Assessment
To begin, Illinois State Board of Education requires parents to fill out a Home Language Survey. Students who have someone living in a home that speaks a language other than English must be assessed for English language proficiency which includes listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Students who are eligible will receive pull-out ELL services daily in a small group setting. The classes are in English only.
Students are reassessed using the statewide WIDA ACCESS 2.0 Test in January to determine current proficiency levels in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The test will provide the information needed to update individual student learning profiles. Parents receive a copy of the results in August.
Exit Criteria:
According to the Illinois State Board of Education, a student must obtain an overall composite proficiency score of 4.8, on the ACCESS 2.0 state-mandated assessment.
The fully English proficient student, ready to exit language instruction educational programs, demonstrates English language proficiency in relation to the full range of classroom demands and the academic language needed for successful educational performance including demonstrating proficiency in:
Understanding and speaking English
Reading and comprehending academic English
Writing in English
Demonstrating English proficiency in other academic subject areas
The information collected from the WIDA ACCESS 2.0 Test, along with classroom assessments, and teacher recommendations will determine eligibility for continuing or exiting ELL services.