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Title III/ESOL Manual Meeting the academic language needs of English Learners and their culturally and linguistically diverse families. 2016-2017

Gilmer High Schoolimages.pcmac.org/Uploads/MurrayCounty/MurrayCounty/... · Web viewThe Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals formulated a method to determine school district compliance

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Title III/ESOLManual

Meeting the academic language needs of English Learners and their culturally and

linguistically diverse families.

2016-2017

Revised January 11, 2017 2 www.murray.k12.ga.us

Table of Contents

Preface.............................................................................................................................5

Federal Law and English Learners...................................................................................5

Other Federal Laws..........................................................................................................6

Georgia Rules..................................................................................................................7

Requirements for State Funding...................................................................................7

Class Sizes for ESOL Classes......................................................................................7

ESOL Services..............................................................................................................7

Segments...................................................................................................................7

Segment Length.........................................................................................................7

ESOL Approved Delivery Models of Instruction............................................................8

Compliance with Parent Notification Requirements for English Learners.....................8

Murray County School System.........................................................................................9

The Registration Process..............................................................................................9

Primary or Home Language Other Than English (PHLOTE) Student Identification......9

Assessment of ESOL Eligibility – WIDA-ACCESS Placement Test (W-APT)...............9

ESOL Procedures and Record Keeping......................................................................10

Assessment of ESOL Continued Eligibility/EXIT Criteria – ACCESS for ELLs 20.. .12

Kindergarten Assessments......................................................................................12

Grades 1-12 Assessments.......................................................................................13

Exiting English Learners from ESOL Services............................................................13

Monitoring Students....................................................................................................14

Monitored Students (EL-Ms)....................................................................................14

Parental Waiver of Services.....................................................................................14

Staffing and Resources...............................................................................................14

Instruction....................................................................................................................15

WIDA Standards.......................................................................................................15

Model Performance Indicators.................................................................................15

CAN DO Descriptors................................................................................................15

Best Practices.............................................................................................................15

Information for Parents...................................................................................................16

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Special Education........................................................................................................17

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Preface

As diversity in the state of Georgia grows, personnel within the Murray County School System have an increased need for information to instruct English Learners (ELs) effectively. The responsibility for the ELs’ whole education, both in language and academic content, is shared by regular classroom teachers and English language assistance teachers alike. Classroom content teachers, English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teachers, and other support staff should plan jointly to determine instructional accommodations needed to make language and content as comprehensible as possible for Els; therefore, all teachers function as language teachers when ELs are enrolled in their classes.

While English is designated as the official language of the state of Georgia, and the state achievement tests are in English, our responsibility is to successfully prepare students to access all postsecondary options available. This objective requires that our instructional approach be flexible to accommodate the needs of a very diverse student and parent population. Our aspiration is to have students succeed, both socially and academically, in all four language domains. We also wish for them to understand and function successfully in our American culture.

Recognizing the universal importance of education, the federal government assumed a larger role in financing public schools with the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in 1965. Through subsequent reauthorizations, ESEA has continued to assist the states. In 2001, the reauthorization included No Child Left Behind (NCLB), which asks the states to set standards for student performance and teacher quality. The law establishes accountability for results, and improves the inclusiveness and fairness of American education. The Georgia Department of Education Title III/ESOL Program and the Murray County School System are committed to being partners in the implementation of the NCLB Act 2001 as it applies to the education of ELs.

Federal Law and English Learners (ELs)

An excerpt from the United States Code § 1703 provides an overview of the federal law as it pertains to ELs. Denial of equal educational opportunity prohibited: “…No state shall deny equal educational opportunity to an individual on account of his or her race, color, sex, or national origin, by - (f) the failure by an educational agency to take appropriate action to overcome language barriers that impede equal participation by its students in its instructional programs…” In other words, federal law requires schools to provide language assistance services. The United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has the responsibility of enforcing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 regulatory requirements have been interpreted to prohibit denial of equal access to education because of a student's limited proficiency in English. Thus, Title VI protects students limited in their English language skills to ensure they are able to participate in and benefit from regular and special education instructional programs. During the late 1960s, OCR became aware that many school districts made little or no provision for the education of students who were unable to Revised January 11, 2017 5 www.murray.k12.ga.us

understand English. In an effort to resolve this problem, on May 25, 1970, the former Department of Health, Education, and Welfare issued a memorandum to clarify Title VI requirements concerning the responsibility of school districts to provide equal educational opportunities to language minority students. The May 25 memorandum explained that Title VI is violated if:

Programs for students whose English is less than proficient are not designed to teach them English as soon as possible or operate as a dead end track.

