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Serving English Learners with Disabilities VDOE Brief for Special Education Coordinators and Instructional Staff

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Serving English Learners with Disabilities VDOE Brief for Special Education Coordinators and Instructional Staff

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Federal Civil Rights Requirements for a Language Instructional Educational Program 

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Federal Civil Rights Requirements for a Language Instructional Educational Program 

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Complete this form for all SEC meetings. Add to the bottom of the same form for repeat SEC meetings for the same student.

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Updated 8/22

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Synergy Form (transfers, refusals, correcting errors, requests for in-state WIDA score)

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Synergy Form (transfers, refusals, correcting errors, requests for in-state WIDA score)

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Completed for:

New students with:

Scores indicating they did not qualify

Current scores indicating they exited the program

Current scores indicating they qualify for ESOL

Current students with score errors in Synergy

Refusals (done at the beginning of every school year)

Requests for in-state WIDA scores

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Need Elementary Help? Book an appointment with Jessie.

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Need Elementary Help? Book an appointment with Jessie.

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Welcome to my scheduling page. Please follow the instructions to add an event to my calendar.

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Contact Liesl first Please

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VDOE Handbook for Educators of English Learners with Suspected Disabilities

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VDOE Handbook for Educators of English Learners with Suspected Disabilities

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When are Special Education Services Necessary for ELs?

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When are Special Education Services Necessary for ELs?

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https://www.empoweringells.com/special-education/

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Contact ESOL Coordinator before starting the re-entry process

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Contact ESOL Coordinator before starting the re-entry process

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Notification of Request for Screening (2)

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Notification for Request for re-screening

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Notification for Request for re-screening

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Notification of Request for Re-Screening.doc

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SCPS Dually Identified Service Plan Form

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SCPS Dually Identified Service Plan Form

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Only for students receiving indirect ESOL services. Follow directions below.

edi

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Developing a Culturally and Linguistically Responsive approach to RTI

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Developing a Culturally and Linguistically Responsive approach to RTI

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Includes the 7 factors that may influence ELLs’ linguistic and academic development

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Outlines federal guidelines for providing services to ELs as defined in the Dear Colleague letter

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Virginia Compliance with Title III requirements

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Virginia Compliance with Title III requirements

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Dear Colleague Letter for English Learners

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Dear Colleague Letter for English Learners

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Outlines federal guidelines for educating ELs

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Contact your ESOL Coordinator BEFORE completing this form. There must be a meeting with the parent.

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Contact Liesl BEFORE completing this form. There must be a meeting with the parent.

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Parent Notification of Re-Entry into ESOL

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Parent Notification of Re-Entry into ESOL

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Parent Notification of Re-Entry into ESOL

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Evaluation of Evidence for Re-Entry into ESOL

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Evaluation of Evidence for Re-Entry into ESOL

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Evaluation of Evidence for Re-Enty into the ESOL Program

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This form can be used to share information for the student's IEP meeting

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Procedures for Determining English Learner Participation in the Virginia Assessment Program

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Procedures for Determining English Learner Participation in the Virginia Assessment Program

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Accommodations Guide

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Be sure to make a copy in your own drive before editing

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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SYNERGY ESOL Query Search of students.docx

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DOJ Ensuring English Learner Students Can Participate Meaningfully and Equally in Educational Programs 

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DOJ Ensuring English Learner Students Can Participate Meaningfully and Equally in Educational Programs 

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Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.

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VDOE Guidelines for English Learner Participation in VA Assessment Program

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VDOE Guidelines for English Learner Participation in VA Assessment Program

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Elementary Screeners & EL Accommodations

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Elementary Screeners & EL Accommodations

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How to Check if all have LEP Services Assigned

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How to Check if all have LEP Services Assigned

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Generating WIDA Score Report on ELLevation

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Generating WIDA Score Report on ELLevation

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How to generate a list of accommodations by test

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How to generate a list of accommodations by test

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Generating a list of Student Accommodations by test on ELLevation

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Creating Listing of Student accommodations

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SLIFE Entering AFTER 11.8.21- Complete the Synergy form to have the SLIFE status added in Synergy

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SLIFE Entering AFTER 11.8.21- Complete the Synergy form to have the SLIFE status added in Synergy

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Google Forms - create and analyze surveys, for free.

