Student Identification

     At the time of registration, all parents must complete a Home Language Survey in order to determine if their student is an English Language Learner.  This survey is a permanent record mandated by the state and it will remain in the student's folder.  If a parent answers any of the three questions with a response other than English, the child will be referred to the ESL teacher for ESOL Testing through central registration.  These students are identified as PHLOTES (primary home language other than English).  English language proficiency tests will be given to these students within the first thirty days of the beginning of the school year.  ESL instruction will immediately follow this assessment as needed.  All students (identified as PHLOTES) that enter school after the first thirty days will be tested within fourteen days.  ESL instruction at the appropriate level will take place immediately. 

     In order to ensure that all PHLOTES are identified, Colonial School District includes various pages with questions about home language or first language in the enrollment packet, given during registration.  The district is dedicated to identifying ELLs as quickly as possible and ensuring that they are receiving ESOL services right away.

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Eligibility Upon Enrollment 

Any student who is classified in either of the categories listed below will receive ESL instruction immediately following enrollment.  The ESL teacher will informally assess the student and place him or her in the appropriate ESL class.  The allotted amount of time of ESL instruction may change pending the results of the English language proficiency test and teacher input.

• An already identified English Language Learner from another district will continue to receive ESL instruction until he or she meets the exit criteria
  Any new student that cannot speak, read, write, or understand English as a result of their first language being a language other than English

Any PHLOTE that completes the ESL testing and does not pass the test with a native-like fluency will be enrolled in an ESL class.  The amount of ESL a student will receive depends on the student's ESL Level.  The approximate amount for each level is as follows:

Level 1 Entering- Students at this level will receive 2-3 hours of ESL per day.

Level 2 Beginning- Students at this level will receive 2-3 hours of ESL per day.

Level 3 Developing- Students at this level will receive 1-2 hours of ESL per day.

Level 4 Expanding- Students at this level will receive 1-2 hours of ESL per day.

Level 5 Bridging- Students receive one hour or less per day.

Enrollment Requirements

• Copy of Lease or Deed
• Paid Real Estate Tax Bill or Settlement Papers
• Statement from Landlord which includes Landlord's name and telephone number, to be confirmed with Landlord Multiple Occupancy or Guardianship Papers (with copy of lease or deed of residence and recent IRS Tax Return attached) to be completed and notarized

• Copy of Immunization Card
• 4 Doses of Diptheria Vaccine (1 Dose after 4th birthday)
• 4 Doses of Tetanus (1 Dose after 4th birthday)
• 3 Doses of Polio Vaccine
• 1 Dose of Rubella Vaccine after 12 Months of Age
• 2 Doses of Measles Vaccine after 12 Months of Age- Second dose preferably given as MMR
• 1 Dose of Mumps Vaccine after 12 Months of Age
• 3 Doses of Hepatitis B
• Varicella (Chickenpox)- Proof of immunity either by vaccine, history of disease or lab test

Every parent/ guardian will complete the Home Language Survey.  The survey will be kept in the student's permanent file along with any ESOL test results if applicable.

 

Screening/Testing for English Language Proficiency

The formal assessment used by the Colonial School District is the W-APT.  W-APT stands for the WIDA-ACCESS Placement Test. This assessment tool, known as the "screener", is used by educators to measure the English language proficiency of students who have recently arrived in the U.S. or in a particular district. It can help to determine whether or not a child is in need of English language instructional services, and if so, at what level.

There are similarities and differences between the annual WIDA Access Test and the W-APT as described below:

Similarities between ACCESS for ELLs^. and the W-APT

	ACCESS for ELLs. & W-APT
Assessment Domains	All four: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing
Standards Addressed	All five: Social and Instructional, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies
Format of Kindergarten Test	Individually administered and adaptive
Format of Speaking Test	Individually administered and adaptive
Format of Listening and Reading Test	Multiple choice
Format of Writing Test	Constructed response
Item and Task Organization	Grouped according to theme

 

 

Differences between ACCESS for ELLs^. and W-APT

	ACCESS for ELLs.	W-APT
Purpose	Annual assessment of ELP progress	Program placement; typically administered only to new students
Administration time	Approximately 2.5 hours	Up to 1 hour (depending on proficiency level of student)
Proficiency level (PL) coverage	Three tiers, each covering 3 levels	Single form measuring English language proficiency levels 1 through 5+
Level of security	Secure, administered during annual test window for state	Semi-secure; not for public dissemination but administered as needed
Administration procedures	Individual speaking; group administered (L,R,W) by tier within grade level cluster	All individually administered
Scoring	Machine scored by MetriTech, Inc. (L, R, W)	All domains administrator scored during administration on provided scoring sheets
Reporting	Reports from MetriTech, Inc.	Locally determined managed
Speaking	Three parts, 13 tasks total = 15 minutes maximum	Two parts, 8 tasks total = 8-10 minutes maximum
Listening	6-7 parts, 19-22 items = 30 minutes	5 parts, 15-17 items = maximum 20 minutes
Reading	6-8 parts, 23-30 items = 40 minutes	5 parts, 15-17 items = maximum 30 minutes
Writing	3 (Tier A) or 4 (Tiers B-C) parts = 60 minutes	Two parts (typically only 1 administered) = 15 minutes

 

The Multiple Criteria used to Determine Student ESL Levels

The formal assessment used in determining ESL levels is the W-APT.  However, there are multiple criteria in place that are all factors in assigning an ESL level. 