Parents whose English is limited do not receive notices and other information from the school in a language they can understand. In the 1974 Lau v. Nichols case, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the May 25

memorandum as a valid interpretation of the requirements of Title VI. Listed below is a review of other key legislation, court rulings, and administrative regulations addressing ELs and the legal responsibilities of educational agencies serving them:

Other Federal Laws

Constitution of the United States, Fourteenth Amendment (1868) "No State shall deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." Equal Educational Opportunities Act (EEOA) "No state shall deny equal educational opportunity to an individual on account of his or her race, color, sex or national origin, by the failure of an educational agency to take appropriate action to overcome language barriers that impede equal participation by its students in its instructional programs." Court Rulings Supreme Court 1982 -- Plyler v. Doe The Supreme Court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits states from denying a free public education to undocumented immigrant children regardless of their immigrant status. Federal Courts 1981 -- Castaneda v. Pickard The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals formulated a method to determine school district compliance with the Equal Education Opportunities Act (1974). The three-part test includes the following criteria:

1. "the school is pursuing a program informed by an educational theory recognized as sound by some experts in the field or, at least, deemed legitimate experimental strategy;

2. "the program and practices actually used by (the) school system are reasonably calculated to implement effectively the educational theory adopted by the school;

3. "the school's program succeeds, after a legitimate trial, in producing results indicating that the language barriers confronting students are actually being overcome." Id. at 1009-10.

Castaneda states that the segregation of limited English proficient (LEP) students is permissible only when "the benefits which would accrue to LEP students by remedying language barriers which impede their ability to realize their academic potential in an English language educational institution may outweigh the adverse effects of such segregation."

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Private School Consultation

Each year, Title III, along with other federal programs, sends an invitation to private schools who serve Murray County students. The purpose of this invitation is to explain the services that can be provided under the Title III program.

Georgia Rules Requirements for State Funding

Georgia School Law § 20-2-156 – Program for limited-English-proficient students (LEP)

The State Board of Education (SBOE) shall create a program for limited-English- proficient students whose native language is not English, subject to appropriation by the General Assembly. The purpose of this program is to assist such students to develop proficiency in the English language, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing, sufficient to perform effectively at the currently assigned grade level. The state board shall prescribe rules and regulations regarding eligibility criteria and standards as may be needed to carry out the provisions of this Code section. This program may also be referred to as the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program. Class Sizes for ESOL Classes

Grade Levels Funding Size Maximum Individual Class Size

K-3Without paraprofessional 7 11With paraprofessional 7 13

4-8Without paraprofessional 7 14With paraprofessional 7 15

9-12Without paraprofessional 7 18With paraprofessional 7 20

*The Murray County School System Strategic School Waiver states that additional students can be added to ESOL classes. ESOL Services Segments: The state funding guidelines for ESOL instruction will fund the following:

Grades K-3 One segment of ESOL Grades 4-8 One to two segments of ESOL Grades 9-12 Up to five segments of ESOL Pre-K is not funded or served through

this program. Segment length will follow the same guidelines as all state-funded subject areas: one-sixth of the instructional day. The Georgia Department of Education ESOL Resource Guide provides instruction for ESOL that equates to:

Grades K-3 45 Minute Segments or a minimum of 225 minutes weekly. Grades 4-8 50 Minute Segments or a minimum of 250 minutes weekly. Grades 9-12 55 Minute Segments or a minimum of 275 minutes weekly.

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A 4X4 daily block schedule class consisting of a minimum of 90 minutes will count as two segments. Hybrid or block schedules that do not meet a minimum of 90 minutes on a daily basis will be counted as a single segment.

ESOL Approved Delivery Models of Instruction Per Georgia State Education rule 160-4-5-.02 Language Assistance: Program for English Language, there are seven approved delivery models for providing language assistance services to ELs:

1. Pull-out model outside the academic block – students are taken out of a general education class for the purpose of receiving small group language instruction from the ESOL teacher.

