students in such a way that does not discriminate against them on the basis of their language proficiency. Such instructional modifications and testing accommodations should be well documented.

School Secretaries, Nurses, and Cafeteria Workers

School secretaries, nurses and cafeteria workers are responsible for making a

good faith effort to communicate with parents in a language parents can

understand. Support staff are vital in assisting schools in gathering accurate

data regarding LEP students (home language survey, free/reduced lunch

forms, etc.).

School PowerSchool Personnel

School personnel enter information about new LEP students into PowerSchool, and the data is transferred to the LEP database for easy access to LEP information.

The ESL Teacher: A Description

• requires additional ESL certification. They must pass the ESL Praxis

II before being certified and considered highly qualified under NCLB.

• must pass an English language proficiency assessment before

becoming an ESL teacher in WSFCS.

Title III Sec. 3116 (c) TEACHER ENGLISH FLUENCY

Title III

Each eligible entity receiving a subgrant under section 3114 shall include in its plan a certification that all teachers in any

language instruction educational program for limited English proficient

children that is, or will be, funded under this part are fluent in English and any other language used for instruction, including having written and oral communication skills.

• teach the ELD Common Core (WIDA English Language Standards).

Title III Sec. 3113 (b)(2). State and Specially Qualified

Title III

Agencies. Describe how the agency will establish standards

and objectives for raising the level of English proficiency that

are derived from the 4 recognized domains of speaking, listening, reading, and writing, and that are aligned with achievement of the challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards described in section 1111(b)(1).

• integrate content into language instruction

• are not responsible for assigning content grades (unless they are also

highly qualified in areas other than ESL).

• assist in administering the W-APT/ACCESS language tests

• must be involved in determining special assistance for their students (ie.

referrals to receive additional student support, RTI, EC, etc).

• must be involved in determining whether an LEP should be retained

• attend ESL staff development meetings

• are not required to speak another language

COMMON ACRONYMS that ESL teachers use

What is a HLS? Home Language Survey; a form that every student

or parent of the student must complete at the time of initial enrollment; federal requirement.

What is a NOM? National Origin Minority student; one who lists a

language other than English on his Home Language Survey (HLS),

which means that he must be assessed with the State-mandated English proficiency test within 30 calendar days of enrollment.

What is LEP? Limited English Proficient; the identification given to students who score below Level 5, Bridging in at least one domain on the English proficiency test.

What are AMAOs? Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives are academic targets for LEP students: 1. Annual Yearly Progress (AYP), 2. The percent of LEP students showing progress on the ACCESS. 3. The percent of LEP students exiting LEP status. This data analyzed and reported by the Testing and Accountability Division at the Department of Public Instruction after each spring window every year (see p.37).

What is ESL? English as a Second Language; a method of

instruction for students who are learning English as a new language;

usually involves pulling students out of the regular class for specific English instruction.

What are the English Language Development Common Core Standards? The English Language Proficiency Standards published by the WIDA consortium were approved by the State Board of Education in June 2008 and mandated beginning in the 2008-2009 school year. Beginning in the Fall of 2011, the WIDA standards became the ELD Common Core Standards. In 2012, the WIDA consortium released a new resource guide with examples of amplified language development standards giving additional detail on the language of the content areas. wida.us

What is NCLB? No Child Left Behind; The federal legislation passed

in 2001; there are nine titles in No Child Left Behind - Title III

specifically addresses language acquisition programs for Limited English Proficient (LEP) students. This legislation is also commonly referred to as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

What is WIDA? The World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment consortium is comprised of 29 states and or US territories. Their research team has created comprehensive English language development standards and assessments to determine English language proficiency.

What is the W-APT/ACCESS? The WIDA Access Placement Test

(initially) and ACCESS (annually) assessment are the State-mandated

proficiency tests for determining Limited English Proficiency status.

What is BICS? Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills: the simple "playground talk" that students learn first; research has typically said it takes 1-2 years to develop.

What is CALP? Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency: the more

difficult, academic language students experience in school; research has typically said it takes 5-7 years to develop.

What is SIOP? Sheltered Instructional Observational Protocol: SIOP is a research based teaching methodology that helps teachers make their classrooms more comprehensible for English language learners.

LEP Registration Process

In accordance with federal law, our school

Supreme Court

[pic]system will not require that a student provide any proof of legal status (social security card,

green card, passport, etc.) Plyler v. Doe, 457 U. S. 202, 102 S. Ct. 2382 (1982).

