Welcome
Staff
Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia Two-way LanguageImmersion
Goals for EL Students
The Saddleback Valley Unified School District Second Language Program is research-based and recognizes that the acquisition of English is a developmental process based upon the primary language proficiencies of students and that students do not achieve proficiency at the same rate. While students may be able to speak and understand English at fairy high levels of proficiency within the first three years of school, academic skills of English reading and writing take longer for the students to develop. The District's English language development program allows sufficient levels for students to develop cognitive proficiencies in English. The program has been developed to meet the English language development needs of the following three types of students: • Students who have limited literacy in their primary language (L1) and limited or no social communicative skills or academic language skills in English, • Students who have acquired literacy and academic language skills in their primary language and who needed to transfer their skills to English, and • Bilingual English-dominant students who have not developed academic language in either language. Every effort is made to ensure that all English Language Development (ELD) classes and English classes into which a cluster of EL students have been placed will be taught by appropriately EL certified teachers (CLAD, CTEL, or its equivalent) using effective instructional methodology and strategies. Students’ progress is monitored and evaluated as they progress through the program. Results from the California English Language Development Test (CELDT), results from the state standardized test, teacher input and samples of student work are used as measures of EL students’ achievement as they move towards the established district language arts standards. Placement The following information is used to make an informed decision about the appropriate placement of English Learners. • Extent and continuity of previous education • Language proficiency in English • Language proficiency in home language • Degrees of home support for second language learning • Age of student Parental Exception Waivers The District has established procedures for parental exception waivers, which include prior, written informed consent, annual request, and a personal visit to the school to apply for the waiver. The District provides full descriptions of the different educational program choices and of all the educational opportunities available to the student. In addition, a description of educational materials is provided. A parental exception waiver is required to place a child in a classroom where “much or all” of the instruction is in a language other than English (Bilingual Program). SVUSD does not have any bilingual classes other than those in the Two-Way Language Immersion Program. No parental waiver is required for this program as the Two-Way Language Immersion Program as it is an Alternative School Language Academy; and as such, it does not fall under the requirements of proposition 227. If 20 or more pupils of a given grade level at an individual school (not district-wide) receive a waiver, the district must allow the pupils to transfer to a public school (not private) (in the same or another district) where such a class is offered. Parents must apply for the waiver annually and in person. For Special Education students, the individualized education program team determines the placement of each special education student, regardless of the student’s language proficiency. No provision of an IEP requires a parental exception waiver. Procedures for Exception Waivers • Upon initial assessment, parents are advised of the recommended placement of their student and given a description of program options. • Parents are asked to agree or disagree with the recommended placement. • Parents of EL students who disagree can choose either option: • Option 1: All mainstream classes with no special instruction in ELD or SDAIE. • Option 2: Alternate program. • Translation of forms and program descriptions are available to parents. Standards The Saddleback Valley Unified School District realizes that full proficiency in English is critical for long-term economic, social, and personal development of all students in the United States. In the school environment, EL students need to be able to use oral and written English both to acquire academic content and to demonstrate their learning. The Saddleback Valley Unified School District standards-based accountability consists of the following components: • Content and Performance Standards • Multiple Assessment • Data Collection • Data Analysis • Data Reporting Content and performance standards for English Learners (EL) are the same, as those required of mainstream students. However , EL students’ achievement of English language arts is to be preceded by attainment of English Language Development (ELD) Standards. Once EL students have met the ELD Standards and are redesignated, The Redesignated-Fluent English Proficient (R-FEP) students are held accountable to the mainstream English Standards. In contrast to English language arts where standards are developed for each grade level, ELD standards are based on the number of years of instructionand contextualized by proficiency level (Beginning, Early Intermediate, Intermediate, Early Advanced, and Advanced). Each of these proficiency levels is designated by a number on the LEPCRT screen (1 = Beginning, 2 = Early Intermediate, 3 = Intermediate, 4 = Early Advanced, 5 = Advanced). Assessment The Saddleback Valley Unified School District uses multiple measures to assess the overall performance of pupils. In the case of EL students, the types of measurments may include: • Standardized tests including norm-referenced examinations • Criterion-referenced tests • Grade-point average (GPA) for an individual, a group, a subject area, or a course • Teacher observation measures and checklists using rubrics or other scoring schemes • Rating of work in student portfolios • Grade level promotional and graduations rates including redesignation rates • Rates of attendance, participation, completion, and suspension • Rates of referrals to special programs and services (Special Education and GATE) Data Collection The Saddleback Valley Unified School District has developed a comprehensive and articulated data collection process, which allows for the systematic collection of assessment, student background, and programmatic data. Data is collected on (1) assessment results; (2) related student background factors, and (3) critical programmatic variables. In addition, the following assessment information is collected: • Results from California State standardize tests. • Results from initial and annual CELDT • Results from the annual CELDT test administered used as a measure for redesignation. • Results form the State Spanish test administered to students who have been in the country twelve months or less, and • Results from the Student Oral Language Observation Matrix (SOLOM) assessment used as needed for languages other than Spanish Important student background and programmatic variables include data such as (1) student identification (name and I.D. number); (2) date of birth; (3) home language; (4) initial classification (EL) and date; (5) redesignation (R-FEP) and date; and (6) schooling history. Trained Second Language Program personnel enter data into the database either at the District Testing Center at El Toro High School or at the District Office. Analysis The District conducts an annual analysis of outcome data including the dissaggregation data selected for cohorts of students such as EL and former EL students to determine if groups of EL students are making adequate progress toward meeting district standards. This information is shared with parents.