2. Push-in model within the academic block – students remain in their core academic class where they receive content instruction from their content area teacher along with targeted language instruction from the ESOL teacher.

3. A cluster center to which students are transported for instruction – students from two or more schools are grouped in a center designed to provide intensive language assistance.

4. A resource center/laboratory – students receive language assistance in a group setting supplemented by multi-media materials.

5. A scheduled class period – students at the middle and high school levels receive language assistance and /or content instruction in a class composed of ELs only.

6. Dual language model – students participating in a dual language immersion program receive language support during the English portion of their academic day.

7. An innovative delivery model approved in advance by the Georgia Department of Education through a process described in the ESOL/Title III Resource Guide. Charter districts are not required to submit innovative proposals, as such innovation is considered a permissible component of all district charters. Compliance with Parent Notification Requirement for English Learners

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Subpart 5 Administration, part C Section 3302 states that local education agencies (LEAs) provide information to a parent in an understandable and uniform format and, to the extent practicable, in a language that the parent can understand. In order to assist LEAs with compliance with this requirement, the Georgia Department of Education provides documents in multiple languages. These forms are available on the Georgia Department of Education English to Speakers of Other Languages webpage as well as the Murray County School System website. Additionally, the Murray County School System employs an interpreter/translator to assist in the translation of documents.

Murray County School SystemRevised January 11, 2017 8 www.murray.k12.ga.us

The following information was derived from documents/guidance provided by the

United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights and the Georgia Department of Education Title III/ESOL Program. The Registration Process (Enrollment Center)

1. Parents are given a new student registration packet, written in their native language (when necessary). The packet includes registration documents, school information, free and reduced lunch applications, and transportation information.

2. If needed, an interpreter is available to assist in the registration process. 3. From the information collected during the registration process, the student’s primary

language is identified and, if applicable, a language screening test will be administered. Primary or Home Language Other Than English (PHLOTE) Student Identification

To assist in identification of ELs for ESOL services, the following questions are included on the Home Language Survey http://www.murray.k12.ga.us/Default.asp?PN=Forms&L=2&DivisionID=22555&DepartmentID=26631&LMID=1087635&ToggleSideNav=

• Which language does your child most frequently speak at home? • Which language do adults in your home most frequently use when speaking with your

child? • Which language(s) does your child currently understand or speak? • If possible, would you prefer notice of school activities in a language other than

English? If yes, which language? Additionally, parents are asked on the system registration form about prior ESOL services, date of entry into the United States, and date of entry into a United States school. Assessment of ESOL Eligibility - WIDA-ACCESS Placement Test (W-APT)

Students who answer any one of the PHLOTE questions with a language other than English shall be administered the WIDA-ACCESS Placement Test (W-APT) within the first 30 days of enrollment to determine their English language proficiency level. The W-APT measures a student’s listening, speaking, reading, and writing abilities in both social and academic skill areas. Language assessment results and documentation from other states may be considered when enrolling students. A student is limited to only one administration of the W-APT. If a student has been screened and determined ineligible for language support services, the student may not be screened again at a future date for reconsideration of eligibility

The W-APT for kindergarten uses raw scores in determining eligibility. Please refer to the following table for information about Murray County School System’s specific kindergarten placement criteria:

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Murray County School System Guidance

Language Support Services

Procedure

If a student’s combinedListening and Speaking Raw Score is less than 19:

Language support services are required.

Inform parents of eligibility and begin providing services (unless the parent waives services).

If a student’s combined Listening and Speaking Raw Score is between 19-30:

Continue with the administration of the Reading and Writing tests.

If a student’s Reading Raw Score is less than 11 or the student’s Writing Raw Score is less than 12:

Language support services are required.

Inform parents of eligibility,complete required documentation, begin providing services (unless a Parental Waiver is completed).

If a student’s Reading Raw Score is 11 or higher and the student’s Writing Raw Score is 12 or higher:

The student is not eligible for services.

The W-APT should be filed in the student’s permanent record.

Once eligibility has been determined, the following procedures will be

implemented:

ESOL Procedures and Record Keeping

What goes in all ESOL students’ permanent ELL record folder and teacher file?

