Access to Gifted, Talented, and Other Advanced Programs

Paragraph 88. The District shall ensure that written information regarding any higher level learning opportunities, including Advanced Work Class (AWC), Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), advanced placement (AP) coursework, exam schools, the ISEE exam, and any other similar opportunities is deemed “essential information” and provided to parents/guardians in a language they understand, in accordance with the translation protocol set forth in Paragraph 83. The District shall provide to the United States a copy of this information in each language in which it has been translated by October 15 of each school year.

Paragraph 89. For each grade level of AWC, the District shall provide a meaningful opportunity for admission consideration that does not screen out ELLs because of their limited English proficiency, including, at each level, the SUPERA test, or an equivalent, for Spanish-speaking ELLs, and an equivalent assessment process for non-Spanish speaking ELLs (e.g., a native language assessment or an English-language assessment with appropriate accommodations). The District shall also consider additional criteria, beyond standardized test scores, for selection for the AWC. These criteria shall include other indicators of academic achievement, including, but not limited to, performance in mathematics and science classes, teacher recommendations, and other criteria that do not depend on English proficiency. The District shall implement these additional criteria for placements beginning in the 2012-2013 school year.

Paragraph 90. Beginning in 2012-2013, the District shall distribute information about the ISEE exam at the end of each academic year to provide additional time for all students, including ELLs, to prepare for the exam.

Paragraph 91. The District shall provide appropriate support services, including ESL and/or SEI instruction by qualified teachers, to ELLs participating in all higher level learning programs, including AWC, AVID, and AP, to ensure that ELLs have access to the full range of curricular offerings in the District.

Paragraph 92. The District shall annually assess the demographics of the student population in the AWC program, the AVID program, and the AP program (both in terms of participants and exam success rates), to ensure that ELLs have adequate opportunities for enrollment and that adequate ELL services are provided for enrolled students; by October 15 of each year, the District shall provide a report to the United States detailing this annual assessment of the AWC, AVID and AP programs. The District shall expand AWC offerings in high incidence program schools to the extent warranted by any increase in the number or proportion of qualified ELLs in those programs.