What if the student returns to the system? If an LEP student is

removed from a Winston-Salem Forsyth County School roster and then

returns to our system during one calendar year and there is a doubt

whether that student has an up-to-date annual ACCESS score,

the student must be sent to the Newcomer Center.

• All students must complete a HOME LANGUAGE SURVEY when enrolling in a

school. If a student indicates that he speaks another language at home, even if he

appears to speak English fluently, he must report to the Newcomer Registration

Center for English language proficiency testing. Kindergarteners may be tested at

the home school at the beginning of the year. Do not send Pre-K students to the

Center. If you have any questions, please call the Newcomer Registration Center at 747-6804.

The Newcomer Registration

Center is housed at:

Downtown Market

601 N. Cherry Street

Winston-Salem, NC 27101

What will the Newcomer Center provide to schools?

The Newcomer Registration Center will provide each school with a folder of necessary registration forms and information, including information about a student's English W-APT/ACCESS scores and designations.

• Green Card with Initial W-APT / LEP assessment data and designation as LEP or not-LEP.

• Student information form

• Copy of the Home Language Survey

• Immunization Records

• Parent Release forms (internet, photo, medical)

• Transcripts provided by parents if available

• Any other education documents or information provided by the family

Documents Necessary to Register

1. Parent ID

2. Legal custody document (if student does not live with parents)

3. Proof of address (one of the following):

• A deed to a home or a current lease of an apartment with a Forsyth County address and evidence that you are residing in it, such as a utility bill in your name

• A voter registration card with an address in Forsyth County

• A driver's license with a Forsyth County address

• Income tax forms listing a Forsyth County address

• Checking and/or savings account statements listing a Forsyth County address, insurance policies or charge account statement listing a Forsyth County address with an employer

• Documentation of receiving public assistance at a Forsyth County address.

4. Birth certificate

5. Immunization records

Other helpful information:

♦ Transcripts or report cards

♦ I.E.P. if the student has been identified as a child with disabilities.

Initial LEP Identification

When students pre-register at the Newcomer Center, they will take the W-APT English screener assessment. This assessment will determine whether these students are identified as LEP. The current W-APT criteria to identify students as LEP is the following:

LEP Student Grade Placement and Achievement

School

Board Policy Please note the following WSFCS board policy on

LEP students: AR 5122.3 Guidelines for Placement

and Evaluation of Limited English Proficient (LEP) students. This

policy can be found in its entirety on page 31 of this guide and on the WS/FCS website under school board policies.

When any student comes to a school to register, the parents must fill out the Home Language Survey. When a language other than English is listed,

direct them to the Newcomer Center. If a student qualifies for ESL services,

the parent/guardian must sign a release to either participate or waive ESL services. Students may not receive or be denied ESL services based upon

those services received in another school system. If a student demonstrates on the W-APT or ACCESS English language assessment that they are LEP, we will offer ESL services to this student.

School: If an LEP student chooses to accept services, the Newcomer Center will identify the student's residential school. If the residential school is not an ESL site, the student will be assigned to an ESL site that serves the residential school.

Grade: The student's grade-level placement is based on academic readiness and age. Regardless of prior schooling, the student must be placed no lower

than one grade below his age-appropriate placement. If the student brings documentation that shows he was in school until leaving his home country (or from another district), we will honor that grade assignment and place him accordingly.

Siblings: If a student has a sibling in an ESL site, he has the right to attend the same school regardless of whether or not he is in the ESL program.

This guideline applies to kindergartners as well (usually assigned to home

school). Every effort should be made to place siblings in schools that follow the same calendar.

Exceptional Children: LEP students with exceptionalities will be assigned

to the school within their zone that provides the services needed. When

possible, they will attend a school with both ESL and the EC program. In such cases students will receive both services. If both are not available in the same school, the EC service determines assignment.

Retention: The ESL program is federally mandated to prevent discrimination practices in the retention and grading of students with limited English proficiency. Please see policy WSFCS AR 5122.3 under board policies on the WS/FCS website.

Retention of an ESL student in grades K-8, or denial of credits in grades 9-

12, should only be considered if progress in ESL is very minimal or if academic difficulties are not related to second language acquisition.

The LEP committee and the ESL teacher must review all available student information when considering whether to retain an LEP student. ESL teachers must be a part of discussions and decisions concerning the retention of any LEP student. First, inquire as to what types of LEP classroom modifications and LEP testing accommodations are in place for this LEP student. Second, inquire as to whether these instructional modifications and testing accommodations have been used consistently with the LEP student. If these LEP modifications and LEP accommodations have not been used consistently, the LEP committee should strongly consider whether retention is appropriate for an LEP student.

