1. State Updates English Learners
Bob Measel
ESL/Bilingual Education Advisor / Title III Director
Pennsylvania Department of Education

2. 1 2 3 4 5 What we’re going to cover: Accountability Indicators
EL Identification Procedures 3
LIEP Classification 4
Reclassification Procedure 5
BEC Updates

3. Accountability indicators

4. Accountability Indicators
ESSA moved Title III accountability to Title I – there are no longer any AMAOs
Title I has five performance indicators
One of the indicators is for ELs (growth and attainment)
The state has developed its plan under ESSA and it is published for public comment in advance of submitting it to USED in September.
ESSA forbids measures of academic achievement
Takes effect until the school year

5. Accountability Indicators – the EL Indicator
The new calculations will account for an EL’s age/grade and initial proficiency level.
ELs will be given a maximum of six years to attain proficiency depending on their initial proficiency level.
Interim growth targets for individual students will be based on prior gains and how much growth is needed to attain proficiency by the target year.
District/school index scores will be calculated based on the number of students meeting interim targets and attaining proficiency on time.
ESSA forbids measures of academic achievement
Takes effect until the school year

6. Accountability Indicators – Interim Targets
Growth Target
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
>4.9 (attained)
4.0 – 4.9
Year 1 SS subtracted from AT SS divided by 2
SS for 5.0 in the grade of attainment for the EL two years from baseline
3.0 – 3.9
Year 1 SS subtracted from AT SS divided by 3
Year 2 SS subtracted from AT divided by 2
SS for 5.0 in the grade of attainment for the EL three years from baseline
2.0 – 2.9
Year 1 SS subtracted from AT SS divided by 4
Year 2 SS subtracted from AT divided by 3
Year 3 SS subtracted from AT SS divided by 2
SS for 5.0 in the grade of attainment for the EL four years from baseline
1.0 – 1.9
Year 1 SS subtracted from AT SS divided by 5
Year 2 SS subtracted from AT divided by 4
Year 3 SS subtracted from AT SS divided by 3
Year 4 SS subtracted from AT SS divided by 2
SS for 5.0 in the grade of attainment for the EL five years from baseline
ESSA forbids measures of academic achievement
Takes effect until the school year

7. Accountability Indicators – Interim Targets
ESSA forbids measures of academic achievement
Takes effect until the school year

8. Accountability Indicators – Interim Targets
ESSA forbids measures of academic achievement
Takes effect until the school year

9. Accountability Indicators – Index Score
For students who attain proficiency before or during the target year:
Student Outcome
Year
No score / non-participating
Negative growth
Made growth from the previous year but did not achieve proficiency
Current scale score is greater than the attainment scale score
Before target attainment year
0.01 – 1.10
(current ss – previous ss)
(interim target ss – previous ss)
1.10
In target attainment year
0.01 – 0.99
(attainment target ss – previous ss)
1.00 – 1.10
(attainment target ss – previous ss)

10. Accountability Indicators – Index Score
For students who attain proficiency after the target year:
Student Outcome
Year
No score / non-participating
Negative growth
Achieved or exceeded grade-level attainment target scale score
1 year late
.75
2 years late
.50
3 years late
.25

11. Accountability Indicators – Exemption from Testing
The previous exemption rule
The proposed exemption rule
The catch…
If the student scores ≤ 4.5 Composite on ACCESS
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Exempt from all tests
Take all tests – baseline for growth only
Take all tests – growth calculated only
Take all tests – growth and achievement calculated

12. Identification Procedure/Criteria

13. Identification of ELs Process
Part 1
Complete HLS
Language other than English listed
No language other than English listed
No screening
Part 2
Complete parent interview
Screen for ELP
PHLOTE?
YES
Academic records review NO
No screening
YES
Evidence of ELP? NO

