Language Proficiency Assessment Committee

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LanguageProficiency AssessmentCommittee
Decision-Making Process
for Educators and Parents
of English Language Learners
LPAC Training 2005-2006
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Agenda

• Commissioners Rules
• Bilingual/ESL Program
• LPAC Membership, Roles, and Responsibilities
• Identification, Entry, and Placement
• Exiting/Monitoring
• Annual Review
• Assessment
• Special Education
• Questions

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OBJECTIVES

• To understand the rules and regulations for
  Bilingual/ESL programs
• To explain the procedures for Proficiency
  Assessment Committees
• To guide LPACs in making decisions regarding LEP
  student identification, placement,
  reclassification and instruction

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Required Policies 89.1201(a)

• It is the policy of the state that every student
  in the state who has a home language other than
  English and who is identified as limited English
  proficient shall be provided a full opportunity
  to participate in a bilingual education or
  English as a second language program as required
  in the Texas Education Code, Chapter 29,
  Subchapter B.

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Commissioners Rules 89.1201 Policy What a
District Must Do

• (1) Identify Students
• (2) Provide Bilingual/ESL Program
• (3) Seek Certified Teachers
• (4) Assess achievement for essential skills and
  knowledge to ensure accountability for LEP
  students and schools that serve them

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How do we know if we should have a bilingual/ESL
program or an ESL program?
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Required Bilingual Education Programs (89.1205) a

• Each school district which has an enrollment of
  20 or more limited English proficient students in
  any language classification in the same grade
  level district-wide shall offer a bilingual
  education program.

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Goal of Bilingual Program (b)

• To ensure that LEP students become competent in
  the comprehension, speaking, reading, and
  composition of the English language through the
  development of literacy and academic skills in
  the primary language and English
• Emphasize the mastery of English language skills,
  as well as mathematics, science, and social
  studies, as integral parts of the academic goals
  for all students to enable LEP students to
  participate equitably in school

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Curriculum (d)

• BE/ESL programs shall be integral parts of the
  total school program
• Shall use instructional approaches designed to
  meet the special needs of LEP students
• The basic curriculum content of the program shall
  be based on the essential skills and knowledge
  required by the state -- TEKS

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Program Content and Design 89.1210

• (a) The program shall provide each LEP student an
  opportunity to be enrolled in the required
  program at his or her grade level.
• (b) The amount of instruction in each language
  within the BE program shall be commensurate with
  the students level of proficiency in each
  language and their level of academic achievement.
• (c) Program shall address the affective,
  linguistic, and cognitive needs of LEP students.

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Required ESL Programs (d)

• All limited English proficient students for whom
  a district is not required to offer a bilingual
  education program shall be provided an English as
  a second language program regardless of the
  students grade levels and home language, and
  regardless of the number of such students.

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Goal of English as a Second Language Program (c)

• To enable LEP students to become competent in the
  comprehension, speaking, reading, and composition
  of the English language through the integrated
  use of second language methods
• Emphasize the mastery of English language skills,
  as well as mathematics, science, and social
  studies, as integral parts of the academic goals
  for all students to enable LEP students to
  participate equitably in school

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ESL (d)

• In Pre-K-8, instruction may vary from the amount
  of time according to instruction in English
  language arts in the regular program for
  nonlimited English proficient students to a
  full-time instructional setting utilizing second
  language methods.
• In high school, the program shall be consistent
  with graduation requirements.

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ESL Program (e) 1,2,3

• Shall address the affective, linguistic, and
  cognitive needs of LEP students.
• Same descriptors as for Bilingual except using
  Second Language methods in English

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ESL Strategies(f)

• English as a second language strategies, which
  may involve the use of the students home
  language, may be provided in any of the courses
  or electives required for promotion or graduation
  to assist the LEP students to master the
  essential knowledge and skills for the required
  subject(s).