Complete documentation must be maintained to show that prescriptive

measures were implemented. Parents must be contacted in a language they can understand. These contacts could include phone calls, conferences, and

home visits and should be part of the documentation. Copies of all

documentation for retention should be placed in the student's cumulative folder.

Retention Considerations

For Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students

1. What is the child’s English language proficiency level? Consideration: the lower the child’s English language proficiency, the more likely his English ability affected his progress in an English speaking classroom.

2. How long has the student been enrolled in a US school? Consideration: It takes a child 4-10 years to fully acquire a second language.

3. Are LEP instructional modifications being used and documented in the mainstream classroom (PEP and LEP Plan)? Consideration: If LEP instructional modifications are not used in the classroom consistently, the child may not have been able to demonstrate what he knows.

4. Are LEP testing accommodations being used consistently and documented for EOQs and EOGs?

5. Is the child receiving the minimum amount of ESL services? Consideration: Without appropriate ESL services, most LEP students will acquire English only through classroom immersion which is the least effective method of English acquisition.

6. Are we considering how much progress the child has made in acquiring English and acquiring content knowledge? AR 5122.3 Guidelines for Placement and Evaluation of Limited English Proficient (LEP) students. Cannot retain a child because of English language proficiency.

ESL Services and ESL Service Agreement

Very Important Note: It is important to understand that waiving ESL services only means that the student will not receive ESL services. This does not mean that the student is not LEP. LEP students will continue to take the ACCESS assessment yearly until they are no longer LEP.

Title III and Title I (1111(b)(7) state quite clearly that LEP

Title III

Title I

students must be assessed yearly with an English language

assessment. Title III Sec. 3116 (6)(d)(2) Each local plan

shall also contain assurances that the eligible entity

annually will assess the English proficiency of all children with limited English proficiency participating in programs funded under this part.

ESL Service Agreement

• Parents must sign the ESL Service Agreement upon initial enrollment. This gives them the option of choosing to receive or waive ESL services.

• Students may participate in the school choice process. (For more

information concerning school choice, please contact Homan Atashbar (Director of Student Assignment) at 748-3302 . Note: ESL services are not currently offered at all Winston-Salem / Forsyth County schools.

• The student must participate in annual ACCESS testing until

receiving ACCESS scores that demonstrate that this child is no

longer LEP.

• The student may need LEP modifications in classroom instruction and LEP accommodations on state tests, according to testing guidelines for LEP students. These should be documented on the Modifications/Accommodations form.

• As long as the student is LEP (according to performance on the

W- APT/ACCESS), parents have the option to change their minds and request that their child be placed in an ESL program/site. Please contact the Title III LEP Program Manager for additional assistance with this situation.

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools

English as Second Language Service

Grades K-12

Entrance Criteria:

The Home Language Survey must be completed for every student enrolling

in the WSFCS System. If any answers indicate that the student has a

language other than English as his first language, the student must take an English proficiency assessment (W-APT). Students in grades K-12, who indicate another language besides English on the Home Language Survey, need to be directed to the Newcomer Center to take this English language assessment. After evaluating the results of the W-APT, the Newcomer Center will work with the family to determine whether the student is LEP and whether the student needs ESL services.

North Carolina Board of Education policy 16

NCAC 6D.0106) - (c) A home language survey

shall be administered to every student at the time of

enrollment and maintained in the student's permanent record. LEAs shall then identify and assess every limited English proficient student who needs assistance in order to have access to the unit's instructional programs.

Title III and Title I sec. 1111(b)(7) state quite clearly that

LEP students must be assessed yearly with an English

language assessment. Title III Sec. 3116 (6)(d)(2) Each local plan shall also contain assurances that the eligible entity annually will assess the English proficiency of all children with limited English proficiency participating in programs funded under this part.

There is no specific legislation defining precisely what

type of services must be provided to LEP students.

However, Title III does direct districts to provide high

quality language instruction programs. The legislation follows. Title III Sec. 3115 (c) (1) To increase the English Language Proficiency of limited English Proficient children by providing high-quality language instruction educational programs that are based on scientifically based research demonstrating the effectiveness of the programs in increasing (A) English Proficiency and (B) student academic achievement in the core academic subjects.

Levels 1 & 2 of ESL Service-ACTIVE/DIRECT: A K-12 LEP student is eligible to receive active, regular ESL services if he has received a score on the W-APT/ACCESS that indicates that he is LEP. Basic ESL service is offered at different levels depending on the LEP student’s English language proficiency. Likewise, an LEP student's academic progress in class will be considered as to whether an LEP student needs active ESL service. (See p. 26 for Frequency of ESL Service.)

