Element 1: Understand the Law
Purpose: Districts are required to take affirmative steps to address the language development of English language learners (ELLs) where the inability to speak and understand the English language prevents the students from effective participation in the district's regular education program. Element 1 addresses the legal requirements related to ELL students. Besides school leaders and staff members, these requirements must be understood by the entire school community.
Activity 1: Become Familiar with the Legal Aspects and Precedents
Activity 2: Review the No Child Left Behind Act
Element 2: Implement the English Language Learner Program
Purpose: School districts have broad discretion in selecting appropriate language programs, but they should consider three general questions when making a decision.
- Is there a need to provide English language learner (ELL) services?
- Will the ELL program meet the educational needs of ELL students effectively ?
- Is the program approach backed by scientifically based research?
The program chosen should be considered sound by experts in the field. If a district is using a different approach, it must show it is considered a legitimate experimental strategy.
Activity 1: Investigate Approaches to English Language Learner Programs
Activity 2: Use Culturally Responsive Teaching Methodologies
Activity 3: Develop an English Language Learner Program
Task 2: Provide Notices to Parents of ELL Students Using Language-Appropriate Methods
Guideline: School documents distributed to parents of English language learner (ELL) students should be translated into an appropriate home language. The translation must be accurate and timely so parents receive the same information as parents of non-ELL students.
Casa Notes
As noted at its website, "Casa Notes is designed to allow teachers to make and customize typical notes that are sent home to parents or given to the students. This is done by using templates and allowing the teachers to customize some of the content, choose a color scheme, and add a graphic. The notes can then be printed on a black-and-white or color printer to be used. Teachers can select whether the notes should be in English or in Spanish."
Glossaries of Special Education Terminology
This resource includes several glossaries of special education terminology which provide the respective English terminology in Hmong, Spanish, and Somali.
Language Resource List
This form is designed to help school personnel maintain a list of translators and interpreters available from outside sources such as other districts, community organizations, and government agencies.
Alternate format: PDF
Parent Notifications
Under the No Child Left Behind Act, districts using Title III funds must provide information to parents about their child's participation in a language instruction educational program. This table contains links to each state's Title III notification information.
Translated Materials
This resource provides links to websites with special education related documents translated into various foreign languages.
Example of a Parent's Guide
Developing a guide for parents of students of other cultures is a positive way of explaining the school district's basic policies and describing the ELL program. This sample guide is accessible through the website of Montgomery County Public Schools in Montgomery, Maryland. Many schools have their own Parent's Guide.
Free and Reduced School Meals Applications and Information Translations
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service website provides free and reduced school meal applications and related information in nineteen languages.
Quality Indicators for Translation and Interpretation in Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve Educational Services - Guidelines and Resources for Educators
This California Department of Education document was developed to assist educators who might serve as translators and interpreters or who work in multilingual educational settings. Its purpose is to improve the quality of translations of parental notifications and other documents into languages other than English and to ensure more appropriate and effective interpreting practices. Though intended for California educators, educators in other states may find the content useful.
Working with Translators and Interpreters
This resource provides a collection of documents about different aspects of working with translators and interpreters.
Writing to Linguistically Diverse Audiences
Writing effectively for an audience with a wide variety of backgrounds is difficult. This page provides several resources to help writers craft their message to reach the widest possible audience.
Element 3: Communicate With and Involve Parents
Purpose: School districts have multiple obligations under Title III of the No Child Left Behind Act and Office of Civil Rights (OCR) requirements. Under Title III, schools receiving such funds are to ensure timely and effective notification to parents of ELL students and extend a means for them to be involved with their child's education. The OCR requirements specify districts do so in a way that ensures meaningful access to ELL students and their parents. Accordingly, schools must develop effective methods of involving parents of ELL students in their child's education. In fulfilling these responsibilities, districts should develop procedures for providing the parents of ELL students with the same information provided to the parents of their non-ELL peers in a language-appropriate manner.
Activity 1: Communicate with Parents Using Language-Appropriate Methods
Activity 2: Develop and Implement a Parent Involvement Program
Element 4: Identify and Assess Students
Purpose: A district should have procedures in place for identifying English language learner (ELL) students and assessing their English proficiency. Such procedures should involve parents in making the final determination of whether their child is placed in the district's ELL program. Parents deciding not to have their child or children participate must sign a participation waiver.
Activity 1: Develop Appropriate Student Identification and Assessment Policies
Activity 2: Identify Students Whose Primary Home Language is Other Than English (PHLOTE)
Activity 3: Ensure Assessment of Students
Element 5: Coordinate the English Language Learner Program with Other Programs
Purpose: As noted at the National Clearinghouse for English Language Aquisition (NCELA), "School districts are to provide alternative language instruction programs to children with limited English proficiency to help them develop their English language skills and meet the same state academic content and student achievement standards all students are expected to meet.
In doing so, school districts have broad discretion in selecting appropriate language programs, but should consider the following when developing their program.
- Is there a need to provide alternative language services?
- Will the alternative language program effectively meet the educational needs of ELL students?
- Language instruction curricula used to teach ELL children are to be tied to scientifically-based research and demonstrated to be effective.
- Provided by teachers certified as English language proficient.
- Parents must be notified as to why their child is being placed in the program and have the right to have their child removed from the program."
Activity 1: Coordinate the English Language Learner Program with Other Programs
Activity 2: Conduct Program Evaluation
Element 6: Exit Students and Monitor Academic Progress
Purpose: A district should establish criteria to determine when English language learner (ELL) students qualify for exiting from the program. The exit criteria should be based on objective standards that ensure ELL students will be able to participate meaningfully and successfully in the district's regular education program.
Activity 1: Develop Appropriate Exit Policies and Procedures for the English Language Learner Program
Activity 2: Exit Students
Element 7: Provide Professional Learning
Purpose: In fulfilling the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act and the Office for Civil Rights, staff development must occur to ensure ELL students progress academically and be afforded equal educational opportunity. This includes professional learning in the following areas:
- processes/policies for the identification and exit of ELL students for intake staff members and classroom teachers,
- implementation of the program model for ELL program staff members,
- strategies for working with ELL students for content teachers, and
- assessment process for translators and staff members who will assist in Special Education.
Activity 1: Understand Policies and Procedures for Professional Learning
Activity 2: Develop and Implement a Personal Professional Learning Plan
