It is the policy of the Carthage R-IX School District to provide equitable access for Limited English Proficient (“LEP”) students, referred to throughout this document as English Language Learners (ELL).  English as a Second Language instruction, referred to from here on as ELL instruction will be provided for all students of limited English proficiency who qualify according to established District guidelines and as judged by the Language Assessment Committee.  The legal basis for the program is the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision, Lau vs. Nichols, 414 U.S. 563 (1974) and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974.  The U.S. Supreme Court stated that school districts must take action to ensure that limited English proficient students are able to benefit from an education conducted in English.  More specifically, the Lau decision states that a school district will:

1. Identify English Language Learners (“ELLs”);

2. Design an effective program reflective of their needs;

3. Employ appropriate English as a Second Language or bilingual personnel;

4.  Align the instruction of ELLs to state and local standards; and

5.  Provide ongoing assessments to ascertain their growth in English language proficiency and in the comprehension of academic content.

LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE (“LAC”)

Appropriate personnel at each school will coordinate to oversee the educational program of ELL students enrolled in the Carthage R-IX School District.  It is the responsibility of this group, referred to as the Language Assessment Committee (LAC) to advise, identify, serve, assess, and eventually exit an ELL student from the language support system.  The LAC may be composed of the principal, the guidance counselor, classroom teacher(s), parents when appropriate, an ELL teacher, and other ELL consultants on an as needed basis.  Meetings may take place to advise on individual students or building-wide concerns. 

Data collection is key to effective evaluation and as such is the responsibility of the LAC. The LAC will meet regularly to review EL student data and revise the above recommendations when needed.

Key district personnel, including the ELL Coordinator, the Director of Special Services, the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, and representatives from the following areas:  Early Childhood, Speech and Language, Gifted and Talented, ELL, building level administration, process coordination, and Title 1 will serve the same function as an LAC, but at the district level, monitoring, communicating, and revising (when needed) the processes for identification of ELL students for any special program or service.

IDENTIFICATION OF LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT STUDENTS

The Carthage R-IX School District will identify the home languages of the student and his/her family with the state required Language Use Survey to be filled out as part of all student’s registration.  Parents who have Spanish as a native language and would like an interpreter may request one to assist them with the enrollment process.

1. All newly enrolled students to the District (including transfers), will be initially screened for subsequent assessment through the Language Use Survey during the enrollment process. 
2. Registrar will notify the EL Office by e-mail of all students with a Language Survey indicating a language other than English. (within 1 school day)
3. EL Coordinator, or designee, will determine need for further language screening and assign qualified administrator to complete the approved language screener. (See criteria below)
4. The results of the screener will be returned to the EL Office for identification, coding, and assignment of student to programming.
5. EL Office will notify parents of EL services, if student qualifies, within 30 days of student enrollment. Once the parent has been notified, a copy of the student’s EL Cumulative File Report from ELLevation will be placed in their cumulative file as a record of screener results, identification, and services. 
6. For students who do not qualify, a Does Not Qualify form will be completed by EL Office staff and placed in student’s cumulative folder.
7. The EL Office will notify by e-mail building personnel of the results and status of students screened.

Criteria for Identification of EL Students:  (noted here as LEP by the state definition) 

Grade Level	The Student IS ELIGIBLE for EL Services if (s)he:	The Student is NOT ELIGIBLE for Services if:
1st Semester Kindergarten	Has an Oral Language score of 5.0 or less on the WIDA Kindergarten Screener.	All first semester kindergarten students identified as potential ELs can receive support until earning a passing score in all four language domains.
2nd Semester Kindergarten-1st Semester 1st Grade	Has a overall score of 5.0 or less on the WIDA Kindergarten screener (all four domains).  Student IS coded EL and DOES take ACCESS 2.0.	Has a Overall score of 5.0 or higher on the WIDA Kindergarten screener (all four domains). Is NOT coded EL and does NOT take ACCESS 2.0.
2nd Semester 1st graders through 12th Grade	Has an overall composite proficiency level 4.5 or below	Has an overall composite proficiency level of a 5.0 or higher

Special circumstances: The ELL Coordinator may be provided with relevant information other than language survey that indicates a need for screening.  Additionally, students with an Individualized Education Plan may need special considerations when being administered the screening or an alternate form of identification to be determined with the ELL Coordinator and the special education department.

Services to increase English proficiency/parent notification and legal rights:  Once a student meets the criteria to receive services, parents are provided with a Parent Notification Form (Form 6180.2), within 30 school days of enrollment.  Parents have the right to refuse services, and this will be coded as such, but they may not refuse assessments, including ACCESS 2.0 or Alternate ACCESS 2.0. 

ASSESSMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY AND ACADEMIC SKILLS

Possible Limited English Proficient (ELL) students will be assessed for level of English language proficiency using the WIDA Screener when entering the second semester of Grade 1 through Grade 12.  Students in Kindergarten and the first semester of Grade 1 will take the WIDA Kindergarten Screener. 

For students who meet the criteria and are identified as LEP/ELL, the ELL office along with building staff will review the above assessment results for the student and make a determination of the appropriate language support.  EL services will be assigned accordingly.

