Readings by Gabriela Martin

Laws

2023-10-30 13:04:13 UTC

Obviously, we must be in compliance with state and federal laws!

Compliance?

2023-10-30 13:05:26 UTC

Are we in compliance with all these laws and guidelines? Who is in charge of making sure we are? What happens is we fall short in any area?

I wonder how WL fit into this conversation, as it mainly seems focused on ELLs.

Broad coverage of protection

2023-10-30 13:06:32 UTC

I didn't realize how many laws at every level there are about ELLs.

14th amendment

2023-10-30 20:17:29 UTC

I did not realize that 14th amendment can be used as constitutional basis for educational rights of language minority students.

Rights

2023-10-30 20:29:57 UTC

Language learners are protected by many laws and their rights have been discussed since 1868 ( 14th amendment). Access to educational opportunities should not be limited because of a language barrier.

Languages

2023-10-30 20:40:50 UTC

Should WL department in high school look to include teaching languages that reflect our newcomers to build up on already established literacy proficiencies?

How can elementary and middle schools support building student proficiencies in L1 ( if present) as students learn English?

Can our district connect with heritage language schools in the area to provide support to our students?

ESSA come out in 2015, has there been any new reauthorization or legal mendates considering that Covid year delayed academic growth for so many?

TBE programs

2023-11-12 18:11:31 UTC

I am wondering how close MSN is to needing a TBE program in a language other than Spanish. Do we have the capability to share resources if needed?

Compliance

2023-11-12 18:29:22 UTC

Does LZ have any room to grow in the area of compliance to state and federal laws?

Assessment

2023-11-12 18:33:38 UTC

I feel like we have a robust assessment system at LZ. I feel like we are growing in our assessment literacy practices. I would love to expand upon this--being able to analyze assessments through a language lens.

Student teacher ratio

2023-11-12 18:40:28 UTC

Student-Teacher Ratio – The student-teacher ratio in the ESL and home

language components of programs serving students in kindergarten or any

of grades 1 through 12 as of September 30 of each school year shall not

exceed 90% of the average student-teacher ratio in general education

classes for the same grades in that attendance center.

This surprised me! I would've thought the number would be a lot lower. Our EL and bilingual teachers have a big job!!

Obligations under EEOA

2023-11-13 21:59:48 UTC

The Castaneda Test: To determine if a district's language program has met its obligations under EEOA

1 Theory

2 Practice

3 Results

Used by auditing agencies & in litigation

Current program

2023-11-14 16:34:53 UTC

LZ provides services for EL students with the goal of helping them achieve English proficiency, with clear eligibility and exit criteria

History

2023-11-14 16:37:05 UTC

There is a long history of legal precedents around separate, equal, identical, accessible, and constitutional.

World Language

2023-11-14 16:38:36 UTC

What role does WL instruction play in all of this? To what extent are the two (WL and EL) related / connected?

Legislation & ELL

jkragseth1 — 2023-11-14 18:51:01 UTC

It was interesting to me to learn about the different interpretations of the law and Amendments that support our EL learners. In addition, the laws and the years that they were enacted were fascinating to think about what was happening in our country and the world at those time. Also, many of the laws and Amendments and their interpretations are still applicable and then adjusted for today's society and EL learners and their families.

Understanding of current EL programing

jkragseth1 — 2023-11-14 18:53:47 UTC

Over the course of my career, I've seen the programming for our EL Learners change or shift. It was validating to know that we have continued to shift with what case law and legislation requires in order to best serve our students.

WL & ELL

jkragseth1 — 2023-11-14 19:05:49 UTC

I too am curious about how the programming of 1 will effect the other? Understandably, there is a requirement and need to provide services for our EL Learners. Might that come at the cost of another well established program that also provides our students with exposure to the world, cultures outside of the US, among other assets.

A school for EL Learners vs Duo language Program

2023-11-14 23:39:41 UTC

I read how a school was created for children of Mexican heritage, but the parents refused to send their children to that school, and it became the first desegregation court decision. I have witness school districts that force Spanish-speaking students into the Duo-Language Spanish Program, just because their parents speak Spanish. I think a true Duo-Language Program should be open to all students, no matter what language is spoken at home. Otherwise, it seems we are basically creating a separate school for those kids.

