2015 Office of Education Policy Annual Conference

1. 2015 Office of Education Policy Annual Conference English Language Learners in Arkansas and Assessment Dr. Alan D. Lytle, ELL Assessment Specialist Assessment Office Arkansas Department of Education June 10, 2015 Presented: 6/10/15

2. Who is an EL? • Students who are unable to communicate fluently or learn effectively in English, who often come from non-English-speaking homes and backgrounds, and who typically require specialized or modified instruction in both the English language and in their academic courses. • English Language Learners (ELLs), English learners (ELs), limited English proficient (LEP) students, non-native English speakers (NNES), language-minority students (LMS), and either bilingual students or emerging bilingual students • http://edglossary.org/english-language-learner/ Presented 6/10/15

3. Federal Requirements • Identifying and Assessing ALL Potential EL Students • Providing Language Assistance to EL Students • Monitoring and Exiting EL Students from EL Programs and Services • There are other requirements • http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-factsheet-el-students-201501.pdf Presented 6/10/15

4. Identifying and Assessing ALL Potential EL Students • Use of a Home Language Survey (HLS) to identify potential EL students • Use of a screener to assess listening, speaking, reading, and writing • Depending upon the screener results, a student is classified as Limited English Proficient (LEP) or proficient to enter classes without language assistance. • LEP students receive ESL services from their schools to help in their English language attainment. • Parents/Guardians have the right to decline ESL services for the LEP students. Presented 6/10/15

5. Providing Language Assistance to EL Students • EL students are entitled to appropriate language assistance services to become proficient in English and to participate equally in the standard instructional program. • School districts can choose among program design for instructing EL students provided the program is educationally sound in theory and effective in practice. • Types of ESL program design • Pull-Out - student are pulled out of the regular classroom for special instruction in ESL. • Class Period - Students receive ESL instruction during a regular class period. • Resource Center – Generally, this is an "enriched" version of the pull-out design. • Bi-Lingual - students receive instruction that develops their native language skills, instruction in ESL, and content area instruction in varying degrees in English or the first language. • Structured Immersion - While students may address the teacher in either their first language or English, teachers (who are bilingual) respond generally in English. • http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-927/types.htm Presented 6/10/15

6. Monitoring and Exiting EL Students from EL Programs and Services • School districts must monitor the progress of all EL students to ensure they achieve English language proficiency and acquire content knowledge. Districts must annually administer a valid and reliable English language proficiency (ELP) assessment, in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, that is aligned to State ELP standards. • An EL student must not be exited from EL programs, services, or status until he or she demonstrates English proficiency on an ELP assessment in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. • School districts must monitor the academic progress of former EL students for at least two years to ensure that students have not been prematurely exited; any academic deficits they incurred resulting from the EL program have been remedied; and they are meaningfully participating in the district’s educational programs comparable to their peers who were never EL students (never-EL peers). Presented 6/10/15

7. Other Requirements • Staffing and Supporting an EL Program • EL students are entitled to EL programs with sufficient resources to ensure the programs are effectively implemented, including highly qualified teachers, support staff, and appropriate instructional materials. • School districts must have qualified EL teachers, staff, and administrators to effectively implement their EL program, and must provide supplemental training when necessary. • Providing Access to All Curricular and Extra-Curricular Programs • EL students must have access to their grade-level curricula so that they can meet promotion and graduation requirements. • EL students are entitled to an equal opportunity to participate in all programs, including pre-kindergarten, magnet, gifted and talented, career and technical education, arts, and athletics programs; Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses; clubs; and honor societies. • Avoiding Unnecessary Segregation of EL Students • School districts generally may not segregate students on the basis of national origin or EL status. Although certain EL programs may be designed to require that EL students receive separate instruction for a limited portion of the day or period of time, school districts and states are expected to carry out their chosen program in the least segregative manner consistent with achieving the program’s stated educational goals. Presented 6/10/15

8. ELs in Arkansas • As of the 2014-2015 Home Language Survey, the following is representative of Arkansas: • 50,029 Language Minority Students (LMS) • 37,539 Limited English Proficient Students • 94 LOTEs (Languages Other Than English) spoken in the home • Top 7 languages • Spanish 41,90732,293 • Marshallese 2,5052,344 • Vietnamese 857 499 • Laotian 636378 • Hmong 460 291 • Chinese 444205 • Arabic 388259 Presented 6/10/15