Level 3 of ESL Service - CONSULTATION: Consultative status means that the ESL Teacher will consult with the LEP student and his teacher on a regular basis to determine if he is doing satisfactorily in his classroom. At the very least, the ESL teacher should consult with LEP students on consultation every two weeks. The consultation student is still LEP. Therefore, he will take the ACCESS assessment each year until he is no longer LEP. He will also still be eligible for LEP accommodations because he’s still LEP.

Levels of Kindergarten ESL service

(Active/Direct) (Consultative) (Not LEP)

Levels of Grades 1-5 ESL service

(Active/Direct) (Consultative) (Exited)

Levels of Grades 6-12 ESL service

(Active/Direct) (Consultative) (Exited)

Exiting LEP Status

An LEP student exits LEP status when he receives an ACCESS score that meets all of the criteria below.

When a student exits LEP status, the Exit Documentation form

must be shared with the student's parents (see Appendices). A copy of this exit documentation must remain in the student’s LEP records in the cumulative folder. These students will not be served in the ESL classroom, but will be monitored for two years after exiting.

Title III. Accountability and Administration Sec. 3121 (a) (4)

Title III

“A description of the progress made by children in meeting challenging State academic content and student academic

achievement standards for each of the two years after such children are no longer receiving services under this part.”

Monitoring: A school’s LEP committee must monitor former LEP students for at least two years after they exit LEP status. At any time, if the LEP committee believes that there is a second language acquisition problem, the student may re-enter the ESL program and remain until he is able to perform successfully in the mainstream classroom. It is highly recommended that the student remain at the ESL site for the additional years of monitoring. This will help avoid problems (scheduling, transportation, etc.) if the student needs to re-enter the ESL program. (See page 22 for reclassification procedures.) This student will not be considered LEP and will not count toward ESL allotments.

For documentation purposes, the LEP committee needs to utilize the LEP Student Consultation/Monitor Report form located in the Appendices section of this document.

Reclassification as LEP

There may be unusual instances where the LEP committee believes that a former LEP student may need to be reassessed with the W-APT English proficiency test to see if the student needs to be reclassified as LEP. Please follow these steps to request that a child be re-assessed with the W-APT. Note: W-APT re-assessments are done at the Newcomer Center prior to November 30 of that school year.

1. Contact and obtain permission from parents to begin the W-APT reassessment process. You may obtain verbal or written permission. If parents give written permission, please retain this for documentation. If parents give verbal permission, document who you spoke with, when and the outcome of the conversation. Retain this documentation in the child’s LEP folder.

2. Once you obtain parental permission, please contact David Sisk (Title III Program Manager) via email (dtsisk@wsfcs.k12.nc.us) to request approval for the W-APT reassessment.

3. Once approved, you may contact the Newcomer Center or the Newcomer Center will contact you to arrange an appointment for the

W-APT reassessment.

4. The sending school arranges transportation for the student to go and return to the Newcomer Center (on occasion Newcomer Staff may be able to come to your school for this purpose).

5. The Newcomer Center staff will determine if the student continues to be LEP based on the results from the W-APT assessment.

ESL Teacher Allotment

NOTE: Whereas we make every effort to adhere to the ESL allotment formula, as a result of receiving less state LEP funding for the 2013-14 school year, and the district LEP database being inactive in 2013-14, this may not have been possible. Nevertheless, we do try to equitably distribute ESL staff to meet the needs of our ELL students and families.

K-12 LEP students receiving active ESL services are used to determine the ESL teacher allotment at an ESL site. The current (as of 2014-2015) ESL Teacher formula for ESL sites is as follows:

|0-30 |.5 ESL |

|31-61 |1.0 ESL |

|62-92 |1.5 ESL |

|93-123 |2.0 ESL |

|124-154 |2.5 ESL |

|155-185 |3.0 ESL |

|186-216 |3.5 ESL |

|217-247 |4.0 ESL |

|248-278 |4.5 ESL |

|279-309 |5.0 ESL |

|310-340 |5.5 ESL |

Allotment continues in increments of 30 LEP students to a .5 ESL teacher.

ESL Assistant Allotment

NOTE: K-12 LEP students receiving active (not consultative) ESL services are used to determine the ESL teacher assistant allotment at an ESL site. The current (as of 2014-2015 school year) ESL teacher assistant formula ESL sites is as follows:

|60-120 LEP students |1.0 ESL assistant |

|121-181 |2.0 |

|182-242 |3.0 |

|243-303 |4.0 |

|304-364 |5.0 |

Allotment continues in increments of 60 LEP students to a 1.0 ESL assistant.

