April 21, 2009 1

English Learner Programs and Placement

Process

Romoland School DistrictParent Information Meeting

April 21, 2009 2

Goal of the Parent Meeting: The goal of this meeting is to explain:

Proposition 227 and its requirement that all English Learners be placed in an English classroom

The programs offered by the District

The process to request a parental exception waiver for an alternative bilingual program

The District criteria to approve or deny a waiver request

Future years

April 21, 2009 3

Initial Identification

By law, all students must be placed in an English Language classroom at the beginning of each school year

The students whose language is other than English take the CELDT to determine their level of English

April 21, 2009 4

CELDT Results

The CELDT results will tell us whether the students are either:

Fluent English Proficient (FEP)

or Limited English Proficient

If the student is limited in English, he/she is identified as an English learner (EL)

April 21, 2009 5

English Learners

English learners are identified with:

reasonable fluency in English: a student with a working knowledge of English

or less than reasonable fluency in English: a

student who has not acquired a working knowledge of English

April 21, 2009 6

English Language Programs All students identified as English learners will be

placed in an English language classroom from the first day of school

Structured English Immersion (SEI)- for students with less than reasonable fluency in English

English Language Mainstream Classroom (ELM)- for students with reasonable fluency in English

April 21, 2009 7

Structured English Immersion (SEI)

Components: English Language Arts/Houghten Mifflin

Reading All subjects in English English Language Development (ELD) All materials and homework in English Explanations in Spanish, if needed

April 21, 2009 8

English Language Mainstream Classroom

(ELM) Components: English Language Arts/Houghten Mifflin

Reading All subjects are in English English Language Development (as needed) No Spanish language support

Parents of English learners have the right to request an English Mainstream Classroom at any time

April 21, 2009 9

Parental Exception Waiver Request Process

All students are placed in an English language program at the beginning of each school year

Parents of English learners may request a waiver for an alternative bilingual program if they believe that their child has special needs that negatively affect his/her ability to succeed in an SEI program

They may submit it after the student has begun school

April 21, 2009 10

Parental Exception Waivers

There are three types of Parental Exception Waviers:

Education Code 311(a): Children who know English (students with reasonable fluency in English)

Education Code 311(b): Children age 10 or older (students with less than reasonable fluency in English)

Education Code 311(c): Children with special needs (students under 10 with less than reasonable fluency in English)

April 21, 2009 11

Education Code 311(c)

This parental exception waiver is for students who are under 10 years old with less than reasonable fluency in English and with special needs. These special needs include:

Educational Physical Emotional/psychological

April 21, 2009 12

Requesting a Waiver

Parents may submit a Parental Exception Waiver request to the principal any time after the first day of instruction

April 21, 2009 13

Timeline to Approve or Deny

After the student has completed 30 calendar days in an English language classroom, the District begins the process to approve or deny the submitted parental exception waiver

April 21, 2009 14

District Criteria

The criteria used to approve or deny parental exception waivers include the following factors:

Whether the special needs listed in the waiver request exist

The special needs interfere with the learning of English

A placement in an alternative program is better suited, based on the student’s progress in learning English

April 21, 2009 15

Role of the School

The principal: Reviews each waiver request using the

District criteria

Gives a report to the Superintendent with a recommendation to approve or deny

April 21, 2009 16

Role of the District

The Superintendent: Uses the District criteria to review the

principal’s recommendation

Gives a final approval or denial

April 21, 2009 17

Approved/Denied Waivers

If the waiver request is approved, the student is placed in the requested alternative bilingual program.

If the waiver request is denied, the student remains in SEI. The principal will conference with the parent to explain the reasons for the denial and the parent’s right to appeal the decision.

April 21, 2009 18

Approved/Denied Waivers

If a parent does not request a Parental Exception Waiver for an alternative bilingual program, the child will remain in SEI.

April 21, 2009 19

Future Years

Each year all English learners will be placed in an English language program

Parents can request a waiver during the first 30 days of school, or at any time during the school year

The District will use the same established criteria to approve or deny the waiver request