Cumulative Profile (kept in perm and updated yearly) keep a copy in Data folder and update yearly as well. Move to teacher file once student exits the monitoring process. If still in ESOL when student moves to middle school put the extra copy in teacher file for middle school teacher’s record.

Folder Checklist (be sure to sign off at bottom as you verify documents are in file, beginning and end of year) date and initial

Green Sheet from Enrollment Ctr. (fill out if present and put it in ESOL perm folder if student qualifies for services, if not leave in Perm but put does not qualify)KEEP Green Card in Perm

HLS: Home Language Survey (on enrollment form when initially enrolls) W-APT (when initially screened) (Scan and email to Stacey even if student does

not qualify) Initial ESOL Referral Form (new for 2016, kindergarten, when initially screened-

from this year forward) Parent Notification (added yearly) TPC (testing accommodation forms updated yearly)

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ACCESS Reports (added yearly, until exits) Exit Letter (When applicable) LAC (if applicable) Monitoring documents (keep all monitoring documents in monitoring binder until

the end of the 2 year monitoring time frame, then copy and put the original in student ESOL perm folder and copy in the teacher folder)

Make a copy of all the above (original goes in ELL Permanent Folder, and copy goes in teacher file)

o The teacher file is your file that stays in your room in a filing cabinet This serves as a tool for parent conferences, data collection,

etc.

Order of Permanent Record Documents and Teacher folder:1. Folder Checklist and Cumulative Profile should be the first two documents in

front of folders because these are updated yearly. 2. Under the Folder checklist and Cumulative Profile, put the most current year data

on top in the order you have collected it3. From the bottom to top: HLS, W-APT, Initial Referral Form, Parent Notification,

TPC, ACCESS reports, Exit Letter/LAC if applicable, Cumulative Profile, Folder Checklist

How to determine student services for new students?1. Ask school receptionist to put Green Forms from Enrollment Center in your box. 2. Also, periodically check with receptionist on new students in the event the Green

Forms were not sent with enrollment documents.

New to school:1. Verify with prior school about ESOL services. 2. Also if no ESOL records, request ESOL records be faxed to you or ELC if student

is served or monitored3. Send Parent Notification if student is in ESOL4. If records are incomplete, document it on the Student Checklist5. If exited, continue monitoring process if applicable 6. If Green Form is present, fill out and keep in perm.7. Add to your roster and schedule class(es)

New to School that’s not from a WIDA state ( www.wida.us to determine if WIDA member):

1. Will do same as above, unless the student was never screened for ESOL and HLS indicates a language other than English, then treat as new to country and copy HLS and administer W-APT if applicable

2. If exited, continue monitoring process if applicable 3. If Green Form is present, fill out and keep in perm.4. Add to your roster and schedule class(es)

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Within District Transfer:1. Send email to prior school and request the teacher send you the teacher file. IC

will roll over to show flags and LEP services.2. If Parent Notification was sent and returned, no need to resend3. If Parent Notification was not sent/returned, send one4. Add to your roster and schedule class(es)5. If exited, continue monitoring process if applicable

New to Country:1. Verify home language via Home Language Survey on Enrollment Form2. If language other than English, administer W-APT3. Follow flow chart for eligibility, pg. 26, 27 in Ga DOE ESOL Resource Guide (red

folder)4. Send parent notification5. Start ELL permanent folder and teacher folder6. Copy HLS, W-APT, Initial ESOL Referral form and Parent Notifications for both

files7. If Green Form is present, fill out and keep in perm.8. Add to your roster and schedule class(es)

Other documents used to help keep track of student progress:Summary Sheet on IC (just in case you need it for lockdowns, contains parent contact, etc.)Student data sheet (to keep up with grades and Benchmarks 1st -6th)

Assessment of ESOL Continued Eligibility/EXIT Criteria- ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 The ACCESS for ELLs is administered annually to all English learners in Georgia. It is a standards-based, criterion referenced English language proficiency test designed to measure English language learners’ social and academic proficiency and progress in English. It assesses social and instructional English as well as the language associated with language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies within the school context and across the four language domains of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Kindergarten Assessments

The Kindergarten ACCESS Score Reports reflect two separate Composite Proficiency Levels (CPL): one for Accountability purposes and one for Instructional purposes. The Accountability CPL will be used for the calculation of Title III AMAOs and to determine students’ continued eligibility for ESOL services. The maximum composite score for Accountability purposes on the kindergarten form of ACCESS for ELLs is 6.0. For the purpose of exiting ESOL services, a kindergarten student must score an Accountability CPL of 5.0 with no individual language domain score less than 5.0. Using the Language Assessment Conference (LAC) process to exit Kindergarten student who do not meet the specified exit criteria is not an option.

