. Bishop Garrigan & St John Catholic Schools

Plan for Serving English Language Learners

April 2008

 

I.       K-12 Program Goals

 

A.   To identify students not proficient in the English language

 

B.   To help students to become English proficient in the language skills of speaking, reading, writing, and listening

 

C.   To help students to successfully participate in classroom learning situations and other    school activities.

 

 

II.    ESL Standards

 

A.   Guidelines For Implementing English Language Proficiency Standards

 

III. Staff and Materials

 

A.   Registration process and materials

 

                               B.   Administrative team

 

IV.  Identification

 

A.   Registration form will contain the question – What language is most frequently spoken in your home? If English is not the language, then more in-depth survey will be done.

 

B.   Home Language Survey in Native Language with assistance from AEA.

 

 

V.     Assessment and Placement

 

A.     Idea Proficiency Test (IPT) available by grade level with assistance from Prairie Lakes AEA.

 

B.     Place student in appropriate grade level, within two years of age group.

 

C.     Program will include all curricular areas

 

 

VI.  Parent Notification

 

A.     Letter to parents or guardians in appropriate language will be sent out within 30 days of testing at the beginning of the school year and within 2 weeks if students arrive in the middle or end of the year.

 

B.     www.transact.com may serve as resource

                                                                                       i.      A translation library free of charge for districts to use

                                                                                     ii.      NCLB-required documents in 22 different languages

 

C.     Interpreters if available will be used for conferences or other contacts with parents.

 

VII.           Exit Criteria

 

A.     District criteria will use I- ELDA scores of various combinations (4s and 5s) depending on district determination

 

B.     Other locally determined descriptors

 

VIII.        Assessment/Grading

 

A.     All Ells, regardless of time in a language instructional program and level of proficiency in English, will be assessed annually in the areas of reading and mathematics. Flexibility for recently arrived ELLs (those who have been enrolled in U.S. schools for less than 12 months) must be considered in regards to testing

 

B.     Students whose parents have waived ESL service are required to take the I-ELDA.

 

C.     Consideration of district grading and credit policy for ELLs will be taken at level of student

 

IX.  Professional Development

 

A.    District will provide professional development that incorporates strategies for ALL teachers to utilize in the classroom

 

X.        Program Consultation

    

 

             Kathy Brenny

Prairie Lakes AEA

824 Flindt Drive

Storm Lake, Iowa

712-732-2257