14. Identification Criteria
Draft procedure is formatted as a checklist and includes:
Home Language Survey
Parent interview
Academic records review
Screening cutoffs
SLIFE identification
Parent notification and right to refuse services
Procedure flowchart
There is also a separate identification procedure for pre-K ELs
The new identification procedure/criteria document is in the final draft stage

15. Identification Criteria

16. No placement into the LEA’s Language Instruction Educational Program.
Kindergarten Identification Criteria
Administer all 4 domains of the W-APT Kindergarten screener (listening, speaking, pre-reading and pre-writing) to ALL ELs on the LEA’s PHLOTE List
19 or lower on oral composite score indicates that a student likely requires English language assistance instruction.
Between 20 and 24 inclusive on oral composite score indicates that a student may require English language assistance instruction.
25 or higher on oral composite score signifies that a student meets the minimum criteria for English language proficiency and is not an EL.
The LEA must consider student’s reading and writing scores.
Reading score of 6 or lower OR Writing score of 4 or lower
Reading score of 7 or higher AND Writing score of 5 or higher
The new identification procedure/criteria document is in the final draft stage
Place the EL into the LEA’s Language Instruction Educational Program that will best serve the student’s English language learning needs.
No placement into the LEA’s Language Instruction Educational Program.

18. Identification Criteria
NOTE: If a student is unable to complete the full screener (e.g. because of a disability or refusal), then the determination of EL status must be made based on the remaining available evidence gathered from the HLS, parent interview, and academic records review. If reasonable evidence of English proficiency cannot be established based on those sources along with the incomplete screener results, if any, then the student should be identified as an EL.

19. Identification Criteria
The identification process now includes specific instruction for how to identify students as ELs who have or are suspected of having a disability.
Coordination with Special Education personnel prior to screening is required for students who arrive with an IEP or whose parents state that they have a disability.
The EL identifier may be removed for students who are later determined to have a disability and were not offered the appropriate accommodations during screening if they do not meet the identification criteria in subsequent screening with appropriate accommodations.

20. WIDA Screener Accommodations & Accessibility
Refer to the WIDA Accommodations Guidelines.
The PDE is currently investigating the possibility of Brailing the screener.
In general, if a student cannot complete a portion of the screener due to a disability, then the identification determination must be made based on the evidence that can be produced by the screener and any other evidence gathered at the time of enrollment.
Special education personnel should be consulted at the time of identification to help inform the decision for students with disabilities.

21. Identification Criteria
The identification process now includes criteria for determining of a student has limited or interrupted formal education.
Students should be identified as SLIFE based on the following:
Is enrolling after grade two, AND
Has a Literacy score of less than 3.5 on the W-APT, MODEL Screener, or WIDA Screener, AND
Has at least two fewer years of age appropriate schooling than peers or has disenrolled from U.S. schools to enroll in schools in other countries (including Puerto Rico) more than two times in the past four years, AND
Has limited encoding/decoding skills in native language (as indicated by family interview and/or native language measures and/or review of academic records and/or local measures)

22. LIEP Classification

23. LIEP Classification
The LIEP may be structured and organized in many ways to meet the specific needs of the EL population, however, for reporting purposes, it must be classified using the following method.
The classification of the LIEP is based on the answer to two questions:

25. Reclassification

26. 2016/17 Reclassification Criteria
For the school year (including students who will be reclassified through the end of September, 2017), there are two required interim reclassification criteria:
ACCESS Overall Composite Proficiency Level score of 5.0
AND
Teacher (ESL or two content teachers) recommendation using required rubric that determines if an EL is on-par with English proficient/non-EL peers in the four language domains OR
Writing sample that demonstrates proficiency at the Expanding level and speaking at the Bridging level as measured using the WIDA writing and speaking rubrics scored by an ESL teacher
ESSA forbids measures of academic achievement
Takes effect until the school year