STEP 1-Administering the W-APT- This is the formal assessment that is given to all students that are identified as PHLOTES.  The ESL teacher will retrieve the results of the test and collaborate with the content area teacher(s) to inform them of the student's level.

STEP 2- ESL/ Content Area Teacher Input- It is very important that all teachers communicate and discuss a student's level of performance.  This collaboration may be done in person, by e-mail, by phone, or with the Teacher Input Form.

STEP 3- Reflection of Student Work- The ESL and content area teachers may or may not feel the need to reflect on the student's overall academic performance.  Teachers could look at the students recent report grades, any authentic assessments, and scoring on the standardized tests.  The work that the student is producing should be equivalent to his or her ESL level.  

*The official testing form with the student's ESL level will be placed in the student's permanent folder. 

Example Teacher Input Form (PDF)

 

Reclassification of ELLs

 

The reclassification of ELLs refers to a student moving from one proficiency level to the next level.  The process of reclassifying a student is very similar to the identification of a student with a few changes.  

STEP 1- A student may be assessed for reclassification because of the following:

 

1. The ESL, content area teacher, counselor or parent feels that the student is improving in some or all of the four communicative areas.  Results from informal assessments, observations, and standardized testing will determine reclassification.

-AND/OR- 

 

2. The ESL teacher feels that the student has mastered the specified criteria stated in the WIDA Can-DO Descriptors for the particular level and should be moved to the next ESL Level.        

STEP 2- ESL/ Content Area Teacher Input- It is very important that all teachers communicate and discuss a student's level of performance.  Standardized tests and grades will be considered.

 

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The exit criteria provided below for English Language Learners (ELLs) represent valid and reliable evidence of a student's English language proficiency to exit from an English language instructional program. Every LEA must include the following exit criteria in the LEA Program Plan for ELLs.

In order to meet the required state exit criteria for Pennsylvania's English language instructional programs for ELLs, LEAs must use both of the required exit criteria listed below.  In addition, LEAs must ensure that students meet one of the two additional exit criteria provided below to exit from an English language instructional program:

Required Exit Criteria:

1. Score of BASIC on the annual Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA).

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:

• For students transferring from other states, out-of-state academic achievement assessment results may be considered when the academic proficiency level is comparable to BASIC on the PSSA.
• For students that are in a grade that is not assessed with the PSSA, LEA's must use each of the remaining criteria listed below to exit students.

2. Scores of 5.0 on a Tier C ACCESS for ELLs assessment (see Items A and B below for cutoff score flexibility)

A. Following the scoring criteria in the table below, the W-APT may be administered between April and June to students who scored below the minimum cutoff for program exit on the January administration of the ACCESS in order to demonstrate sufficient progress to justify exit.

NOTE: The W-APT may ONLY be administered to a student once in any school year.

       Grade Level     ACCESS Score        Required W-APT Scores*
       K-5                4.6-4.9                 5.5 in each domain
       6-8                4.7-4.9                 5.5 in each domain
       9-12               4.8-4.9                 5.5 in each domain

* A student must score 5.5 in each domain (listening, speaking, reading and writing). A composite proficiency score will not be used. 

B. A score of PROFICIENT on the reading PSSA can be used along with all other required criteria outlined in this policy to justify exit for students who achieve a composite proficiency score of 4.5 to 4.9 on the January administration of the ACCESS. In this case, W-APT scores are not necessary to demonstrate progress from the time of ACCESS administration to the end of the school year.

Additional Exit Criteria:

1. Final grades of C or better in core subject areas (Mathematics, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies).

2. Scores on district-wide assessments that are comparable to the BASIC performance level on the PSSA.

ESOL Exit Survey (PDF)

ESOL Exit Form (PDF)

After a student is exited from ESL, he or she will be monitored by the ESL teacher for a period of two years.  The monitoring process consists of the ESL teacher meeting with the student one to two times per marking period in an informal or formal setting.  The ESL teacher and the student will discuss any problems or concerns that may arise in the student's content area classes.  The ESL teacher will use the ESL Monitoring Form to communicate with the content area teacher. The content area teachers will give the ESL teacher feedback on the student's strengths and weaknesses.  The ESL teacher will keep track of the meetings with the monitored students and document this information on the Monitoring Data Form.  

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