Post-Exit Monitoring

For state assessment purposes, post-exit English Learner students undergoing the two-year monitoring period are entitled to utilize any suitable standard accommodations listed on the EL/TPC form. However, it is important to recognize that once the two-year monitoring period concludes, EL-3 and EL-4 students lose eligibility for any EL related testing accommodations. 

State Monitoring Reporting 

EL-1, 1st year post-exit - student progress is monitored by ESOL teachers & reported to state

EL-2, 2nd year post-exit - student progress is monitored by ESOL teachers & reported to state

EL-3, 3rd year post-exit - student progress is reported to state

EL-4, 4th year post-exit - student progress is reported to state

EL-F, 5 or more years post-exit - student progress is no longer monitored

Academic Challenges in the Monitoring Period 

During the two-calendar-year monitoring period mandated by federal law, English Learners who may continue to face challenges in certain academic courses, even after being deemed proficient and exiting the ESOL program, might still require instructional accommodations. If evidence suggests that these students are struggling in one or more content areas: 

• The teacher of record should initially ensure that students receive high quality Tier 1 Instruction that incorporates differentiated and scaffolded strategies to support academic and language needs. 

• The teacher of record should commence the MTSS/RTI Tier 2 process, which involves providing targeted interventions to address the students' specific needs. 

• The MTSS/RTI team will then review the students' data and determine whether they should progress to Tier 3, which entails more intensive interventions and support. EL/ML Considerations for Tier II Interventions: Reading and/or Math 

Post-Exit Reverse-Reclassification Decision-Making Process 

After all interventions have been implemented and if the SST determines that the student is struggling due to a lack of language proficiency, rather than a lack of content knowledge, cognitive issues, or a disability, the ESOL teacher will contact the ESOL office to obtain a reentry screener (this assessment is not the WIDA Screener). 

In the rare event that the SST determines an EL is experiencing challenges due to a lack of English language proficiency, then the MTSS/RtI team should adhere to the following Reverse-Reclassification EL Entrance procedures: 

1. Conduct an EL Reverse Reclassification team Meeting and document the team’s decision on the EL Reclassification Form. 

● If the team has determined that the student’s status should remain as Exited Student (EL=1 or EL=2), no changes should be made in IC. 

● If the team has determined that the student’s status should reverse back to EL status, then parent’s consent must be obtained, per OCR Guidelines. 

2. Timeline for changing student’s status in IC from EL=1 or EL=2 to EL=Y: 

                ● If before the Oct FTE count, change the status back to EL immediately and serve the student in the ESOL      language program. 

● If between Oct FTE and March FTE, change the status back to EL immediately and serve the student in the ESOL language program. 

● If after the March FTE count, wait until after the June 30 Student Record sign-off to change the student’s status back to EL=Y. 

3. After the student’s status is reversed, and is identified again as an EL student, then the WIDA ACCESS for ELLs assessment can be administered during the state testing window. Once exit criteria is met, the student will transition to EL-1. 

Note: If a student re-qualifies for the ESOL program, obtaining parental consent is the initial step. All documentation should be maintained in the student’s permanent/cumulative record and within the Infinite Campus EL tab. A Data Collections Error will generate and must be explained to GaDOE. 

According to the OCR Dear Colleague Letter (2015, p. 34) and the English Learner Toolkit, Chapter 8, if an exited English Learner (EL) is not making expected academic progress and ongoing monitoring indicates a persistent language need, schools should contact the ESOL Director for further guidance. If the school decides to re-test the student, a valid, reliable, and grade-appropriate English Language Proficiency (ELP) test should be used to determine if additional language assistance is necessary. Prohibiting the re-testing of an exited student's ELP is not acceptable under any circumstances. However, if the student is re-enrolled in the ESOL program, the reasons for re-entry and parental consent should be documented. 

New Students Who Are in the Monitoring Period 

If an exited student relocates from another district, state, or private school during the two-year monitoring period, it's incumbent upon the district to continue monitoring the student's academic progress for the remainder of this period. Documented evidence of ongoing monitoring throughout the two-year phase must be maintained by the district. Guidance counselors or administrators can aid in researching a student's ESOL history via SLDS or GUIDE when transferring from a Georgia school. 

For students who previously participated in an ESOL program in another WIDA district or state and have been exited for two years or more, they should be designated as such within Infinite Campus under the EL tab. Documentation of eligibility status must be uploaded in Infinite Campus, and the ESOL Office must be notified to finalize the exiting process within Infinite Campus. Importantly, the student should not be coded as Not EL.