Individualized Language Acquisition Plans (ILAPs)

Excerpt from the Title III Multilingual Learner and Immigrant Children and Youth Program Guide

The ILAP is a legally binding document with the same importance as an IEP or a 504 plan. The Supreme Court case Lau v. Nichols (1974) and subsequent legislation from the Equal Education Opportunity Act (1974) obligate school districts to provide MLs with meaningful and equal access to the curriculum. ILAPs contain pertinent information about each ML and the specific accommodations to meet their needs. All teachers that serve the student must follow the specifications outlined in the ILAP.

MLs with an English proficiency level of ‘1.0-6.0’ or ‘A1-A3,’ whether served or waived, must have an ILAP on file reviewed and signed by each teacher serving the student. If an ML does not need accommodations to succeed in their classes, either an ILAP or other form of documentation must be signed by all teachers to acknowledge the student is an ML, but no accommodations are needed at the time.

The plan will address the students’ accommodations in all classes to ensure their success and continued English language development. The ILAP should be created in conjunction with the MLPT, which includes members directly involved with the student’s education (e.g., MLPS/teacher, parent/guardian, general education teacher, guidance counselor, administrator, and the student).

Although the MLPS/teacher is the case manager for the student and will create the ILAP, the accommodation plan should not be determined solely by the MLPS/teacher but rather by the MLPT. Once the MLPT determines the proper accommodations, the ILAP is finalized, and each member of the MLPT, as well as any educator/stakeholder involved in providing accommodations to the student, must sign the ILAP. By signing the ILAP, all teachers are responsible for accommodating the student’s work on a level they can comprehend.

Accommodations must be considered carefully for each student for instructional and assessment purposes. Specific accommodations are allowable for district and state assessments. If allowable per the Test Administrator Manual (TAM), an accommodation listed on an ML’s ILAP should also be applicable for the district and state assessment. District assessment accommodations are determined by the applicable vendor and local school districts.

Students who have been reclassified to monitor status (M1-M4) after meeting the proficiency criteria on the annual ELP assessment may receive accommodations for continued language support as needed. However, upon further consideration and after a thorough review of ESEA Section 3113(b)(2), MLs who have met proficiency and are in monitored status (M1-M4) should not receive accommodations on content assessments. Therefore, students who have met proficiency (M1-M4) will not receive state assessment accommodations and ILAPs should reflect this guidance.

CCSD uses Ellevation for ILAP requirements should also refer to the Ellevation Education section and the South Carolina Multilingual Learner Program Data Management System – Ellevation State Guidance.

Best Practices

Best practices are intended to support MLs and immigrant students in all classes, no matter their proficiency level. These strategies are expected to be used by all teachers within lessons, assignments, and assessments to support MLs, immigrant students, and all learners. Best practices are strategies that educators can quickly implement within daily instruction, activities, and classroom assessments. Research-based best practices are essential for MLs at all proficiency levels but beneficial to all students, including non-MLs.

For additional information and a list of best practices that are listed in each student’s ILAP, please refer to the Best Practices Digital Handbook on the SCDE ESEA, Title III Multilingual Learner and Immigrant Student Program website.

Accommodations

An accommodation changes how information and concepts are presented or practiced ensuring that each student has the opportunities and support needed to learn. Accommodations do not reduce the learning expectations and should be chosen based on the student’s individual needs and not applied arbitrarily to all MLs. Accommodations are not to be viewed as an advantage to the student; accommodations provide access to the content for the student.

Accommodations:

• provide access to grade-level curriculum,

• alter the environment, not the curriculum,

• do not change the learning outcomes,

• happen in the content-area classroom, and

• should not impact grading, though how learning is assessed may change.

For additional information and a list of allowable accommodations that are listed in each student’s ILAP, please refer to the Accommodations Digital Handbook on the SCDE ESEA, Title III Multilingual Learner and Immigrant Student Program website.

Modifications

Modifications change, lower, or reduce learning expectations. Modifications are not appropriate for most MLs as they could invalidate instruction or assessment results. MLs are placed age-appropriately to provide meaningful access to meet grade-level standards.

MLs may require additional time to complete assignments and assessments. Reducing the number of assignments or test items is not typically considered a modification so long as all standards are met. Changing the depth or complexity of the content or materials is a modification. It is also not allowable to provide modifications during state accountability assessments.

Modifications:

• allow students to experience the grade-level curriculum,

• alter the curriculum,

• change the learning outcomes,

• take place in the content area, MLP, or special education classroom, and

• impact grading as required standards are reduced (see below for allowability of temporary modifications for MLs).

Temporary modifications can be appropriate for a student with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE) and a newcomer: “Districts may use a curriculum that temporarily emphasizes English language acquisition over other subjects, but any interim academic deficits in other subjects must be remedied within a reasonable length of time” (EL Toolkit, Chapter 4). However, long-term modifications are not allowable for students seeking a South Carolina high school diploma.

Visit the ESEA, Title III Multilingual Learner and Immigrant Student Program website for additional resources regarding best practices, accommodations, modifications, and examples.