27. 2016/17 Reclassification Criteria
ELs with Disabilities (taking the ACCESS for ELLs®)
An EL with a disability may be considered for reclassification if:
The student has an IEP, AND
The student has been continuously enrolled in an ESL/bilingual education program for at least four years, AND
The student’s overall composite proficiency level score on the ACCESS for ELLs® has not increased by more than 10% at any point or total over the three most recent testing cycles, AND
The IEP team, with input from an ESL/bilingual education professional, recommends reclassification.
ESSA forbids measures of academic achievement
Takes effect until the school year

28. 2016/17 Reclassification Criteria
ELs with Disabilities (taking the Alternate ACCESS for ELLS®)
ELs who are eligible for and take the Alternate ACCESS for ELLs® may be considered for reclassification when:
they achieve a score of at least P2 on two consecutive administrations of the test OR achieve the same score for three consecutive administrations of the test, AND
the IEP team, with input from an ESL/bilingual education professional, recommends reclassification.
ESSA forbids measures of academic achievement
Takes effect until the school year

29. 2017-2018 Reclassification, monitoring, and redesignaiton

30. 2017-18 Reclassification Criteria
The reclassification policy and criteria document is in the final draft stage.
The new criteria will use the ACCESS score along with teacher recommendations to reclassify students
It has been reviewed by the development and stakeholder committees through multiple iterations and was field tested in several districts to ensure reliability and accuracy.

31. 2017-18 Reclassification Criteria
What drove the design?
Educator desire to have a more significant role
Need to standardize teacher input to some degree
ESSA forbids measures of academic achievement
Avoid use of a single summative assessment score to make high-stakes decisions
What drove the design?
Partly in response to a desire by educators to have a more significant role in the decision to “exit” students from the LIEP
Need to standardize teacher input to some degree
ESSA forbids measures of academic achievement (tests/grades) from being used in reclassification decisions
The use of a single summative assessment score to make high-stakes decisions (such as reclassification) is unsound

32. 2017-2018 Reclassification Criteria
Potential Challenges
Will require training and monitoring to ensure reliability
Potentially subjective in spite of standardized rubrics and training
May be difficult to manage centrally for districts with large EL populations and in which a high level of central management is desired

33. 2017/18 Reclassification Criteria
ELs with Disabilities (taking the ACCESS for ELLs®)
An EL with a disability may be considered for reclassification if:
The student has an IEP, AND
The student has been continuously enrolled in an ESL/bilingual education program for at least four years, AND
The student’s overall composite proficiency level score on the ACCESS for ELLs® has not increased by more than 10% at any point or total over the three most recent testing cycles, AND
The IEP team, with input from an ESL/bilingual education professional, recommends reclassification.
ESSA forbids measures of academic achievement
Takes effect until the school year

34. 2017/18 Reclassification Criteria
ELs with Disabilities (taking the Alternate ACCESS for ELLS®)
ELs who are eligible for and take the Alternate ACCESS for ELLs® may be considered for reclassification when:
they achieve a score of at least P2 on two consecutive administrations of the test OR achieve the same score for three consecutive administrations of the test, AND
the IEP team, with input from an ESL/bilingual education professional, recommends reclassification.
ESSA forbids measures of academic achievement
Takes effect until the school year

35. 2017-2018 Reclassification Criteria
Benefits
Teacher input reduces false positives and negatives
Promotes responsibility for language development among all teaching staff
Promotes communication/collaboration between ESL and content area staff
Benefits
Research suggests teacher input has the potential to reduce both premature and late reclassification decisions (false positives and negatives)
Will help to promote responsibility for language development among all teaching staff
Will promote communication/collaboration between ESL and content area staff

36. 2017-2018 Reclassification Criteria
Potential Challenges
Additional training and monitoring for reliability
Potential for subjectivity
May be difficult to manage centrally for high incidence districts that wish to have a high level of central management
Potential Challenges
Will require training and monitoring to ensure reliability
Potentially subjective in spite of standardized rubrics and training
May be difficult to manage centrally for districts with large EL populations and in which a high level of central management is desired