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Affective (1)

• LEP students shall be provided instruction in
  their home language to introduce basic concepts
  of the school environment, and instruction both
  in their home language and in English which
  instills confidence, self-assurance, and a
  positive identity with their cultural heritages.
• Shall address the history and cultural heritage
  associated with both the students home language
  and the United States

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Linguistic (2)

• LEP students shall be provided intensive
  instruction to develop proficiency in
  comprehension, speaking, reading, and composition
  of the English language.
• The instruction in academic content areas shall
  be structured to ensure that the students master
  the required essential knowledge and skill and
  higher order thinking skills.

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Cognitive (3)

• LEP students shall be provided instruction in
  mathematics, science, health, and social studies
  both in their home language and in English.
• The content area instruction in both languages
  shall be structured to ensure that the students
  master the required TEKS and higher order
  thinking skills in all subjects.

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19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 89.
Adaptations for Special Populations. Subchapter
BB.

• The Commissioners Rules Concerning the State
  Plan for Educating Limited English Proficient
  Students state that all school districts that are
  required to provide bilingual education and/or
  English as a Second Language (ESL) programs
  establish and operate a Language Proficiency
  Assessment Committee (LPAC).

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LPAC Membership

• Language
• Proficiency
• Assessment
• Committee

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Language Proficiency Assessment Committee 89.1220

• (a) Districts shall by local board policy
  establish and operate an LPAC committee.
• Must have on file LPAC policy and procedures for
  the
• Selection
• Appointment
• Training

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Required Membership of LPACs (89.1220 (b)

• Bilingual Programs
• Required members
• A Campus Administrator
• A Professional Bilingual Educator
• A Professional Transitional Language Educator (a
  Bilingual or ESL Teacher)
• A Parent of a Limited English Proficient Student
• Recommended additional members
• General education teacher
• Counselor
• Other

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LPAC Membership for ESL (c)

• English as a Second Language
• Required members
• One or more Professional Personnel, including an
  ESL Teacher
• A Parent of a Limited English Proficient Student
• Recommended additional members
• Administrator
• General education teacher
• Counselor
• Other

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• LPAC Training
• All LPAC members must be trained
• If one of the members does not understand English
  (parent), the training should be developed in the
  members primary language
• At the LPAC meeting, an interpreter should be
  available in case the parent is not a fluent
  speaker of English
• The parent volunteers his/her participation in
  the LPAC

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LPAC Parents89.1220. (d,f)

• Shall not be an employee of the district.
• Shall be a parent of a LEP student participating
  in the program.
• Shall understand that they are acting on behalf
  of the district.
• Shall observe all laws and rules governing
  confidentiality of information concerning
  individual students.

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FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT

• Information discussed in the Language Proficiency
  Assessment Committee is considered confidential
  information and falls under the guidelines of
  FERPA therefore, all members will be asked to
  complete a confidentiality statement to be filed
  in the district office.
• Sign the confidentiality statement at your
  district.

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When Does the LPAC Meet?

• Upon initial enrollment- within the students
  first 4 weeks (20 school days)
• Immediately prior to state assessments to
  determine the appropriate assessment option for
  each LEP student
• At the end of the year for annual review and for
  the following years placement decision
• As needed to discuss student needs

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Roles Responsibilities of LPAC Members (g)

• During initial enrollment and at the end of each
  year
• (1) designate the language proficiency level
• (2) designate the level of academic achievement
• (3) designate, subject to parental approval, the
  initial instructional placement in the required
  program
• (4) facilitate the participation of LEP students
  in other special programs for which they are
  eligible, including GT
• (5) classify students as English proficient in
  accordance with established criteria and
  recommend their exit from the program.

