English Language Education

East Bridgewater Public Schools

Procedures for Educating English Language Learners

Identification

The parent/guardian of every student, on first enrolling in EBPS, will complete a Home Language Survey to determine what languages the student speaks and/or understand and whom in the student’s home converse with the student in that/those language(s). A copy of the Home Language Survey will be place in the student’s cumulative file by the person who administers the Home Language Survey. Students for whom the parent/guardian lists a language other than English as spoken and/or understood will complete an assessment to determine if the student qualifies for English Language Learner services. The assessment used by EBPS is the WIDA APT and it is administered by the ESL teachers. Based on the outcome of the WIDA APT, the ESL teacher will determine the student’s ELL level—fully English proficient or in need of ELL services based on English proficiency level from 1-5, one needing the most services and five nearing transition out of services. The parent(s)/guardian(s) will be informed through a notification letter about the assessment and about the outcome. Parents will be informed, should the student qualify for services, of the option to opt-out of said services.

ELL Services

Based on the level of English proficiency students will receive English as a Second Language instruction (intention instruction on the acquisition of English and on the vocabulary needed for school success in each core subject) from a teacher certified in ESL. The student will also be scheduled into classes taught by a teacher who has completed or who is in the process of completing RETELL professional development which prepares teachers for sheltering their content for English Language Learners. The ESL teacher will use the EBPS ESL curriculum (covering K-12) and will both pull students out for services (especially those who scored at level 3 or lower on the last WIDA assessment) and/or push into content classes for services (especially for those who scored at level 4 or higher on the last WIDA assessment). ELL students are also eligible for after and/or before school tutoring (with lower levels receiving priority) funded through Title III.

Assessment

Annually, every child who qualifies for ELL services, even those whose parent/guardian has opted-out of services, is assessed using the WIDA ACCESS. Families are informed of when the assessment will take place and of their child’s performance level through notification letters. Further, if a child has scored 6 on the ACCESS, the child no longer qualifies for ELL services and the parent is informed by a notification letter. If the child scores a 5 or higher and scored proficient or advanced on the most recent administration of the ELA MCAS and/or is ready to exit ELL services based on the recommendations of both the child’s English Language Arts teacher and the ESL teacher, the child will be recommended to discontinue services, based on the parent/guardian agreeing with exiting services. For those students exiting and/or recommended to exit services their parent/guardian will receive a notification letter.

Program monitoring

All students who qualify for ELL services will be monitored using either an English Language Acquisition form (for ELL students) or a Formerly Limited English Proficient (FLEP) form (for those who have exited services). The ELA form is completed at least once each semester for students receiving services for each year the student receives services. The FLEP form is completed at least once each semester for the two years following exiting services. Each form is used by the district to determine student academic success and whether the student would benefit from additional ELL services or, for those who have exited services, returning to services.

Family Engagement

Each year the EBPS ELL Coordinator will meet twice with families of students who qualify for ELL services to inform them of their rights, of the ESL curriculum and assessments, provide a chance for families to meet the ESL teacher(s), to ask questions and to inform families of the ELL continuum of services and the procedures.

Program evaluation

Each year EBPS will complete an internal review and evaluation of the ELL program to determine: needed changes in curriculum or instruction, needed changes or additions in materials or staffing, needed professional development for ESL or general education teachers and to determine the success in preparing students qualifying for ELL services for academic success and for exiting such services. 

Content of all East Bridgewater Public Schools publications are available in languages other than english.