Redesignation Criteria: from EL/LEP to R-FEP When English Learners meet the district established redesignation criteria, they are reclassified from English Learners (EL) or Limited English Proficient (LEP) to Redesignated Fluent English Proficient (R-FEP). The district uses the following multiple criteria to redesignate EL students. • The student must score at or above the 36% percentile in reading, language and math on the state STAR program standardized test (only selected grade lavels are given the CAT/6 state exam). • The student must have scored “Early Advanced” or “Advanced” on the CELDT language test for listening and speaking, reading and writing. • The student scores a 3 (three) or higher on the California Standards Test (CST). • The student is recommended for redesignation by his/her teacher after a review of student’s reading level and classroom work. • The student should be at or near grade-level in English. • Parent input is taken into consideration. Reporting The District develops and disseminates periodic reports to students, parents, and the community regarding the progress made by all students to meet content and performance standards. Second Language Program Student Classifications 1. English-Only (EO) English-Only students are those who are monolingual English. They do not have a second language background. 2. English Learner (EL) or Limited English Proficient (LEP) English Learner (EL) or a Limited English Proficient Student (LEP) is a student who speaks little or no English or whose native language is not English. And who is not currently able to perform ordinary classroom work in English. An EL student is considered to have “reasonably fluency” in English when s/he can communicate and comprehend a sufficient amount of English to perform most classroom assignments satisfactorily. 3. Fluent English Proficient (FEP) A student classified as Fluent English Proficient (FEP) is one who has been identified on the Home Language Survey (HLS) as having another language spoken at home or as speaking another language other than English. This student may be bilingual. When language tested with the state approved English language placement test, this student scores fluent or competent in English and is recommended for placement in the mainstream English classroom. 4. Redesignated-Fluent (R-FEP) These students tested EL/LEP on the state approved language placements test, but after English language development instruction and appropriate specially design academic instruction in English, they have the district’s multiple assessment criteria for redesignation to fluent or R-FEP. The redesignated students are monitored in the mainstream classroom to insure that they are able to keep up with their peers. EL Program Instructional Options Option 1 Structured English Language Immersion Program (K-12) Structured English Immersion (SEI) is a program of instruction overwhelmingly in English including: a sequential English Language Development (ELD) program; English Language Arts; and sheltered English Content with some native language support when needed and appropriate. The Saddleback Valley Unified School District provides equal access to English Learners (EL) by taking into consideration the different need of students including those who require special educational programs to benefit from curricular offerings of a school. The teaching staff is encouraged to teach to different learning styles and to use varied teaching methods to reach all students. The Structured English Immersion program offered by the district may vary from school to school because of differing numbers of pupils eligible for participation and as a result of parent choice. At any time, including during the school year , a parent may request to have his/her child moved from Structured English Immersion Program into the English Language Mainstream Program where the student will continue to receive additional and appropriate services in order to meet redesignation requirements to become Fluent English Proficient (FEP). The State law (Ed code 300-340) requires that EL students be placed in structure English immersion for a period no less than (30) calendar days before a parental waiver may be granted. Parents may select from the following program options designed to meet the linguistic and academic needs of EL students. There are two different types of classroom organization models in the Structured English Language Immersion Program. One type is the cluster classroom placement in which a group or cluster of English Learners is placed in a mainstream classroom. The other type is the English Language Development (ELD) classroom, which is composed entirely of English Learners. Both types of classrooms may be multi-graded. Most beginning English Learners are assigned to an ELD class at the secondary school level. These students usually score at the “Beginning” or “Early Intermediate” level of the CELDT assessment. The teacher in either type of classroom has received or may be in the process of receiving specialized training in strategies to support English Learners acquiring English language proficiency. In addition to the teacher, there may be an ELD instructional assistant assigned to the class to provide primary language support, or the school may have special materials in the primary language, usually Spanish, which will help the student to comprehend the core academic subjects. At many schools where there are a large number of English Learners who have reached at least intermediate or early advanced (FEP) levels of English Language fluency, a bilingual instructional assistant, a bilingual classroom teacher, or a classroom teacher trained in Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) provides assistance to students in the core content areas of math, science, and social studies. SDAIE are a series of strategies that help make the core curriculum comprehensible to English Learners. These strategies are used when the content is being taught in English. Option 2 Mainstream English Classroom Placement K-12 Classroom instruction is entirely in English. Students are taught the district core curriculum with native English speakers. Additional and appropriate services are provided to assist the EL student overcome academic deficits. These services are defined and student progress monitored to insure student success in meeting the district standards for the content areas. Parents may have their English Learner placed in a mainstream English classroom at any time during the school year with the understanding that limited assistance will be available as he/she acquires English. Option 3 Alternative Language School: Two-Way Language Immersion Program The Saddleback Valley Unified School District Two-Way Language Immersion Program is currently housed at Gates Elementary, Los Alisos Intermediate, and Laguna Hills High schools. This is a voluntary parent choice program in which instruction includes English Language Development (ELD) for Spanish-speaking students and Spanish for English-only speaking students. The goal of the program is to graduate students who are orally proficient and literate in both Spanish and English. Students must meet the entrance criteria to enroll.
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