Legal Obligations

2023-11-14 23:52:20 UTC

I didn't realize all the legal obligations that districts have to meet for EL learners. This is continually changing based on the needs of the students and the families that are arriving in the U.S. It's a lot of responsibility for the districts; I wonder how much support is given by our local, state, and national government to explain how we are supposed to meets these needs.

Keeping up with change?

2023-11-14 23:58:52 UTC

I wonder how any school district can keep up with immigrates continually coming into the U.S.? I wonder why we give EL learners standardized tests in English when it's not their native language. As a World Language teacher, I can't even imagine how long it takes someone to become completely fluent in another language to the degree that is required to do well in American schools and on our standardized tests.

Segregation vs Specialized Programs

2023-11-15 00:47:20 UTC

A lot of the court cases deal with segregation, but in many cases it is important to have specialized programs that pull newcomers or bilingual students out of the general education group.

I'm wondering where the line is between these potentially conflicted or conflated circumstances.

Court Cases

2023-11-15 00:50:17 UTC

It was validating to read about how hard-fought and hard-won the current features of EL and bilingual programming are.

Knowing the historical cases brings a lot more meaning to the regulations we have to follow and the services we provide.

FAPE

2023-11-15 00:57:45 UTC

I keep telling teachers that our classes cannot qualify as a "Free Appropriate Public Education" if the student does not understand what's going on in class.

It's validating to see this in writing and from a source other than myself!

Civil Rights

2023-11-15 00:58:47 UTC

I did not realize the Office of Civil Rights was so involved in EL and Bilingual Education, but it makes total sense.

"English Learner" means...

2023-11-15 01:03:13 UTC

IL School Code essentially defines "English Learners" as students who have another language in the home and (1) have not achieved the set proficiency score and (2) are unable to "successfully achieve in classrooms..." and "participate fully in the school setting."

I wish the definition was a little more asset-based instead of deficiency-based, although I understand that EL/Bilingual Education is often used primarily as a tool to support struggling students.

Sheltered Content Instruction

2023-11-15 01:04:22 UTC

I'm wondering if we could utilize more strategies and/or programming in the vein of Sheltered Content Instruction rather than always modifying the current (less accessible) instruction.

Questions about Screener

2023-11-15 01:12:00 UTC

Section 228.15 of the IL School Code mentions not conducting a screener test for a student who has another home language but has never been identified or serviced as an EL and is performing at/above grade level on standardized assessments. Am I reading this right? Is there an option to waive EL Screeners if a student has been successful on state tests and had no EL support in their previous school?

Section 228.15 also indicates that a preschool student who scores "proficient" on the Screener could still be identified as EL based on input from teachers and family. I was previously under the impression that identification was a very cut-and-dry, black-and-white process.

Paperwork Compliance

2023-11-15 01:16:47 UTC

After working extensively on the EL recordkeeping in students' cumulative folders, it was validating to read the requirements, recognize them, and know we are in compliance.

(Sometimes the recordkeeping is so comprehensive and tedious for records that almost no one will ever check that it feels futile, especially when that time could be better spent on planning instruction or providing student support.)

Exiting after 3 years

2023-11-15 01:20:02 UTC

I was unaware that schools have the authority to exit students from the program after 3 years even if they have not reached the set proficiency score.

However, after reading about how the district can only do this if they put together a comprehensive plan that basically involves creating an entirely different program to support the student, it seems better just to keep them in the existing TBE or TPI program until they reach the set score.

Bilingual Program at HS

2023-11-15 01:23:55 UTC

At the high school level, it does not always make sense for a full-time bilingual student to receive instruction in their home language in each subject area. Some students who qualify for full-time status do not have the academic foundations in their home language to benefit from this instruction. I'm wondering how we do what's best for the student while also complying with this requirement.

Similarly, we do not have a formalized program component to address the requirement for teaching/learning about their heritage country's history and culture, and I am wondering about how to provide that within our program.

World Languages?

2023-11-15 01:28:01 UTC

At this point, we are focusing entirely on EL and Bilingual education. When and how will the World Language programming intersect with the EL and Bilingual programming?

BPAC

2023-11-15 01:28:37 UTC

I did not realize that the Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee was written into the Illinois School Code!

PD

2023-11-15 01:30:06 UTC

It was interesting to read about the requirements for professional development for EL and bilingual staff.