English Learners and Charter Schools

1. English Learners and Charter Schools Kim Miller Educational Specialist Office of Education Equity – Title III Oregon Department of Education May 31, 2013

2. Charter School Requirements for Servicing EL Students • OAR 581-021-0046(8) requires public charter schools to • (1) develop and implement a plan for identifying students whose primary language is other than English; and • (2) provide those students with “appropriate programs” until they are able to effectively participate in regular classroom instruction.

3. Who are English Learners? Under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 2001 (ESEA) - No Child Left Behind- Title IX – General Provisions – Part A – Definitions (25) English Learners are defined as Limited English Proficient, a term when used with respect to an individual, means an individual : http://www.ode.state.or.us/opportunities/grants/nclb/title_iii/section-ii.identification.pdf (A) who is aged 3 through 21; (B) who is enrolled or preparing to enroll in an elementary school or secondary school; (C)(i) who was not born in the United States or whose native language is a language other than English;

4. Who are English Learners? (cont.) and (D) whose difficulties in speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English language may be sufficient to deny the individual — (i) the ability to meet the State's proficient level of achievement on State assessments described in section 1111(b)(3); (ii) the ability to successfully achieve in classrooms where the language of instruction is English; or (iii) the opportunity to participate fully in society.

5. Who are English Learners? (cont.) (ii)(I) who is a Native American or Alaska Native, or a native resident of the outlying areas; and (II) who comes from an environment where a language other than English has had a significant impact on the individual's level of English language proficiency; or (iii) who is migratory, whose native language is a language other than English, and who comes from an environment where a language other than English is dominant;

6. How do districts report their EL students? Step 1: Once identified, EL students are placed in classes… …that explicitly teach speaking, reading, and writing English in a manner enabling EL students to profit from regular classroom instruction in English. Since these courses apply to students who are “unable to profit from classes taught in English”, these classes are not the same as general education content classes (reading, writing, speaking) taught in English. (ORS 336.079)

7. Steps to identifying students as English learners • Home Language Survey • Assessments to determine language proficiency • Four approved assessments: • Woodcock-Munoz • IPT • Stanford • LAS

8. What that means . . . • Charter Schools are responsible for identifying students who have a primary home language other than English (PHLOTE). • Charter Schools are responsible for providing those students with “appropriate programs” until they are able to effectively participate in regular classroom instruction. • A Charter School must provide an English learner with instruction to improve English proficiency and provide access to academic content.

9. ELL Plan • Each Charter school is required to submit an ELL plan every two years for approval. • This plan is required under: • OAR 581-021-0046(8) • OAR 581-023-0100 • Title III • Title VI (Civil Rights)

10. ELL Plan (cont.) • Information on the plan is available on the ODE web site: • http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=2596 • This plan may be submitted with your sponsor district’s plan or independently. • ODE will collect these plans every two years with an interim evaluation and updates.

11. Use of the ELL plan • ODE reviews the plan to determine if the program of service meets the requirements for access to core content, as well as language acquisition. • ODE fiscal confirms that districts/schools have an approved ELL plan in order to address state school fund allocations.

12. Methods of Instruction • List of instructional programs and educational approaches for LEP students: • http://www.ode.state.or.us/opportunities/grants/nclb/title_iii/section-iv.pdf

13. Must public charter schools provide ELs with programs to overcome their language barriers? • Yes. Although public charter schools are exempt from ORS 336.079, applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws require public charter schools to identify ELs and provide them with appropriate programs to overcome their language barriers. • Whether a particular program is appropriate under federal law depends on whether it: (1) is based on a sound educational theory or legitimate experimental strategy; (2) implemented effectively, and (3) produces results that demonstrate that language barriers are being overcome.

14. Annual Assessments • Each year a Test Administration Manual is published by Oregon Department of Education. • This document explains the testing procedures all for state assessments. • Required assessments for EL students are explained in the Test Administration Manual in detail.

15. Test Administration Manual • Per OAR 581-022-0610 the Test Administration Manual is to be read and followed when administering any Oregon State Assessment. • The 2013-14 Test Administration Manual will be available by mid-August. (It is currently available in draft.) • www.ode.state.or.us/go/tam

16. Types of Assessments • OAKS Online • Reading • Math • Science • Social Science • ELPA – English Language Proficiency Assessment • OAKS Writing (online or paper)

17. English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) • English learners participate in an annual assessment of English proficiency. • This assessment is divided into 5 grade bands (K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8, 9-12). • The assessment measures English proficiency in four domains: Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing. • A comprehension score is calculated from the Listening and Reading domain. • A composite score is also calculated. • The composite score is from 1-5 (Beginner, Early Intermediate, Intermediate, Early Advanced, or Proficient).

18. Why take the ELPA? • Oregon’s ELPA is required as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA reauthorized). This act requires all identified English learners to be assessed annually for English proficiency. • EL students are required to be assessed annual in English for proficiency in: reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

19. Who takes the ELPA? • All identified English learners participate in ELPA annually. This means: • All English learners who receive Title III services participate in ELPA annually as part of the Oregon State Assessments. • All EL students, whose parents have waived services, take ELPA until they are able to be exited as proficient based on approved exit criteria. • All EL students who exit after September 19, 2013,take ELPA in 2013-14 • Students who are on monitor status do not participate in ELPA.

20. How do students take the ELPA? • The ELPA is administered as part of the OAKS online system. • All identified EL students will need to have their LEP FLAG in SSID marked “YES” in order to participate in ELPA. • Students listen to instructions with a headset and speak into a microphone. • There are 5 grade bands with 3 different levels in each grade band.

21. Planning for ELPA Administration • The ELPA test has two domains that are manually scored. • This means your results for the ELPA take longer than other OAKS Online assessments. • Schools should determine when they need ELPA results to determine student proficiency and plan testing accordingly.

22. ELPA Resources • ELPA web page • www.ode.state.or.us/go/elpa • Key items: • Test Administrator User Guide • Guidelines for including students with disabilities in ELPA • ELPA test specifications • ODE provided assessment resources

23. Data Collections • Charter schools are required to report data as requested by the Oregon Department of Education (ODE). • Two data collections are part of Title III: • LEP Collection – spring collection by student for each and every EL student in the school anytime during the school year. • Recent Arrivers – spring student-level collection.

24. Where can I learn more about the data collections? • LEP Collection • https://district.ode.state.or.us/home/ • Schedule of due dates – scroll down to NCLB: Title III LEP collection. • Video training for various data collections • https://district.ode.state.or.us/home/ • Schedule of due dates – scroll down to NCLB: Title III Recent Arrivers collection

25. Questions?

26. Where can I go for help? • EL Program Guide • http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=3763 • Title III Director’s web page • Title III calendar of events • Webinar handouts and recordings • http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=2593

27. Contact Information • Kim A. Miller • Kim.a.miller@state.or.us • http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/results/?id=106 (Title III Web Page) • www.ode.state.or.us/go/elpa (ELPA assessment Web Page)

28. Thank You!