Identification
Initial identification of ELLs is made using the MN Home Language Questionnaire (HLQ), which every parent fills out at the time of enrollment. All students who: first learned, most often speak, or reside in a home where the primary language is other than English are assessed.
Assessment
Students are assessed using a grade-appropriate tool in all of the communicative modalities: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. At Partnership Academy, students whose HLQ warrants it are assessed using the LAS Links. This assessment is used to determine eligibility for enrollment in the ELL Program as well as for on-going monitoring of ELLs’ English language acquisition. Students whose initial scores indicate their English proficiency is a level 1, 2, or 3 are eligible to participate in the ELL Program.
In addition to this assessment conducted at Partnership Academy, all ELLs are required to be assessed using state Limited English Proficiency (LEP) assessments: the MN SOLOM for listening and speaking as well as the K-2 Reading and Writing Observation Matrix or the MN TEAE for grades 3-12 for reading and writing. This is done annually and provides important information when servicing students in the ELL Program. Once an ELL has passed all state LEP assessments, s/he is ready to exit the ELL Program.
Placement
Using the above assessment along with the recommendation of teachers and parents, each student is assigned a English proficiency level of either beginner, intermediate, advanced, transitional, or proficient as described by the MN English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards, in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. ELLs who have been enrolled in a U.S. school for less than one full academic year and whose English proficiency is a level 1 are classified as a Newcomer.
Programming
The ELL Program uses a Collaboration Model in reading, writing, math, and science. In the collaboration model, a classroom teacher and ELL teacher work together to plan instruction, deliver instruction, assess students, and reflect on teaching and student learning.
ELL teachers, classroom teachers, and support staff are also trained in using the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) Model. This is a model for sheltered-content instruction where content and English language instruction are integrated. This also includes implementing ELL instructional strategies, addressing language objectives, and teaching learning strategies.
Staffing
Partnership Academy currently has an ELL Coordinator (a licensed ELL teacher) and 8 additional licensed ELL teachers. There is one ELL teacher per grade level and one ELL teacher for Specials classes (music, Physical Education, Art, and Media/Technology). 6 of the ELL staff members are bilingual in English and Spanish.
Families’ Rights
For students who are identified as ELLs, their guardians have the right to refuse ELL services at any time by contacting the school in person, over the phone, or in writing.
*Minnesota’s Definition of a LEP Student
As defined by the Minnesota Department of Education, “Pupil of limited English proficiency” means a pupil in kindergarten through grade 12 who meets the following requirements:
(1) the pupil
(2) the pupil is determined by developmentally appropriate measures, which might include observations, teacher judgment, parent recommendations, or developmentally appropriate assessment instruments, to lack the necessary English skills to participate fully in classes taught in English.
**Minnesota’s General Requirements for ELL Programs
As outlined by the Minnesota Department of Education, a district that enrolls one or more children of limited English proficiency must implement an educational program that includes at a minimum the following requirements:
(1) identification and reclassification criteria for children of limited English proficiency and program entrance and exit criteria for children with limited English proficiency must be documented by the district, applied uniformly to children of limited English proficiency, and made available to parents and other stakeholders upon request;
(2) a written plan of services that describes programming by English proficiency level made available to parents upon request. The plan must articulate the amount and scope of service offered to children of limited English proficiency through an educational program for children of limited English proficiency;
(3) professional development opportunities for ESL, bilingual education, mainstream, and all staff working with children of limited English proficiency which are:
(i) coordinated with the district’s professional development activities;
(ii) related to the needs of children of limited English proficiency; and
(iii) ongoing;
(4) to the extent possible, avoid isolating children of limited English proficiency for a substantial part of the school day; and
(5) in predominantly nonverbal subjects, such as art, music, and physical education, permit pupils of limited English proficiency to participate fully and on an equal basis with their contemporaries in public school classes provided for these subjects. To the extent possible, the district must assure to pupils enrolled in a program for limited English proficient students an equal and meaningful opportunity to participate fully with other pupils in all extracurricular activities.
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