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ALT ACCESS for ELLs Interpretative Guide

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ALT ACCESS for ELLs Interpretative Guide

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Serving ELs that need additional reading support

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Serving ELs that need additional reading support

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Identifying English Learners with Disabilities

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Identifying English Learners with Disabilities

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2022 WIDA Testing Administration Training

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2022 WIDA Testing Administration Training

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WIDA 2020-2021 Test Coordinator Training

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SCPS Guidance on the Retention of Elementary English Learners

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SCPS Guidance on the Retention of Elementary English Learners

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EL Retention Myths and What to Do Instead

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EL Retention Myths and What to Do Instead

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A MiddleWeb Blog

The pressure to retain students can be fierce. It can come from various angles...state assessments, classroom grades, administration, and more.

And it's right around this time of year (the spring semester) that the school system begins to buzz with the possibility of retention.

Personally speaking, my brother was a product of retention in first grade. Growing up, I witnessed his own struggles with education. It's unfortunate that retention did not solve his linguistic or academic gaps. In fact, he is a statistic. My brother dropped out of high school his senior year.

Professionally, I have been the teacher who has retained a student. I vividly remember sitting in a parent-teacher conference and discussing academic progress and state assessments. I will never forget looking into that parent's eyes and telling them that their child would have to repeat another year of this grade level.

I'm not an advocate for retention. Retention is much like a bandage. It's reactive rather than proactive. And when it comes to students who are not yet fully English proficient, we must proceed with even more caution when faced with the possibility of retention.

Common Myths about Retaining ELs
Myth #1: Retaining an EL will help them catch up with language.
Here's a word of caution. Don't think of retention as an additional year to learn English. On the contrary, think of it as a year lost. Based on the landmark Supreme Court ruling in Lau v. Nichols (1974), if an EL is held back solely on the basis of lack of English proficiency, this would be considered discriminatory. (See the this quick video explanation of Lau v. Nichols from Colorin Colorado.)
Myth #2: If a student doesn't know English yet, then holding them back a year is appropriate.
English proficiency is not a prerequisite to cognitive ability. Think about it. If you went to live in a new country where you didn't know the language yet, you would still be just as intelligent as you are now. Given adequate instruction, students are capable of acquiring English while learning content.

Second language acquisition takes time. While social language can be acquired within one to three years, the more complex academic language can take four to seven years (Echevarria, Vogt, Short, 2017).
Myth #3: Retaining an EL will help them in the future.
John Hattie's research finds that retention has reverse effects (2016). Rather than increasing students' success, retention works to do the exact opposite. Repeating the same grade level, the same curriculum, the same way, can discourage and demotivate students.

NPR reports that English learners continue to lag academically. If we look at the gap between the total of students who graduate and the total of ELs that graduate from state to state, we have to question why some gaps are so large. On the other hand, we should be looking closely at the states that have smaller gaps or where ELs are doing better than "all students."

Instead of retention, try these options:
1. Provide high quality the first time through!
The quality of instruction that our students receive is completely under our control as educators. English learners (no matter if they are newcomers, SIFE, LTELs, or other) benefit most from classrooms that are language rich.

The best teachers of ELs include instruction that is highly engaging, relevant, and completely comprehensible to students. Characteristics of these classrooms are:

* Multiple entry points for students (visual, auditory, kinesthetic, etc.)
* Employment of all language domains (listening, speaking, reading, and writing)
* Opportunities for students to show understanding
* Frequent opportunities for feedback from the teacher
* Student choice and voice in learning and products
2. Use small group instruction.
Yes, even in secondary classrooms, small group instruction can be a game changer. Small group instruction can be used a few times a week to refine, reteach, and enrich student learning. It does not need to be a daily practice nor does it need to take an entire class period. Small groups should be flexible, meaning that groups change based on student needs.

After whole group instruction, formatively assess student comprehension. Perhaps have students write a Ticket Out. Then make 3 groups out of the Tickets Out: Got It, Need a Little Support, and Need a Reteach. The following day, while students are working independently, gather the students who Need Reteach (based on the Tickets Out) and reteach the lesson in a small group direct instruction.