37. 2017 Basic education circular (BEC)

38. 2017 BEC Updates
ELD is a required component of all language instruction educational programs (LIEPs). ELD takes place daily throughout the day for ELs and is delivered by both ESL teachers and non-ESL teachers.
The BEC now defines ELD more explicitly than in the past. The definition includes two components:
ELD delivered by an ESL teacher (dedicated curriculum)
ELD delivered by all other teachers
The English Language Development content is not core content such as math, science, English language arts, or social studies, but rather a concurrently taught curriculum specifically designed to develop the academic English language proficiency of ELs so that they are able to use English in social and academic settings and access challenging academic standards.
ELD is a required component of all language instructional education programs. It can be taught as a discrete class or integrated into a course as designated ELD instruction time.

39. 2017 BEC Updates Right to Refuse Services
The BEC now contains the provisions and requirements for parents’ right to refuse specialized, separate LIEP services for their children.
ELD Replacement for English Language Arts
The BEC lays out rules for replacing ELA with separate ELD instruction.
The English Language Development content is not core content such as math, science, English language arts, or social studies, but rather a concurrently taught curriculum specifically designed to develop the academic English language proficiency of ELs so that they are able to use English in social and academic settings and access challenging academic standards.
ELD is a required component of all language instructional education programs. It can be taught as a discrete class or integrated into a course as designated ELD instruction time.
ELD Standards
The implementation of the PA ELDS is required.

40. 2017 BEC Updates Grading of ELs
The BEC outlines rules for grading ELs. In general, ELs should be graded using the same system as other students for the same classes. ELs may only be graded differently for EL-specific classes/courses.
EL information should not appear on a high school transcript unless it is part of a course title, but it may be contained on report cards/progress reports of that information is helpful for parents.
The English Language Development content is not core content such as math, science, English language arts, or social studies, but rather a concurrently taught curriculum specifically designed to develop the academic English language proficiency of ELs so that they are able to use English in social and academic settings and access challenging academic standards.
ELD is a required component of all language instructional education programs. It can be taught as a discrete class or integrated into a course as designated ELD instruction time.

41. 2017 BEC Updates Educators of ELs
A teacher who provides specialized English language development instruction (also known as English as a second language) and who provides a grade for the ELD instruction either in a content class setting or a separate setting must hold a PA Instructional I or II certificate AND the ESL Program Specialist Certificate.
Any teacher who provides instruction and a grade for any non-ELD course or class must be appropriately certified in accordance with Department requirements.
The English Language Development content is not core content such as math, science, English language arts, or social studies, but rather a concurrently taught curriculum specifically designed to develop the academic English language proficiency of ELs so that they are able to use English in social and academic settings and access challenging academic standards.
ELD is a required component of all language instructional education programs. It can be taught as a discrete class or integrated into a course as designated ELD instruction time.

42. Reclassification, monitoring, redesignation
2017 BEC Updates
Identification, Reclassification, Monitoring, Redesignation
The BEC does not contain the specific requirements for identification, reclassification, monitoring, or redesignation of ELs. It references and links to the requirements documents (already covered), which are separate from the BEC.
Reclassification, monitoring, redesignation
BEC
The English Language Development content is not core content such as math, science, English language arts, or social studies, but rather a concurrently taught curriculum specifically designed to develop the academic English language proficiency of ELs so that they are able to use English in social and academic settings and access challenging academic standards.
ELD is a required component of all language instructional education programs. It can be taught as a discrete class or integrated into a course as designated ELD instruction time.
Identification

43. Professional Development Offerings SY 2017-18
Please check the ESL Portal’s Professional Development for the coming PD
Topics this year:
ELD for Administrators
Scaffolding for ELs
Formative Language Assessments
Collaboration with Content Teachers
Social Studies for ELs
ELD Data Analysis
… and more

44. Q & A