Carl Junction Schools

Lau Plan to meet the needs of English Language Learners

Carl Junction R-1 School District

Rationale

All school districts in Missouri are required to provide equal educational opportunities for students regardless of race, national origin, sex, color, or disability. Highly qualified teachers are needed in schools to implement programs, ensuring that all children meet Missouri’s academic content and achievement standards. To access school programs, English Language Learners– including immigrant children and youth, refugees, migrants, and undocumented students – must receive instruction that increases their English proficiency and core academic content knowledge. Suitable education involves the application of rigorous, systemic, and objective procedures to obtain reliable and valid knowledge relevant to educational activities and programs. This is important to the success of the student. English language learners cannot be retained solely because of language barriers. Grades represent a student's understanding of the subject, not the English language proficiency level.

To comply with Missouri School Improvement Program requirements, all Missouri school districts must have an English language learner policy or plan and an English language learner assessment tool. A plan or policy in this context does not contain enough information to be called a program. An instructional English language learner program addresses specific needs through a methodic course of action to allow English language learners to acquire expected English language proficiency. English language learners must develop proficiency in reading, writing, listening, speaking, and comprehension. This will enable them to meet the challenging state academic content and student academic achievement standards. An ongoing evaluation allows for program improvement. -Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

In Missouri, the Title I.C and Title III programs of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 have been reorganized as the Missouri Migrant Education and English Language Learning (MELL) program. The reorganization is an ongoing process. The MELL program is designed to use existing resources to better serve English Learners (ELs) and migrant students, to prevent duplication of services, and to allow most Title I.C and Title III funds to reach districts with needy children. MELL staff provide service delivery at strategic locations throughout the state. Each center is staffed with at least one instructional specialist, and regions with a high incidence of migrants are also staffed with a migrant recruiter. The MELL director coordinates the regions from a Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) office. The central MELL office processes the migrant EL data. DESE funds the MELL centers through contracts with school districts or institutions of higher education. DESE also allocates Title I.C and Title III funding to school districts for direct services to the targeted students. --Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Language Assessment Committee

The building-level Language Assessment Committee will oversee the educational program of limited English proficient students. The Language Assessment Committee will be composed of an English as a Second Language Coordinator, Building Administrator or designee, a minimum of one Regular Education teacher, an English as a Second Language teacher, a Guidance Counselor, Parents/Guardians when appropriate, and a Special Education teacher when appropriate. The Language Assessment Committee meetings will be scheduled by the English as a Second Language Coordinator.

The Language Assessment Committee's responsibilities will include the following:

1. Meet at least annually to develop or revise the English as a Second Language Program.
2. Make recommendations for placement and program type for the next school year.
3. Review the Lau Plan annually and recommend revisions if necessary.

Identify English Language Learners

Language minority students are currently identified at the time of enrollment by completing the Home Language Survey. See Appendix A. Building counselors or designated building coordinators examine all enrollment forms (Kindergarten-Grade 12). When the enrollment form has identified a student as a language minority student, a copy of the enrollment is sent to the English as a Second Language coordinator. The English as a Second Language coordinator will notify the English as a Second Language instructor. The English as a Second Language instructor will assess the English language proficiency of all language minority students for possible placement into the English as a Second Language program within ten days of enrollment. \

Currently, the district uses the WIDA Kindergarten Screener Kit for Kindergarten and first semester First Grade and the WIDA Online Screener for second semester First Grade and grades 2-12. Students with an overall score of 5.0 or lower on the WIDA Online Screener are recommended for participation in the English as a Second Language program. Parents are notified of test results in writing, as well as by phone or in person by the English as a Second Language staff within 30 days. If a parent/guardian refuses English as a Second Language services for their child, a signed letter of refusal will be placed in the student’s file. These English as a Second Language services will be offered yearly, and a letter of refusal must be signed annually. The parent may withdraw the refusal of services at any time. However, if a parent/guardian refuses ELL services for their student, the student will still be required to take the yearly ACCESS test until they test proficient.