According to Hattie, small group learning is within the zone of desired effects as long as grouping is flexible and not fixed.
3. Implement the RtI for ELs model.
RTI (also known as MTSS) is a multi-tiered, systematic approach to instruction. I remember when I was first introduced to RTI as a teacher, I honestly didn't get it and I'm sure I wasn't the only one. The way it was explained was so vague and cumbersome. Every time it was brought up, shoulders seemed to slump.

Only years later did I learn that RTI (Response to Intervention) or MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) is simply a planned out, targeted approach to instruction. It includes universal screening, progress monitoring, evidence-based instruction, evidence-based interventions, data-based problem solving and decision-making, shared teaming and leadership, and fidelity of implementation of evidence-based practices (Haas & Brown, 2019).
4. Give students time, support, and high expectations.
As mentioned earlier, English acquisition takes time. It takes longer for some students than for others. Whatever the student's situation may be, we can create conditions in our classrooms that either stifle language development or help it to flourish. Creating a safe space for students to feel as if they can take risks, be who they are, and make mistakes will certainly pay off in the end both academically and emotionally.

This article, Holding High, Not Hurried, Expectations by Barbara Gottschalk is excellent and has a nice chart on the difference between the high and the hurried. The support we give our English learners as they develop English and learn content makes a difference. We can:

* Provide opportunities for peer to peer interaction
* Offer sentence stems
* Use visuals while teaching
* Offer adapted texts
* Use gestures
* Scaffold writing tasks
* Provide word banks or word walls

But most of all, we can remember that we set the ceiling for our students. They will rise to our expectations. What we believe about our students impacts their success. So how high is your ceiling?

Proceed with Caution

Before retaining an English Learner, always ask yourself these questions:

► Is there a reason other than English proficiency that the student may qualify for retention?

► Has the student been provided high quality, adequate instruction with linguistic accommodations that meet the child's language proficiency?

► What specific interventions have been implemented to support the student?

► What are the district's guidelines or policies for retention? Are there specific guidelines or policies governing English learners?

And remember, don't imagine that retention is simply "an extra year to learn English." It's not.
References
Echevarría Jana, Vogt, M. E., & Short, D. (2017). Making content comprehensible for English learners: The SIOP Model. Boston: Pearson.

Fisher, D., Frey, N., & Hattie, J. A. C. (2016). Visible learning for literacy: Implementing the practices that work best to accelerate student learning, Grades K-12. Thousand Oaks (California): Corwin.

Gottschalk, Barbara. (2019, December). Holding High, Not Hurried, Expectations for ELLs. ASCD Education Update.

Haas, E., & Brown, J. E. (2019). Supporting English learners in the classroom: Best practices for distinguishing language acquisition from learning disabilities. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Sanchez, C. (2017, February 23). English Language Learners: How Your State Is Doing. National Public Radio.

When You Believe In Your Students They Do Better. (n.d.). YouCubed.org.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD A PDF OF THIS ARTICLE.
FEEL FREE TO SHARE IN YOUR PLC!

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3 Common Myths about Retaining ELs and What to Do Instead

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Education consultant Valentina Gonzalez shares research debunking the idea that retention gives ELs "more time to learn English" and suggests other options.

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Don't Be Too Quick to Retain English Learners

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Don't Be Too Quick to Retain English Learners

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Good news is often hard to come by in education research. So it's not surprising that recent media coverage trumpeting positive impacts of retention for English-language learners caught the eye of many policymakers and educators. Stories in Education Week and The Hechinger Report highlighted that if retained in 3rd grade, English-learners learned English in half the time and took more advanced classes in middle and high school. The recent National Bureau of Economic Research working paper has made quite a splash. However, does this study really suggest retaining English-learners is a good idea?

The results are compelling. English proficiency is necessary to fully participate in everything American schools have to offer, and advanced course-taking, often beyond English-learners' reach, can unlock future job prospects. But we-the two authors of this study (David Figlio and Umut Özek) as well as two experts in English-language-learning policy (Rebecca Callahan and Madeline Mavrogordato)-strongly urge policymakers and practitioners not to race ahead and retain English-learners on the basis of this study.

