Abbeville County School District

1. Abbeville County School District ESOLEssentials #1 Enrollment & Services for LEP Students Professional Development Information for Administrators, Staff and Teachers of ELL’s By: Carrie G. Bryson ESOL Program Specialist

2. STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF DUCATION Mick Zais Superintendent 1429 Senate Street Columbia, South Carolina 29201 MEMORANDUM TO: District Superintendents and Principals FROM: Steve Abbott Director, Office of Federal and State Accountability DATE: October 20, 2011 RE: Enrollment and Services for Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students Title I and Title III Law requires that LEAs provide appropriate services for Limited English Proficient (LEP) students. Federal law also requires LEAs to ensure that enrollment procedures and policies do not negatively impact students based on their immigrant or English-speaking status. To help ensure appropriate services and enrollment policies for LEP students please review the following information: • The state only requires two documents as a prerequisite to the enrollment of a child in a South Carolina public school. The Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) immunization form is required of all children; however, DHEC allows a thirty-day waiver for students to present records or begin immunizations. A birth certificate or other proof of age, as determined by the school district, is required for first-time enrollment of children entering kindergarten or first grade. In addition, your district may require written proof of residency. A district may not deny a student enrollment due to the lack of proof of immigration status, and a district should not request that information of the parent. Additionally, Social Security Cards or numbers are not required, nor must parents be required to present South Carolina drivers’ licenses or other photo IDs for access to the main office in order to enroll their children in school. • A home language survey must be administered to all students. Based on the information in the survey, schools must give a standardized language assessment to potential LEP students to determine needs and provide appropriate language program services. • Initial grade placement should be with same-age classmates and LEP students should be advanced along with age-level peers. Classroom teachers should modify instruction and assignments to meet the academic and language needs of LEP students and grades should reflect these modifications. Additionally, all LEP students are eligible to participate in all age-appropriate school programs and to receive all available services. • Once students have exited language program services, they are monitored for at least two academic years. Language program services may be reestablished if necessary. For additional information about services for LEP students, please contact Catherine Neff, Title III, at 803-734-2880 or cneff@ed.sc.gov. SA/cn cc: ESOL Coordinators

3. Enrollment & Services for LEP Students Information adapted from Dr. Jim Rex letter dated September 30, 2009 The organizing principle of public education is that all children have the opportunity to participate and achieve. There is public concern relative to enrollment policies and procedures that may negatively impact the enrollment and services to children of immigrant status or English-speaking status. The concern is that all districts may not reflect through Board-approved policy a non-discrimination policy for enrollment that is in compliance with Plyler v. Doe (1982), Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (1964), and Section 59-63-40 of the South Carolina Code of Laws. The South Carolina School Board Association has offered a template policy that may resolve this compliance concern and assist our district in addressing this issue. http://ed.sc.gov/agency/Accountability/Federal-and-State-Accountability/old/fp/documents/JimRexMemoSept09.doc

4. Enrollment & Services for LEP Students • Documentation • Home Language Survey • Grade Placement • Advancement of ESOL Students • Cessation of Services to ESOL Students

5. Enrollment of LEP Students Documentation • Immunization Form • Birth Certificate *(or other proof of age) *Written Proof of Residency *(district requirement) • The state only requires two documents as a prerequisite to the enrollment of a child in a South Carolina public school. If an enrolling student does not have a Social Security number, leave the SS# field blank. The Power School System will automatically assign an identification number to that student.

6. Enrollment of LEP Students Documentation Immunization Records Pending receipt of the required record of immunizations, there are exemptions that will allow the child to attend school. • Age-related Exemption • Catching up Exemption • Special Exemptions • Special Exemptions Include: • transfer students waiting arrival of medical record • students who have been unable to secure documentation of immunizations already received There is a time limit of 30 days to begin immunizations if there is no record for them. School nurses and office staff can assist parents that may not be aware of where their child can receive immunizations and/or may need a listing of free clinics or health resources available in the community.