Information regarding placement, refusal, instructional time, assessment results, modifications, and accommodations will be kept in the regular classroom and in assessment situations in the English as a Second Language Coordinator’s office. The English as a Second Language Coordinator will make this information available to personnel with a legitimate need to know. The English as a Second Language Coordinator will place an updated summary of information regarding Missouri English Language Proficiency Assessment results, accommodations, modifications in the classroom, and accommodations used on district and state assessments in the student’s permanent file at the end of each semester.

Stages of Language Acquisition

Speech emerges in natural stages during the acquisition process. This varies in length from student to student. The following are characteristics of language acquisition stages. Students at each stage may exhibit all or some of these characteristics.

Beginning Fluency Levels

Pre-Production

• • Speaks little or no English
  • May use memorized phrases for specific purposes
  • Communicates with gestures and actions
  • Uses primary language to express needs
  • Begins to acquire receptive language
  • Demonstrates comprehension through action rather than speech

Early Production

• • Speaks using one or two words or short phrases
  • Continues to use primary language to satisfy needs
  • May use memorized key phrases/words in English to meet needs
  • Continues to expand receptive vocabulary
  • Continues to demonstrate comprehension through actions rather than speech
  • Uses greetings in English

Speech Emergence

• • Speaks using short sentences with basic patterns evident
  • Vocabulary is limited
  • Grammatical word order errors are prevalent, making conversation difficult
  • Rephrases statements to make self-clear
  • Requires face-to-face interaction

Intermediate Fluency Level

• • Speaks with some fluency but lacks specific vocabulary in some areas
  • Nuances of language are not always understood
  • Frequent errors in usage and vocabulary
  • May have difficulty following unpredictable shifts in thought and conversation
  • May require visual and auditory cues to aid comprehension

Advanced Fluency Level

• • Social usage approximates that of a native speaker of that age
  • Vocabulary is varied and used appropriately
  • Participates fully in daily conversation
  • Is successful in classroom activities without loss of comprehension

Grade Level Placement

At the elementary level, the English as a Second Language Coordinator, building principal, and guidance counselor will determine at which grade level the student should be placed. The placement of the child will be age appropriate. Under no circumstances will a student be placed in a grade level more than one year below their chronological age. Although it may seem logical to place a language-minority child at a grade level that matches the English skills they need to acquire, it would be a great disservice to the child socially and cognitively. The district is obligated to provide a structured language support program that meets the English as a Second Language needs and the content area needs of the student consistent with state and federal statutes and case law precedent. The English as a Second Language Coordinator will actively participate in schedule building and class selections for all English language learners at the junior high and high school levels.

Programs

Each student will be enrolled in mainstream programs to the extent possible and integrated into regular activities. The English as a Second Language teacher will provide training and assist the regular classroom teachers and support staff when necessary to modify the regular curriculum through modified teaching strategies, materials, and assessments.

The following guidelines will be followed for the development of a student’s program:

1. An Individual Language Plan will be written by the English as a Second Language teacher and presented in an Individual Language Plan meeting consisting of the student’s parents, teachers, a building administrator, the English as a Second Language teacher, and the student, if appropriate. See Appendix B.

2. Instruction will be provided during regular school hours.

3. Student’s grade placement will be age appropriate.

4. The English as a Second Language teacher and classroom teacher will coordinate efforts to support the student’s acquisition of English and the content material.

5. The English as a Second Language teacher will provide instruction through pull-out or push-in programs to provide support to the Limited English Proficiency student. Pull-out instruction is generally used with students in Grades K-6. Push-in instruction in one or more content areas will be used in Grades 7-12.

6. The English as a Second Language teacher will share information about the culture and the new language with the staff that will be interacting with the student through professional development workshops.

7. The amount of time spent with the English as a Second Language teacher will be determined by the English as a Second Language staff based on scientifically based research, the student’s age, and educational requirements.

8. English as a Second Language students will have equal access to programs, such as Gifted Education, Special Education, Title I Reading and Math, college preparatory classes, vocational programs, afterschool programs, participation in sports, and other curricular and extracurricular activities available in the school district.

9. The program will be determined by scientifically based research and consistent with sound educational theory in English language development.