For those students who indicate on the Language Use Survey form that English is not their first language and/or another language is spoken in the home, further language use questions are asked regarding the student’s comprehension and educational background. Other possible academic needs can be further investigated.  The building Language Assessment Committee can assist teachers and students with locating these supports. 

 GRADE LEVEL PLACEMENT AND RETENTION

Under no circumstances should the ELL student be placed in a grade level that is more than one year below his/her chronological age.  The District will provide a structured language support program that meets the ELL as well as content area and equal access needs of the student.  Building personnel will ensure that ELL students will not be retained solely based on limited English proficiency.  If a student’s academic difficulties are due to limited English proficiency, retention should not be considered.

PROGRAM DESIGN

 The Carthage School District has selected English as a Second Language as its primary educational approach to educating ELL students.  This model is a research-based model approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.  The District supports simultaneous language and content development with built-in supports for students and professional development for teachers.

Primary Goals of the EL Program:

1. 90% of Carthage R-IX ELL students will become proficient in English by achieving an overall composite score of at least 4.7 on the ACCESS for ELLs after five (5) years or fewer of participation in the ELL program.
2. 90% of Carthage R-IX ELL students will demonstrate academic proficiency by performing comparably to their native English peers in the classroom and on District and standardized tests after five (5) years or fewer of participation in the ELL program.
3. All Carthage R-IX ELL students in grades 9-12 will receive the support they need to earn credit toward graduation.

INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES

New Student:  Once a student has been identified as EL, the EL Office along with the building committee reviews student data and background information to determine the most appropriate language services for the student and makes the placement.  This placement is included on the Parent Notification Form. 

Returning Students:  The same committee follows the same review process, but will include teacher recommendations and growth data.

 Service types to be used by the Carthage R-IX School District may include:

1. Content-Based Integrated ESL: To the extent possible, the student will participate in the grade-level content classroom.  The content area teacher(s) will share the responsibility of programming with a qualified ELL teacher(s). 
2. Pull-out ESL: Students leave the regular classroom during a period of the day and receive direct language instruction from the ELL teacher.  Timing varies depending on the proficiency level of the students.  Grades K-6                               
3. Sheltered Content Class: An approach that utilizes the simplification of the English language to teach ELL and subject area content simultaneously (sometimes called “content ELL”).  Although the actual content is the same as that taught to non ELL students, key concepts and vocabulary are targeted to fit the ELL student’s English language proficiency level.  Grades 6 - 12
4. Co-Teach/Push-In: The ELL teacher teams with the content-teacher to plan and present lessons designed to enrich the academic language of all students.  In addition to richer language, students receive more individualized attention during lessons.  Offered K-12
5. ELD (English Language Development) at Beginner 1 and 2, Intermediate, and Advanced: Students spend a period of the day receiving direct language instruction from an ELL teacher.  The courses are designed to develop vocabulary and language skills for integration into the social and academic environment of the school.  This program is offered at grades 7-12.
6. Resource: Classes provided for ELL students who find regular coursework challenging and need assistance completing assignments and projects as assigned in their regular content classroom(s).  This program is offered in grades 7-12.  This class is offered for ELL students based on teacher recommendation.
7. Bilingual: Instruction for students in in their native language (Spanish) for half of the school day and in English for half of the school day.  This is an opt-in program.

SPECIAL NEEDS PLACEMENT

Screening and diagnosing at-risk students receiving ELL services include a number of pre-referral steps to determine whether there exist temporary learning and behavior characteristics shared by learning disabled students and students learning English, or whether referral to special education is warranted.  The ELL teacher must be involved throughout the process.

The building Language Assessment Committee, including special educators, will:

1. Review the “Consideration of Factors that May Impact Academic Success for ELL’s Flowchart”: https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/consideration-factors-may-impact-academic-success-ells-flowchart
2. Review the “Contrasting Possible Explanations for Typical Academic Difficulties Encountered by ELL”: https://dese.mo.gov/media/pdf/contrasting-possible-explanations-typical-academic-difficulties-encountered-ell
3. Complete the RTI2 Checklist for English Learners: https://docs.google.com/document/d/-YM2o5PQBpgQlo/edit?usp=sharing
4. Use the above information to determine if it would be appropriate to move into the special education referral process or if additional language and cultural interventions are needed.

All ELL students who qualify for special needs placement may receive both special education services and supplemental English development services according to the student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP).   

All assessments for students who are identified as “home language other than English” will be administered in a form or language that will produce valid results.

Parents/guardians will be provided, to the extent practicable, information regarding testing results and placement decisions in a form or language they can understand.

SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY PROGRAMS 

All ELL students shall have equal access to “Gifted and Talented” and “Advanced Placement” programs.  The District LAC will establish and monitor procedures for the identification of ELL students for the Gifted and Talented program.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

All LEP students shall have equal opportunity to participate in extracurricular and nonacademic activities. 

COORDINATION OF SERVICES

EL department staff regular coordinate with district curriculum team, literacy coaches, special services process coordinators, department chairs, grade level and content teachers, building administrators, counselors, Title I teachers and others as needed.                 