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Other LPAC Roles and Responsibilities

• Maintain records
• Document test data, meetings, decisions, etc.
• Ensure LPAC representation in ARDs
• Communicate with PEIMS
• Establish yourself as an advocate

• (h) Determine appropriate assessment options for
  TAKS
• Evaluate effectiveness of program
• Conference with parents who deny services
• Monitor the academic progress of exited and
  students

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• Identification
• Entry
• Program Placement

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Identifying LEP Students

• Home Language Survey (89.1215)
• Testing
• Evaluate (LPAC Meeting)
• Notify parents, seek permission for program
  placement

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Step 1- What starts the Process
HOME LANGUAGE SURVEY 89.1212

• (a) One HLS for students new to the district.
• (a) Must be signed by the students parent or
  guardian in grades Pre-K-8, or by the student in
  grades 9-12.
• (a) The original must be kept in the students
  permanent record.
• (b) Shall be administered in English and Spanish
  and ask the following questions 1. What
  language is spoken in your home most of the
  time? 2. What language does your child (do you)
  speak most of the time?
• Must test if HLS indicates a language other than
  English

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Step 2- Testing and Classification 89.1225 --
Pre-K- K- 1st

• Oral Language Proficiency Test (TEA approved)
• In a bilingual district, must administer test in
  English and in Spanish
• OLP tests shall be administered within four weeks
  of enrollment

• (c) All oral language tests shall be
  administered by professionals or
  paraprofessionals who are proficient in the
  language of the test and trained in Language
  Proficiency testing.

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Step 2- Testing and Classification 89.1225 --
2nd- 12th Grade

• 1) Oral Language Proficiency Test (TEA approved),
  if the district is bilingual, it must administer
  the test in English and in Spanish AND English
  reading and the English language arts sections
  from a TEA approved norm-referenced measure, or
  another test approved by TEA, unless the students
  ability in English is so limited that the
  administration of the test is not valid.

• (c) All oral language tests shall be
  administered by professionals or
  paraprofessionals who are proficient in the
  language of the test and trained in Language
  Proficiency testing.
• OLP tests shall be administered within four weeks
  of enrollment.

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STEP 3 The LPAC MeetingClassification and Status

• Pre-K- K- 1st students whose OLPTscore
  indicates limited English proficiency are
  identified as LEP.

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STEP 3 The LPAC MeetingClassification and Status

• Grades 2-12 students are identified LEP if their
  OLPT score indicates limited English proficiency
• If they score below the 40th percentile on the
  reading and language arts sub-test of a
  state-approved norm-referenced standardized
  achievement test even if their OLPT score
  indicates Fluent English Speaker (FES)

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STEP 3 The LPAC MeetingClassification and
Status Continued

• The Committee.
• 1) Reviews all necessary information on each
  student with limited English proficiency,
  including test data from Oral and Written
  Language Proficiency Tests, as well as,
  achievement tests
• 2) Recommends appropriate program placement
  and makes suggestions for accommodation
• 3) Seeks written parental approval/explains
  benefits
• 4) Upon parent denial, the district shall
  contact the parent, explain benefits, and
  document outcomes

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Parental Rights

• Parents notification includes information
• regarding the English proficiency level of the
  student and a description of the program, as well
  as, the benefits of the program.
• These benefits are to be described on each parent
  notification form and supplemented through
  brochures or other publications in the community.
• Bilingual/ESL program brochures are available in
  English and Spanish through the Texas Education
  Agency at www.tea.state.tx.us

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LPAC responsibilities include

• Ensuring that documentation is complete,
  forms/letters are signed and dated.
• Recognizing that recommendations for
  curriculum/instruction accommodations and
  intervention strategies are not only beneficial,
  but vital to individual students classroom
  performance.

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Program Exit

• (h) For exit from a BE or ESL program, a student
  may be classified as English proficient at the
  end of the school year in which a student would
  be able to participate equally in a regular, all
  English, instructional program.

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The LPAC Meeting Classification and Status

• To exit a student from the program, the student
  must meet the following criteria
• 1) Oral English proficiency AND
• Written English proficiency
• 2) Meeting state performance standards for the
  English language state criterion referenced test
  (TAKS), OR scores at or above the 40 in
  reading/language arts on a TEA approved
  norm-referenced test.
• In prekindergarten through grade one, a student
  MAY NOT be exited-- 89.1225(h-j)

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Exit and Monitoring

• All exited students are reclassified in PEIMS as
  non-LEP. These students shall be monitored for
  academic success for two consecutive years.
• During the monitoring period, any student not
  successful in the regular curriculum must be
  reviewed by the LPAC and can be recommended for
• Reentry (if problems are due to language) and/or
• Compensatory/accelerated programs
• Special language programs

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Monitoring documentation

• Grade reports
• Pass/fail slips submitted frequently by
  content-area teachers
• Discipline referrals
• Attendance history
• TAKS
• Other

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• Yearly Reviews
• at the end of each school year, the LPAC shall
  review all pertinent information on all LEP
  students including students with parental denial,
  and students on monitor status.