10. Information regarding placement, instructional time, assessment results, modifications, and accommodations to be used in the regular classroom and in assessment situations will be kept in the English as a Second Language Coordinator’s office. The English as a Second Language Coordinator will make this information available to personnel with a legitimate need to know.

11. The English as a Second Language Coordinator will place an updated summary of information regarding Missouri English Language Proficiency Assessment results, accommodations, and modifications in the classroom, as well as accommodations used on district and state assessments, in the student’s permanent file at the end of each semester.

Special Needs Placement

Determining special needs placement for students receiving English as a Second Language Services is a complex process. There may be several individuals or combined factors determining why language and cultural minority students are achieving little academic progress over time; the normal process of second language acquisition, the acculturation process, different learning styles, motivation to learn, or the student’s lack of prior schooling are several potential factors instead of intrinsic learning problems. Screening and diagnosing at-risk students receiving English as a Second Language Services include several pre-referral steps to determine whether there exist temporary learning and behavior characteristics shared by learning-disabled students and students of English as a second language or whether referral to special education is warranted. English as a Second Language personnel must be involved throughout the process.

Limited English proficiency is not a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1994 and state special education regulations. If a language minority child is referred for a special education evaluation, a culturally and linguistically non-biased evaluation must comply with state and federal regulations. The child’s native language skills will be assessed so that any significant problems can be identified and noted. The disability must be determined in the student’s primary language.

All students, grades K-8, are benchmarked three times per year to assess their level of fluency in reading. Students in the bottom 25% are referred to the Response to Intervention team for placement in an intervention group. The English as a Second Language teacher will join the Response to Intervention team when an English as a Second Language student needs to be placed in an intervention group. The students meet in their intervention group daily for specific reading instruction focusing on targeted areas.

Retention

Retention is generally only advisable when a language minority student is behind peers socially and emotionally. It is reasonable to say that a language minority – Limited English Proficiency child will not be on grade level academically until they have had the opportunity to acquire the English skills and content necessary for success. It is not legal to retain a Limited English Proficiency child solely for the reason of limited English proficiency because the child has unique needs and must be given ample time from grade level to grade level to acquire English proficiency. Research strongly indicates that acquiring a second language for cognitive/academic proficiency can take five to seven years under optimal conditions with academic and English language support. Suppose a child with Limited English Proficiency is referred for retention. In that case, the Language Assessment Committee should be included in that process to ensure that language proficiency is not the sole reason for the referral. According to No Child Left Behind, documentation must be provided to prove that appropriate classroom modifications were made and the content was comprehensible to the child by core area teachers before retention can be considered.

Assessments of English language learners

English language learners are assessed by the English as a Second Language Coordinator within ten days of enrollment. The WIDA Online Screener tests English proficiency for students in grades second semester First Grade and 2-12. The WIDA Kindergarten Screener Kit is used to assess English Proficiency in grades K-1.

English language learners are also given the WIDA ACCESS (Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners) from January to March. This is mandated by the state of Missouri and given to all English language learners in the state. The test is given to all students receiving English as a Second Language services in grades K-12. Speaking, Listening, Reading, Writing, and Comprehension Skills are assessed. This test is administered by the English as a Second Language coordinator and the English as a Second Language teacher. The WIDA ACCESS Assessment is regarded as a high-stakes test. Test security procedures are strictly observed at all times. Parents are provided a written report and a verbal explanation, either by telephone or in-person, of the test results and program recommendations.

English language learners must take the Missouri Assessment Program and the End of Course assessments each year. An English language learner may be exempted from the Communication Arts Missouri Assessment Program or End of Course assessment for one year following arrival in the United States. English language learners are required to take all other state assessments and any district assessments given in the district. According to Department of Elementary and Secondary Education directives, English language learners may be allowed to use some accommodations.