EXIT AND RECLASSIFICATION CRITERIA

Data and student records are collected and reviewed by June 1 of each year by the EL Office and students are recommended for reclassification and their monitor status updated.  Their status is updated in ELLevation and a new Cumulative File Report is placed in their cumulative folder.  A parent letter is sent to students who are entering monitor year 1. 

Criteria:  A student may be reclassified or exited according to these guidelines presented by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE):

ACCESS Scores	District Actions
4.7-6.0	The student must be exited barring compelling evidence in the EL portfolio suggesting the student should remain in the LIEP.
Below 4.7	The student must remain in the LIEP barring compelling evidence that the student is capable of fully participating in a classroom where English is the language of instruction.  The portfolio must include evidence that any unsatisfactory domain score on the ACCESS is not indicative of her or his ability.

Students that meet the criteria of reclassification should be moved from Limited English Proficient (LEP) to Monitored Year 1 (MY1) in the student information system.

Note: Students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) should meet the above standards or have Individual Education Plans (IEPs) that specify parallel, alternate standards-related criteria.

The District ELL student monitoring data includes: course grades, writing competency, teacher observation of comparison to peers in classroom performance, reading level, level of accommodations.  This information will be collected from teachers through the ELLevation platform twice each year for 2 years following reclassification and reviewed for recommendation and concerns by the EL Office.  If after two years, students are recommended for full exit, they will no longer remain on monitor status.  Monitor students are not considered EL and do not take ACCESS 2.0.

STAFFING     

ELL Teacher Requirements

The ELL teacher(s) should hold State of Missouri Teacher Certification with ESL endorsement and be fluent in English (shown through oral proficiency testing or interview and writing sample for non-native English speakers). 

The District ELL Coordinator and the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction will monitor the number of ELL students and staff and maintain an appropriate number and quality of staff to support the instructional design and programs the District offers. 

STAFF DEVELOPMENT

The District will promote and encourage all teachers to attend professional development related to culturally and linguistically responsive teaching.  EL staff will be provided the opportunity to provide the staff development during regular building and district learning and collaboration time.  District will involve EL staff in district PLC and PLTs.  New teacher orientation will include PD related to English Learners.  District will support its EL Coaches to continuously train themselves and coach others in best practice. 

RESOURCES AND EQUITY

The District will conduct a review of the current curricular materials and the need for materials for the ELL program on a rotating tri-annual schedule that falls in conjunction with its review of all other curricular materials.  The same procedures set forth for all content areas apply to the ELL Department.

RECORD KEEEPING/THE LANGUAGE PROCESS FILE

The EL department will maintain the Language Progress File (LPF) which is a green folder kept inside the student’s cumulative file.  The primary document within this file will be the ELLevation cumulative Folder Report.  The Language Use Survey will also be found there.  The ELLevation report contains all previously kept information and for files created before 2023, documents for each evaluation and form will be found there.  The EL Office will print the report and send to the EL teacher or building secretary to place in the cumulative file.                                                

STATE TESTING

If allowable by the test administration guidelines, the LAC may set up accommodations for EL students (not monitored students).  The state testing guidelines will be followed and the EL Office will provide list of students who are exempt.  Building level personnel determine which accommodations are appropriate. 

PARENT INVOLVEMENT 

All parents of students who are speakers of other languages will be given equal opportunity and encouragement to participate in the education of their children by providing, to the extent practicable, information in a language they can understand.

Parents will be provided timely notification when activities are planned.  These notifications may be in the form of notes in a language they can understand, by phone calls also in a language they can understand, or by other practical methods to the extent possible.

Parents of EL students shall be included in any school activity for which parents of other students are included. 

WORKING WITH PRIVATE SCHOOLS

The District will consult and coordinate with private schools in a timely manner for equitable service delivery.   Delivery of ELL services must be at a public school or a neutral site.  They cannot be at the private school location.

PROGRAM EVALUATION                 

Representatives from each building’s Language Assessment Committee (LAC) will evaluate the EL program according to all aspects of the LAU plan.  They will send recommendations to the District LAC, the EL Coordinator, or the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction. 

The EL Coordinator will present a review of the program and the program goals to the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction annually. 

PROGRAM FAILURE NOTIFICATION

 The District must notify parents when the program is failing to ensure language proficiency (when not meeting the Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAOs). 

ADDITIONAL RATIONALE FOR THE CARTHAGE R-IX LAU PLAN

Federal Legislation:

• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
• Equal Opportunities Act of 1974
• Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015

Court Decisions:

• Lau vs. Nichols (1974)
• Plyler vs. Doe (1981)
• Castaneda vs. Pickard (1981)
• Office of Civil Rights Policy Update on Schools’ Obligations Toward National Origin Minority Students With Limited English Proficiency (1991)
• Executive Order 13166: Improving Access to Services for Persons With Limited English Proficiency (2000)

State Requirements:

• MSIP

CARTHAGE R-IX SCHOOL DISTRICT ELL COORDINATOR

The Board of Education has appointed a 1.0 FTE ELL Coordinator of programs for English Language Learner (ELL) students.

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