ESL Focus

FOCUS FOR ESL INSTRUCTION: ESL teachers will utilize the WIDA standards to plan instruction to support the mainstream classroom and content areas, integrating Social and Instructional Language, and the Language of Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. ESL teachers will plan with classroom and content area teachers, when possible, and use the Pacing Guides to front-load and to support instruction, ensuring the success of students in the Standard Course of Study and Common Core Standards.

MATERIALS AND RESOURCES TO BE UTILIZED: The State Adopted Texts for ESL in WS/FCS are Avenues for Elementary and Shining Star for Middle and High Schools.

ESL teachers are not limited to the resources listed above; they may also use a combination of other resources: Scott Foresman ESL texts, Oxford Picture Dictionary, ImagineIt!, classroom texts, teacher-created materials, websites, trade books, SMART lessons, etc., to meet students’ instructional needs.

Note: Beginning in 2011-2012, schools began providing direct ESL services to Kindergarten ESL students to support student performance in Beginning Reading and Writing Skills on DIBELS, Fluency screenings and K-2 Assessments. A combination of Avenues, ImagineIt!, and Kindergarten classroom and ESL teacher materials are used to support ELL Kindergarteners’ language development.

INSTRUCTION: The WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards are the North Carolina English language development standards (wida.us). ESL teachers help to raise the awareness of other school staff members on the WIDA standards as resources and that the WIDA standards are the responsibility of the classroom teacher, as well. They are also responsible for maintaining records of LEP student performance in the ESL classroom. ESL Teachers actively participate in the decision making process (LEP committee, RTI committee, SAT process, retentions) to make appropriate decisions on students’ services, modifications, and test accommodations. They assist classroom teachers in making appropriate classroom modifications and help to increase the staff’s cultural understanding of LEP students.

Current ESL models of ESL instruction recognized by the NCDPI:

Pullout: The LEP student leaves the classroom (is “pulled out”) for ESL services, working in small groups of instruction planned by the ESL teacher. Pullout services may vary between schools due to schedule and space availability, causing the pullout to be inside the classroom, rather than in a separate ESL room, but ESL teachers are not to be used as an assistant or tutor.

• Newcomers may need two periods of ESL services each day.

• Group sizes are to be no larger than ten students.

• Students are to be grouped by proficiency levels.

• Students are to be grouped by grade level.

Elective ESL classes: In the middle and high schools, LEP students receive ESL instruction during a scheduled class period and receive course credit. ESL is largely an English-only instructional program, with instructional support in the native language when feasible. Proficiency levels determine the level of ESL class the student will take.

Sheltered Content Classes: Sheltered content classes in social studies, science, math, and English are offered at the high school level to LEP students. The mainstream teacher uses specific methods designed for LEP students, commonly referred to as Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP). Such methods include increased use of visuals, modeling, slower speech, hands-on activities, interaction, modified assessments, scaffolding, and native language assistance when needed. This LEP instructional method is primarily designed for intermediate LEP students.

Co-teaching: The LEP student remains in the mainstream classroom, with the ESL teacher going in to work with the classroom teacher, providing appropriate instruction to the LEP student. To have a successful Co-teaching model, mainstream and ESL teachers must have time to plan cooperatively and must share the teaching responsibilities of that classroom. ESL teachers are not to be used as an assistant or tutor. Classroom time may be a mix of whole class, grouped lessons, or rotating stations with both teachers sharing the teaching role. Generally, in a Co-teaching model, ESL teachers should be able to work with 1 – 2 mainstream teachers successfully. ESL teachers may find working with 3 – 4 or more teachers in a Co-teaching model very challenging since it can be difficult to find time to plan cooperatively. Please refer to the Memorandum in the Appendices for clarification of Co-Teaching by DPI.

ESL Service Frequency

(ESL Service Levels 1-2: Active/Direct)

|Grade |Level |Frequency |

|Kindergarten |Low – W-APT = 0-10 |Pull-out, 3 times per week, 40 mins. |

|Kindergarten |Medium – W-APT = 11-18 |Pull-out, 2 times per week, 40 mins. or |

| | |Co-Teaching |

|1st – 5th |WIDA Reading level 1 – 2.5 |Everyday, 45 mins. |

|1st – 5th |WIDA Reading level 2.6- 4.0 |2 times per week, 45 mins. |

|1st – 5th |WIDA Reading level >4.0 WIDA Writing level ................
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