Parent Involvement

Parents of English as a Second Language students are encouraged to visit their child’s classes to share special cultural events, become a class volunteer, participate in or attend afterschool activities such as musical programs and plays, Family Nights, Parent/Teacher conferences, School Carnivals and Fairs, Parent-Teacher Organization events, and Open House events. Parents of English as a Second Language students with infants and toddlers at home are encouraged to participate in the Parents as Teachers Program. Monthly newsletters and other school information are available on the district website and in hard-copy form. Parents are encouraged to contact their child’s teachers through emails, phone calls, or notes. Teachers regularly send home progress reports and other messages regarding student progress and classroom activities in a language the parents understand. Parents and students are encouraged to participate in school-sponsored sporting events and other activities in the community, such as community sports programs and school support nights at area restaurants and businesses.

Transition

Exiting

A student who has achieved the Proficient level of a 4.7 composite score on the WIDA ACCESS Assessment and a grade of C or above, without modifications, is considered proficient in English. Students determined to have achieved English proficiency comparable to native English peers are exited from direct services and entered into monitor status. This change in status is decided by the English as a Second Language Coordinator with input from the English as a Second Language teacher. Classroom teachers will complete a progress survey to discover any difficulties in class that are not comparable to native-English-speaking peers before enacting the change in status.

Monitoring

The district is required to monitor the progress of exited English language learners for two years. The English as a Second Language teacher will monitor student grades at mid-quarter and at the end of each quarter and semester. The English as a Second Language teacher will also maintain communications with the content-area teachers regarding the student's successes, difficulties, and overall progress using teacher questionnaires completed at least once per semester, grade cards and progress reports, portfolios maintained by regular education teachers, and emails. These may be conducted more often if the student is experiencing difficulties. Monitoring will continue for two consecutive years. If the student experiences difficulties in the classroom setting due to English language difficulties, English as a Second Language services may be reinstated at any time. At the end of two years, The English as a Second Language Coordinator and English as a Second Language teacher will use classroom teacher input, quarter and semester grades, and state and district assessment scores to determine if the student needs to continue English as a Second Language services or be removed entirely from English as a Second Language staff supervision.

All information to determine either continuation or termination of English as a Second Language involvement will be placed in the student’s file in the English as a Second Language Coordinator’s office. This information will be included in the summary of English as a Second Language information placed in the permanent file at the end of each semester by the English as a Second Language Coordinator.

Program Evaluation

The English as a Second Language program will be evaluated yearly by the Language Assessment Committee to ensure the most effective and appropriate structured language support programming for limited English proficient children. The annual program evaluation will examine learner outcomes; school climate and support for the program and children; the quality of instructional materials; the maintenance of information about students; the effectiveness of staff development activities; the amount and effectiveness of mainstream English as a Second Language collaboration; the effectiveness of school and program communication with parents; and the implementation of the Lau Plan itself. This program evaluation will be part of the annual Federal Programs Review held in the spring.

Appendix A

Required Parent Survey

1. Before moving to this school district, did the student receive Title I services? _____Yes _____No

2. Before moving to this school district, did the student receive Special Education services? _____Yes _____No

3. Before moving to this school district, has either parent been employed or sought any form of temporary or seasonal Agricultural related work such as Planting or harvesting crops, Transporting farm products to market, Poultry-related work, Food processing, Dairy farm work, Cutting firewood to sell, Commercial fishing or working on a fish farm? _____Yes _____No

4. Was the move made to look for or obtain any of the above jobs? _____Yes _____No

5. Has your family moved away during summer to engage in seasonal or temporary fruit or vegetable harvesting? _____Yes _____No

6. Is either parent (or guardian) now working in any of the above jobs? _____Yes _____No

7. When did your family move to this district? Date:_________________________________

8. Where do the adults in the home work? Father: _______________________________ Mother: ______________________________ Other: ________________________________

9. What language did your child use when he/she first began to talk?    English    Other __________________

10. What language does your child speak most often at home?    English    Other __________________

11. What language does your child speak most often with friends?    English    Other __________________

12. In what language does your child learn best?    English    Other __________________

13. What language do you use most often when speaking to your child?    English    Other __________________

14. What language do family members in your home use when speaking use when speaking to each other?    English    Other __________________

If you are from a foreign country, please answer the following questions:

How many years has your child attended school in the USA? ____________________

Date the child, came to the USA? ____________________

How many years did your child attend school in your native country? ____________________