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The Georgia Department of Education recommends a very conservative approach to the exit of kindergarten students as no kindergarten student at this age or grade level can be deemed truly proficient in the domains of reading or writing. Experience has demonstrated that many students who were exited at this grade level struggle academically within one to three years following exit. Grades 1 – 12 Assessments(for a clearer/printable image, see http://www.murray.k12.ga.us/Default.asp?PN=Forms&L=2&DivisionID=22555&DepartmentID=26631&LMID=1087635&ToggleSideNav=

Exiting English Learners from ESOL Services

When an English learner has obtained sufficient proficiency in English and understanding of regular education course material and is no longer eligible for the district's program of services, he/she is exited from the program. Prompt action should occur to remove the student from the program. In incidences where further information is required, a Language Assessment Conference (LAC) should be planned. A meeting Revised January 11, 2017 13 www.murray.k12.ga.us

should be held and a consensus should be met using all available data (W-APT scores, ACCESS results, other state tests scores, teacher observations, and formative test results during content courses) to make a determination. This meeting should be documented using the Language Assessment Conference documentation form http://www.murray.k12.ga.us/Default.asp?PN=Forms&L=2&DivisionID=22555&DepartmentID=26631&LMID=1087635&ToggleSideNav=

At a minimum, participants should include the ESOL teacher, general education teacher, and school administrator. Kindergarten students are not eligible to exit the program with a LAC. Monitoring Students Monitoring the success of English learners who have exited the ESOL program is vital for sustained proficiency. Upon reaching ineligibility, students are monitored for two academic years. Monitored Students (EL-Ms)

ESOL teachers are responsible for monitoring EL-Ms. The ESOL teacher/case manager will collect information using the form – Monitoring Form Post-Exit ESOL. http://www.murray.k12.ga.us/Default.asp?PN=Forms&L=2&DivisionID=22555&DepartmentID=26631&LMID=1087635&ToggleSideNav=

EL-Ms who are not successful in the regular education program should be placed in the Response-to-Intervention (RTI) process.

Monitored ELs may be granted standard accommodations on tests. Conditional accommodations are not allowed. Parental Waiver of ESOL Services

If a parent chooses to waive direct ESOL services, the Parental Waiver of ESOL Services form http://www.murray.k12.ga.us/Default.asp?PN=Forms&L=2&DivisionID=22555&DepartmentID=26631&LMID=1087635&ToggleSideNav=

must be completed and signed by the parent. Information will be provided regarding means of support for language development and proficiency outside the ESOL classroom, and the form should be placed in the student’s permanent folder. Staffing and Resources Staffing and resources are vital to the success of the Murray County School System ESOL program. Staffing

English learners in the Murray County School System are taught by highly qualified teachers. Additionally, the system’s Instructional Improvement Specialist (Title III Instructional Coach) provides training to all ESOL and general education teachers on topics that include best practices for students with limited English, ACCESS data

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analysis as related to classroom practice, and the CAN DO definitions/expectations and Model Performance Indicators. ESOL teachers in the Murray County School System also are invited and encouraged to actively participate in professional learning training/workshops (GaDOE Title III/ESOL Unit initiatives, the GATESOL conference, the annual KSU conference, North Georgia RESA workshops) throughout the year. Resources

Resources that enhance student learning will be purchased for teacher and student use. Imagine Finish Line, iLit, Flocabulary, and other resources will continue to be used in the classrooms to assist in the development of vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency.

InstructionWIDA Standards WIDA English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards are designed as a curriculum and instruction planning tool. They help educators determine children's ELP levels and how to appropriately challenge them to reach higher levels. The five standards encompass the areas of Social and Instructional language; the language of Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies. The WIDA ELP Standards are:

English language learners communicate for Social and Instructional purposes within the school setting.

English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Language Arts

English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Mathematics

English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Science

English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of Social Studies.