7. Enrollment of LEP Students Home Language Survey • A Home Language Survey must be administered to all students, in order to: • Identify Language Minority Students • ESOL Program Manual (Page 6) • 2. Administer Language Assessments • ESOL Program Manual (Page 6-7) • 3. Provide Alternative Language Program Services • ESOL Program Manual (Page 9-10)

8. Grade Placement of LEP Students • Schools must do more than just provide ELLs with the same books, facilities, teachers and curriculum as other students. (Lau vs. Nichols) • Modifications should be made in instruction and grading. • Initial grade placement should be age-appropriate, and an LEP student should be advanced along with age-level peers.

9. Grade Placement of LEP Students • Initial grade placement should be with same-age classmates. Placing an LEP student in a lower grade is not in compliance with state guidelines. To ensure proper placement, guidance, and services to ELL students, form a support team or ELL Committee • Committee may consist of : • Regular classroom teachers • ESOL teachers / staff • Parents • Counselors / Special Services

10. Grade Placement of LEP Students • Duties of the committee may include: • Proper grade placement of student • Monitoring student progress • Placing student in support programs • Recommending professional development topics for staff & parents Available programs to help LEP students achieve academically “Classroom teachers should modify instruction and assignments to meet the academic and language needs of LEP students.” **Grades should reflect these modifications. 1. ESOL Instructional Program 2. Response to Intervention 3. Before / After School Programs 4. Modifications / Accommodations Plan http://ed.sc.gov/agency/Accountability/Federal-and-State-Accountability/old/fp/documents/IndividualizedModificationsAccomodationsPlan.doc

11. Advancement of LEP Students • An LEP/migrant student should be advanced along with age-level peers. Nonadvancement must be documented with evidence that indicates the determining factors are other than English language proficiency. **If the interventions and accommodations are ineffective and not meeting the specific needs of the student than they should be reviewed and changed as necessary to better meet the students’ need.

12. Advancement of LEP Students The National Association of School Psychologists states that: • Students who have been retained are • more likely to: • Participate in unhealthy behaviors • Have suicidal behaviors As adults, retained students are more likely to be: Uunemployed, live on welfare, or be in prison *Students retained one grade increases the risk of dropping out by 40 to 50 percent *Students retained twice or more almost guarantees the student will dropout.

13. Exiting Criteria for ESOL Students • ESOL studentsin grades 4 – 12 may be exited from alternative language services when he/she makes a Composite Score of 5 on ELDA. Coding of LEP Students Application of State Definition of LEP, December 2009 Code Number Service Term Definition Once students have exited alternative language services, they are monitored for at least two academic years. Alternative language program services may be reestablished if necessary. See coding document in entirety at this web address: http://ed.sc.gov/agency/Accountability/Federal-and-State-Accountability/old/fp/documents/CodingLepstudentsAppStateDefinition.doc

14. Thank You from the ESOL Department It is our pleasure to support you in your efforts to educate and encourage the ELL’s in your school! The program’s primary focus is to help provide an English-rich environment so these students will become proficient in English as soon as possible and to help you in creating a learning environment for our ELL’s that encourages student pride in their cultural heritage and provide the cognitive and affective support to help them become contributing members of society. We hope that this informational presentation will help you in your efforts in enrolling, identifying, and serving your ELL students. If at any time you may need more information in these areas, please do not hesitate to talk with your ESOL Teacher Assistant or Administrative Specialist. Additional information pertaining to serving our ELLs can be found in your schools copy of our District ESOL Program Manual which includes the SDE English Language Learning Handbook.. Information may also be found on the SDE website. http://ed.sc.gov/agency/Accountability/Federal-and-State-Accountability/old/fp/documents/CodingLepstudentsAppStateDefinition.doc Jean Smith – Instruction Coordinator Carrie Bryson – ESOL Program Specialist Donna Aleman – ESOL Teacher Assistant