The research uses a state-of-the-art method called regression discontinuity, which allows us to disentangle causation from correlation by comparing English-learners who are identical in many ways, except that some scored just below the cutoff for retention while some scored just above. This is the most credible way to estimate the effects of Florida's policy absent a randomized trial. However, the price we pay for credibility is that the findings do not apply to all English-learners. With this method, researchers can only estimate the effects for students just on the cusp of retention, and even then findings apply only to English-learners who have been in American schools two years or more. So the study tells us little about how the policy would affect English-learners with higher or lower reading scores, or those who arrived more recently.

Policymakers and practitioners shouldn't pick and choose their facts, and a raft of evidence exists documenting negative consequences of retention. Many previous studies have shown a negative relationship between retention and student outcomes, including short-term disciplinary issues, psychosocial trauma, and higher risk for high school dropout. Some of the studies of long-term achievement are negative as well. In fact, retention may even exacerbate inequity, as African-American, Latino, and English-learner students are retained more frequently than their white or native English-speaking peers. Even in the case of "objective" retention policies like Florida's, children from poor families are more likely to be retained than their more advantaged peers, even when they have similar scores.

Moreover, while grade retention gets most of the airtime-something inadvertently perpetuated in the recent study-in the case of Florida, it is only part of the story. When a 3rd grader scores below a certain score on Florida's reading test, state policy requires that the student not only repeat 3rd grade, but also receive four important interventions: (1) summer school, (2) 90 minutes of daily reading instruction, (3) placement with an effective teacher, and (4) an academic improvement plan. In fact, this combination might explain why other prior studies suggest positive effects of Florida's policy.

Independently, each of these interventions could have produced some of the educational benefits found in the recent study. Extra instructional time, both in summer school and during the school day, can improve students' math and reading achievement. For English-learners in particular, summer school may boost both academic achievement and college aspirations.

Likewise, literacy instruction, particularly when it emphasizes comprehension and is integrated across content areas such as math and science, holds promise for improving English-learners' academic outcomes. The most effective reading interventions for English-learners appear to be those that incorporate high-quality instruction. And since Florida's policy ensures that retained students are placed with an effective teacher, improved teacher quality could also contribute to better outcomes. Teacher effectiveness is particularly salient for English-learners as they are more likely to be placed with undercertified and novice teachers than other student groups.

This marginalization of English-learners dates back to the start of compulsory schooling, when it was common for educators to apply labels such as "unteachable," "imbeciles," and "dunces" to students learning English, and retain them in a misguided attempt to solve the problem. In fact, until the Supreme Court intervened in 1974 with Lau v. Nichols, which essentially extended Brown v. Board to protect the rights of students learning English, inappropriate retention was the rule, rather than the exception for English-learners. Even today, in a context where educators constantly strive to improve ELL education, the challenge to doing so without further segregating and isolating English-learners students remains. While grade retention coupled with other interventions might improve some outcomes for some English-learners, we urge policymakers and practitioners to exercise great caution before introducing "brute force" instruments for educating a population with such a history of educational marginalization and mistreatment.

Currently, 16 states have 3rd grade test-based retention requirements, two more are pending, and an additional eight allow educators to recommend test score-based retention. Many policymakers see retention as a "silver bullet," and this new study might convince more people to support early-grade retention for English-learners. To be certain, ELL students require time to learn English. However, we suggest that retention be used sparingly and with a clear-headed understanding of its risks, not just its potential benefits.

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Don't Be Too Quick to Retain English-Language Learners (Opinion)

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Good news is often hard to come by in education research. So it's not surprising that recent media coverage trumpeting positive impacts of retention for English-language learners caught the eye of many policymakers and educators.

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Central Office Team of Supports for ESOL  (1)

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Does the child qualify for Alternate access? See the specific criteria for the determination of "Significantly Cognitive Disabilities"- if they meet this they qualify for Alt Access. 

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Does the child qualify for Alternate access? See the specific criteria for the determination of "Significantly Cognitive Disabilities"- if they meet this they qualify for Alt Access. 