Model Performance Indicators Information regarding the Model Performance Indicators may be found on WIDA’s website (www.wida.us). CAN DO Descriptors Information regarding the CAN DO Descriptors may be found on WIDA’s website (www.wida.us). These descriptors provide teachers with examples of students’ skills at each proficiency level. They allow teachers to differentiate instructional tasks to fit the needs of individual students. Best Practices

The following list of strategies, approaches, and ideas are beneficial for English learners:

Pace speech, speak clearly, use gestures and facial expressions Act out or illustrate the meaning of words, using repetition and rephrasing Model behavior repeatedly.

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Maintain eye contact Reduce idiomatic expressions Think aloud, letting the students hear the thought process they are using to solve

the problem Relate lessons to students’ prior learning Use many visuals such as videos, photos, drawings, pictures and posters as

tools of instruction Have a special lesson on high-frequency vocabulary Teach key academic vocabulary by creating word puzzles and game Create a word/picture wall with current vocabulary terms Collect many of the comic books available that portray historic and cultural

events in simplified language Deemphasize speed and emphasize accuracy of work Limit the number of variables in laboratory experiments. Have students prepare individual card files of subject area specific vocabulary Use a variety of graphic organizers regularly to chunk textual information,

focusing on important points and higher order thinking skills of the lesson Allow students to interact with the content in cooperative learning groups Provide concrete examples to assist the students in understanding complex

concepts and skills Ask questions in simple language that encourages students’ reasoning abilities,

i.e. “What will this story tell us?” which is not a complex question, but elicits higher order thinking skill of predicting

Information for Parents

Parents are provided information about the program to ensure informed decisions are made. The following documents are sent home at either the initial placement into the English to Speakers of Other Languages program or annually:

Notification of ESOL Eligibility Services (Initial and Continuing) Parental Waiver of Services (when applicable) Notification of Services No Longer Necessary AMAOs letter (when applicable) Title III/ESOL Brochure

Parents are invited to attend annual testing accommodations meetings and

parent conferences. Parents are invited to the multi-cultural night as well as school-based informational workshops. Lastly, information about the ESOL program is also available online at http://www.murray.k12.ga.us/Default.asp?PN=Forms&L=2&DivisionID=22555&DepartmentID=26631&LMID=1087635&ToggleSideNav=

Special Education

Students can be served in both the Special Education and English to Speaker of Other Languages programs. Depending on the extent of the student's disability, it is appropriate for the general education teacher, ESOL teacher, and the special education

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teacher to work collaboratively in order to meet the needs of the student. The fact that an EL has a disability does not replace the need for language assistance. The plan for continuing to provide language assistance and support should be delineated in the student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP). In almost all cases ELs should be dually served through both programs. In the event it is determined that another means of support will be more beneficial to the student, the Special Education team and the ESOL specialist should work together to determine the most effective plan and to provide needed support for implementation.

If an EL is determined eligible for special education services, the IEP team will determine the type and degree of services (Special Education and ESOL) the student will receive.

The ESOL teacher must be included as an active member of the IEP team for ELs with disabilities. If it has been demonstrated through testing that the student qualifies for special education services under the learning disability label or speech services label, the English learner should be served in both programs.

Students should be served in both ESOL and Special Education if they qualify for both programs, unless the disability is deemed so profound that the severity of the student’s disability indicates a greater intensity of special services is required. In the Gilmer County Charter School System, with the exception of students who participate in the Georgia Alternate Assessment, all students who qualify for both services must receive both ESOL and Special Education services. Exceptional circumstances should be approved by the Special Education Director. If it is determined that the student’s needs will best be met by being served in multiple segments of special education, the ESOL specialist should work with school and district personnel to set up a consultative plan for that student’s language development. The ESOL specialist and the special education teacher should consult on a regular basis and maintain records of consultations as documentation of language support efforts.

Any EL student with an IEP must have a plan for language assistance services documented on the IEP. Please note, as per GaDOE Special Education and ESOL & Title III agreement: The IEP should document the participation of the ESOL teacher in the IEP meeting for students eligible as both EL and SWD. In addition, the plan should include the following information: the ESOL delivery model, the amount of ESOL services and the individual who will provide the services. Adding language goals and services as a part of the Individual Education Program (IEP) for a child is only appropriate for students whose language impairment or need is a result of the student’s disability.

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