6141.311 6141.311Instruction
Limited English Proficiency Program (English Learners)
The Board of Education (Board) recognizes the need to provide equal educational opportunities for all students in the District. Therefore, if the inability to speak and understand the English excludes a student from effective participation in the District's educational programs, the District shall take appropriate action to rectify the English language deficiency in order to provide the student with equal access to its programs. Multilingual learners or students who have limited English Proficiency (LEP) will be identified, assessed and provided appropriate services.
The Board believes that high-quality, comprehensive, and effective English Learner/Multilingual Learner and bilingual education programs are essential to acquire English language proficiency and academic proficiency for students who are English Learners (ELs).
In compliance with Public Act 23-150, Section 17, the Board will provide the parents and guardians of eligible students with a copy of the multilingual learner bill of rights in the dominant language of such parents and guardians and post the document on the District website.
The Superintendent or his/her designee is directed to develop and implement procedures, consistent with the requirements of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) ESSA plan which:
• Determine if a student is a potential EL student through adherence to the Home Language Survey Guidance and completion of the Home Language Survey (HLS).
• Administers the state-mandated English Language Proficiency (ELP) Screener when the review of the HLS results indicates the student may have a primary or home language other than English.
• Informs parents/guardians, in writing, if the results from the ELP assessment indicate the student qualifies as an English Learner.
• Implements English learners services for all identified students.
• Annually assess the English proficiency of all English learners students during the testing window using the state-mandated English language proficiency assessment. (Students can only exit EL status if they meet all EL exit criteria.)
• Monitor the progress of students receiving English as a Second Language (ESOL) or bilingual instruction in order to determine their readiness for the mainstream classroom environment.
• Provide parents with notice of and information regarding the instructional program as required by law and encourage parental appraisal of their child's program.
Definitions
English Learner (EL) refers to an LM student whose proficiency in reading, writing, listening or speaking English is below that of grade and age-level peers. Limited English proficiency is based on the assessment of a student's English language proficiency.
Multilingual Learner (ML) refers to an asset-based approach that includes all the languages with which children and families interact or children who use two or more languages.
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) refers to an instructional approach that can include structured ESOL immersion, content-based ESOL and pull-out ESOL instruction.
Bilingual Education refers to an instructional approach that explicitly included the student's native language in instruction. This approach requires an instructor fluent in the student's native language and proficient in content areas and is often used where many LEP students share the same language and where qualified bilingual teachers are available.
Parents who are not able to use English in a manner that allows full participation in educational planning for their child will be provided with written, verbal or signed communication in a language they can understand and a copy of the Parent Bill of Rights in their dominant language.
The goal of the ESOL program is to assist students to achieve fluency, including listening, comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing, in English. The goal of the bilingual program is to permit students to learn subject matter in their dominant language while developing English language skills.
Parents/guardians of EL/ML students shall be notified by mail that their child is eligible for enrollment in a bilingual, ESOL or English language services education program. The written notice shall include the information that the parents may choose to enroll their child into the program.
Communications with parent/guardians of students in these programs shall be in writing, in both English and their dominant language.
Information regarding English Proficiency Assessments - LAS Links can be accessed through the following CSDE Link:
(cf. 6141.31 - Bilingual-Bicultural Education)
(cf. 6146.2 - Statewide Proficiency/Mastery Examinations)
(cf. 6162.31 - Test Exclusion)
Legal Reference: Connecticut General Statutes
10 17 English language to be medium of instruction. Exception.
10 17a Establishment of bilingual and bicultural program.
10 17d Application for and receipt of federal funds.
10 17e Definitions.
10 17f Required bilingual education. (as amended by PA 98-168, PA 01-205 and June Special Session PA 15-5)
10 17g Application for grant. Annual evaluation report.
10-76e Definitions.
10 146f Waiver of certification requirements for bilingual teachers.
P.A. 99-211 An Act Improving Bilingual Education.
State Board of Education Regulations
10 17h 1 to 10 17h 15. Programs of bilingual education.
Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964
Equal Education Opportunities Act as an amendment to the Education Amendments of 1974
Bilingual Education Act. 20 U.S.C. §§7401 et seq. as amended by the English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement Act.
34 CFR, Part 200 Regulations appearing in Federal Register, 9/13/06.
Title III, Language Instruction for English Learners and Immigrant Students, P.L. 114-95, ESSA, Sections 3001-3121
(20 U.S.C. 6812, 20 U.S.C. 6823)
P.A. 23-150 Section 17
Policy adopted: