New Provisions for English Learners
Highlights from the Webinar by Scott Norton, CCSSO & Danica Petroshius, Penn Hill Group
Annotations regarding California readiness by Kristen Shand
New ESSA Guidelines for EL's
Annotations regarding California readiness by Kristen Shand
New ESSA Guidelines for EL's
- The decision-making and responsibility has been transferred to the state and local levels
- States have more flexibility
- Previous Title III standards, assessment, and accountability requirements for English Learners (ELs) have been transferred to Title I
- The Act prohibits federal authority in several areas such as establishment of the goals and measures of school progress, the weights states give to various indicators, etc. (caveat: US Department of ED has discretion to interpret these prohibitions; they may see room to regulate in some of these areas.)
- States must demonstrate that they have adopted English Language Proficiency (ELP) standards that
*are derived from the domains of speaking, listening, reading, and writing;
*address the different proficiency levels of ELs; and
*are aligned with the state’s academic standards- California recently adopted English Language Development (ELD) standards that meet this criteria
- California recently adopted English Language Development (ELD) standards that meet this criteria
- States must assess all English Learners’ proficiency in English with an annual ELP assessment aligned with the state’s ELP standards.
- California is currently in the process of replacing the California English Language Development Test (CEDLT) with the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) to assess English Learners.
- California is currently in the process of replacing the California English Language Development Test (CEDLT) with the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) to assess English Learners.
Inclusion of English Learners in State's Accountability Measures
- The state must establish long-term goals and interim measures of progress for increases in the percentage of ELs who make progress in achieving English proficiency
- The state's Accountability Plan must include a performance indicator of the extent to which all ELs are making progress in achieving English language proficiency
- The plan may include the assessment scores of formerly ELs within the results for the EL subgroup for up to four years
Inclusion of ELP in Indicator Performance
- The state’s accountability systems must include the following annual indicators:
*academic proficiency as measured through state academic assessments;
*graduation rate for high schools or one or more academic indicators applicable to elementary and middle schools;
*ELs’ progress in attaining proficiency in English; and
*at least one school quality or student success indicator. - All indicators must be measured separately for all students in a school and for each subgroup.
Measuring Progress in English Language Proficiency
- The state must define and measure English language proficiency within a state-determined timeline, as determined in each of grades 3–8 and in the high school grade in which the state administers assessments in reading or language arts and math
Academic Content Assessments for ELs
- The state must assess ELs in reading or language arts, math, and science assessments
- The state must employ appropriate accommodations (including assessments in the language and form most likely to yield accurate information on what those students know and can do in the content area assessed) for recently arrived ELs
Standardized Statewide Entrance and Exit Requirements for ELs
- Under Title III, states must establish and implement, after consultation with LEAs representing the geographic diversity of the state, standardized EL entrance and exit procedures.
- All students who might be ELs must be assessed for the EL status within 30 days of enrollment.
- SEAs may use the 5 percent of Title III funds that is set-aside for state-level activities to support this endeavor.
- California already has well-defined procedures and protocols for assessing EL proficiency upon entrance to school and exit procedures from EL support programs.
- California already has well-defined procedures and protocols for assessing EL proficiency upon entrance to school and exit procedures from EL support programs.