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Important Reminder

• The use of ESL strategies shall not impede the
  awarding of credit toward meeting promotion or
  graduation requirements. -- 89.1210(f)

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What to Review

• The progress of the student with limited English
  proficiency at the end of each year to determine
  future placement.
• For end of the year LPACs, the committee monitors
  and documents the progress of students who have
  been exited out of the program for two
  consecutive years.
• The appropriateness of an extended program beyond
  the regular school year.

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The LPAC MeetingStudent Achievement and
Development

• The Committee.
• Reviews all necessary information on each student
  regarding student attainment of
• Linguistic skills based on teacher report, OLPT,
  anecdotal data
• Cognitive skills based on teacher report, report
  cards, and anecdotal data
• Affective attainment based on teacher report and
  anecdotal data

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Important Reminder

• Parental notification of yearly review and new
  year placement/continuation, or exit must be
  evident in student folders.
• Do not ask for parental approval each year. Only
  seek parental approval at initial placement.

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Permanent Record

• Identification of student as LEP
• Level of language proficiency
• Recommendation of program placement
• Parent approval/denial
• Date of entry into the program
• TAKS info
• RPTE Results
• TELPAS Results
• Date of exit/parent notification
• Results of academic monitoring

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The State Assessment Program

• Refer to updated LPAC Manual from TEA.
• 3 year exemptions are allowed from 3rd-10th
  grades if students meet the requirements in the
  LPAC Assessment Manual
• EXIT level/one-time postponement only.

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General Exemption CriteriaLEP Students in
grades 3-10 must meet all five general criteria
before an LPAC may consider the need for a LEP
Exemption from TAKS.

• LEP Status- The student is identified as LEP, as
  defined by state law in Section 29.052 of the
  Texas Education Code.
• Program Participation- The student is in a
  state-approved bilingual or English as a second
  language (ESL) program.

• TAKS Immigrant Status- At some point in his or
  her history, the student has resided outside the
  50 U.S. states for at least 2 consecutive years.
• Years In U.S. Schools - The student is in his or
  her first three school years of enrollment in
  U.S. schools.
• RPTE Rating- The student has not yet received a
  rating of advanced or advanced high on RPTE.

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Special Education and ARDs

• LPAC member shall serve as ARD member --
  89.12309b

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www.tea.state.tx.us

• It is highly advisable that LPAC training/
  meetings occur regularly and frequently. All
  LPAC members shall fulfill the required duties
  according to Texas Administrative CodeANDshould
  remain updated and current on state agency rules
  and guidelines for limited English proficient
  students. (especially during/after state
  legislative sessions!)

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Tips for Successful Programs

• Train front office staff about the importance of
  the HLS and procedure for notification of a
  language other than English
• Establish a system to process LEP paperwork from
  HLS to PEIMS
• Locate textbooks in Spanish and distribute to
  teachers
• Read and follow Chapter 89
• Utilize ELLEP database

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Tips for Successful Programs Continued

• Join Region 13 Bilingual/ESL listserv
• Distribute a list of LEP students and their
  language levels to ALL teachers
• Send communications in language of parents
• Create a welcome packet for parents and conduct
  periodic information meetings in native language
• Highlight Bilingual/ESL programs
• Label entrance, hallways, offices, etc. in
  languages of your students

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Questions????

• Contact
• Adelita Acosta at 919-5480
• adelita.acosta_at_esc13.txed.net
• Dr. Jennifer Holling at 919-5286
• Jennifer.holling_at_esc13.txed.net
• Janet OKeeffe at 919.5333
• Janet.okeeffe_at_esc13.txed.net