9. Paradigm Shift Mostly vocabulary, grammar Language Content Discourse Text (complex text) Explanation Argumentation Purpose Typical structure of text Sentence structures Vocabulary practices Language Content Presented 6/10/15

10. Presented 6/10/15

11. The Current EL Assessment • English Language Development Assessment (ELDA) • Purpose - tests English Language Learners (ELL) or Limited English Proficient (LEP) students to determine their level of proficiency in the English Language. • Domains – Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing • Paper-based assessment • “Inventory-style, observational” at K-2 • Beginning SY 2015-2016, AR will move to the ELPA21 Assessment. Presented 6/10/15

12. What is the ELPA21 Consortium? • Mission: Acknowledging the diverse and rich language experiences English language learners (ELLs) bring to school, we recognize their English language proficiency is constantly growing. ELPA21 measures that growth based on the new English Language Proficiency Standards and provides valuable information that informs instruction and facilitates academic English proficiency so that all ELLs leave high school prepared for college and career success. • Vision: To provide assessments that best measure English language learners’ mastery of the communication demands of states’ rigorous academic standards. Presented 6/10/15

13. Who are the ELPA21 states? Presented 6/10/15

14. The ELPA21 Design • The term UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING means a scientifically valid framework for guiding educational practice that: • (A) provides flexibility in the ways information is presented, in the ways students respond or demonstrate knowledge and skills, and in the ways students are engaged; and • (B) reduces barriers in instruction, provides appropriate accommodations, supports, and  challenges, and maintains high achievement expectations for all students, including students with disabilities and students who are limited English proficient. from the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/udldefined) Presented 6/10/15

15. English Language Proficiency for the 21st Century (ELPA21) Assessment • ELPA21 assessment system: • Computer administered fixed form, today; adaptive, possible for the future • Technology-enhanced items – allows for responses other than traditional item types (e.g., multiple choice). • More interactive item types – specific to speaking and listening • Multiple modes of presentation • Includes teacher-developed items. • Reduced scoring time – faster reporting of results • Improved data collection and management • Increased test security • Reduced staff burdens Presented 6/10/15

16. English Language Proficiency for the 21st Century (ELPA21) • Reports • Screener & Summative • Individual Student • Parent/Guardian • Aggregate (e.g., Classes, Schools, Districts, and States) • Administrative and Technical (e.g., Registration, Q/A, Analyses) • Potential Reporting Information • Scores for Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking – and Comprehension • Student Proficiency Level • Performance Level Descriptors • Professional Development Presented 6/10/15

17. Alignment to the ELP Standards • The English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards were adopted by AR in 2014 (http://www.arkansased.gov/public/userfiles/Learning_Services/Curriculum%20and%20Instruction/Frameworks/Eng%20Lang%20Prof/eng_proficiency_2006_052908.pdf) • The ELPA21 Assessment is aligned to the ELP Standards by • corresponding to the college and career readiness (CCR) standards for English language arts, mathematics, and science. • highlighting and amplifying the critical language, knowledge about language, and skills using language in CCR standards necessary for ELLs to be successful in school. • being simple and clear and aiming high, so that teachers can focus on what’s most important for college and career readiness. • Assesses across 6 grade bands: K, 1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8, & 9-12 Presented 6/10/15

18. Organization of the ELP Standards in Relation to Participation in Content-Area Practices Presented 6/10/15

19. Accessibilities & Accommodations This graphic along with the Universal Features, Designated Features, and Accommodations will be updated during the summer and fall of 2015 according to the results of the Field Test. This will produce the final version for the Operational Test. Presented 6/10/15

20. Item Examples • K- listening • 2-3 Reading • 2-3 Speaking • 4-5 Writing • 9-12 Listening Presented 6/10/15

21. Contact Information • Alan D. Lytle, ELL Assessment Specialist • Alan.Lytle@arkansas.gov • Hope Allen, Director of Assessment • Hope.Allen@arkansas.gov Presented 6/10/15