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Identification and exit procedures
Identification and exit procedures
Identification of English Learners
Identification of English Learners
Ohio uses a two-part identification system. Click here for more information.
Part One- Language Usage Survey
Part One- Language Usage Survey
The Language Usage Survey (LUS) questions are embedded in the district enrollment form for all children. The first for questions are important for ELs.
Communication Preferences- Indicate your language preferences so we can provide and interpreter or translated documents at no cost when you need them. All parents have the right to information about their child's education in a language they understand
1. In what language(s) would your family prefer to communicate with the school?
Language Background- Information about your child's language background helps us identify students who qualify for support to develop the language skills necessary for success in school. Testing may be necessary to determine if language supports are needed.
2. What language did your child first learn?
3. What does your child use the most at home?
4. What languages are used in your home?
The LUS form is available in English, Arabic, Chinese, Creole French, Japanese, Nepali, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Turkish, Twi and Vietnamese.
The answer to Question 1 is used to provide families with information in the language they request.
This information is captured in PowerSchool during the registration process and annually during returning student registration.
The answers to Questions 2, 3 and 4 determine if a student should be considered for EL services. If a language other than English is given on these questions, the student is referred to ESL program coordinator.
Part Two- Screening
Part Two- Screening
OELPS is an online assessment designed to identify students who are not yet proficient in English. It is aligned to the English Language Proficiency Standards and uses the same platform as the OELPA. It is administered individually by an OELPS trained test administrator during the school day. There are three steps to the assessment which assesses the four domains of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Part of the assessment is scored by the OELPS trained test administrator and part is scored by the computer. These two scores are combined to give a score in each domain – listening, speaking, reading and writing, as well as an overall score.
The EL teacher/coordinator determines if the student should be screened by using the OELPS or by reviewing their school records if the student is transferring from another district.
Screeners for Transfer Students
Screeners for Transfer Students
Students Transferring from Other Districts Frequently Asked Questions
If a student who was an English learner transfers from another state, must the district administer the OELPS?
Ohio districts and schools are responsible for the timely and accurate identification of all English learners enrolled in their school(s), regardless of students’ prior enrollment.
When an Ohio district receives a student from a different Ohio district or from a school in another state, the new district begins by reviewing existing student records, looking for a completed Language Usage Survey (or comparable document if transferring from another state) and prior English language proficiency assessment results. When student records are unavailable or incomplete, the receiving Ohio district or school should follow Ohio’s guidelines for Identifying English Learners to complete the identification.
In what situation would the OELPS not be administered?
The OELPS is not administered if the student:
Transfers from a different Ohio school and student records indicate the student was administered the OELPS and identified as an English learner but has not yet achieved English proficiency; or
Transfers from an ELPA21 state (Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oregon or West Virginia) and student records indicate the student was identified as an English learner with the ELPA21 Screener but has not yet achieved English proficiency.
Transfers from a different Ohio school or an out-of-state school and student records indicate the student met Ohio’s or the previous state’s English learner exit criteria. In these situations, the student is not an English learner. The new district does not administer the OELPS, nor the OELPA, but may have to continue monitoring the former English learner’s academic progress for at least two years to ensure the student was not prematurely exited and can participate meaningfully in school.
Note: In the first two examples above, the transfer student would keep their English learner status at their new school.
Note: The new district or school may decide to administer the OELPS or a different English language proficiency screener to transfer students already identified as English Learners to inform English language program placement and services, but not for English learner identification or exit purposes.
3. When is the OELPs administered?
The OELPS is administered if a student:
Transfers from a different Ohio school or a school in an ELPA21 state (Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oregon, and West Virginia) and student records indicate the student is a potential English learner but do not include documentation of English learner identification with the OELPS or the ELPA21 Screener; or
Transfers from a non-ELPA21 state and is a potential English learner based on responses to the Language Usage Survey (or similar document). Students transferring from a non-ELPA21 state are subject to Ohio’s English learner identification, and their identification as an English learner is to be based on the results of the OELPS.
4. What about Former English Learners?
A student transferring from another Ohio school or an out-of-state school who met Ohio’s or the previous state’s English learner exit criteria is not an English learner. The student is not screened with the OELPS and does not take the OELPA. Districts must monitor former English learners for persistent language barriers for a minimum of two years after exiting English learner status, regardless of the student’s enrollment when the student exited English learner status.
Parent Notification Letter
Parent Notification Letter
If a student qualifies as LEP, the district must send the parents/guardians a parent notification letter. Additionally, students are evaluated annually by the OELPA and parents must also be informed of continuing EL services and will be sent home a letter in the parents’/guardians’ preferred language. Copies of this letter can be found in the appendix at the end of this document.
The letter will state if the student is identified as an English learner or if he or she didn’t qualify.
Students who were English Learners in another ELPA21 district or another state will continue to be classified as EL in this district. A letter of consent is sent home.
Parents/Guardians must be notified within 30 days from the beginning of the school year, or within 14 days if a student enrolls during the school year.
Proficiency Levels
Proficiency Levels
What students can do at each level-
Level 1: Shows limited control of English when participating in grade level activities. Conveys simple information, using simply constructed phrases and sentences with a limited range of vocabulary.
Level 2: Shows emerging control of English when participating in grade appropriate classroom activities. Conveys briefly sequenced and/or simply detailed information, using combinations of simple sentence structures and simple vocabulary.
Level 3: Shows developing control of English when participating in grade-appropriate classroom activities. Uses related paragraphs to convey related events, ideas, and/or opinions, using frequently occurring complex sentence structures and a developing vocabulary.
Level 4: Shows increasingly independent control of English when participating in grade-appropriate classroom activities. Conveys related events, ideas, and/or opinions, using multiple related paragraphs with increasingly complex descriptive sentence structures with a wider vocabulary.
Level 5: Shows independent control of English when participating in grade-appropriate classroom activities. Conveys a complex sequence of events, ideas, opinions. And/or steps in a process using a wide variety of sophisticated sentence structures and a wide vocabulary.
Note: English does not always develop uniformly. It is not unusual for a student to be at different levels in different domains. For example, Student A may be at level 3 in speaking and listening, but may be at level 2 for reading and writing. Student B may be level 3 for speaking, level 4 for listening, level 3 for reading and level 2 for writing.
Performance Levels
Performance Levels
OELPA results are given as a level in each domain – listening, speaking, reading and writing. However overall results are expressed in three performance levels - emerging, progressing and proficient
Emerging – “Emerging” students received a combination of 1’s and 2’s on the domains.
Progressing – “Progressing” students received a combination of scores that do not fit into the “Emerging or Proficient” levels
Proficient – “Proficient” students received a combination of 4’s and 5’s on the four domains.
Students who score as proficient on the OELPA are exited from the EL program. The district continues to monitor them for the following two years. The EL teachers are responsible for monitoring students using the Exit Monitoring Form.
Parents are informed of OELPA results.
Exit Criteria
Exit Criteria
Students who score proficient on the OELPA are exited from the EL program. The district continues to monitor them for the following two years using the Exit Monitoring form.
Parents are informed of OELPA results
For at least two years, schools and districts monitor and regularly assess the progress of all English learners reclassified to exit based upon their Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment scores.
Accomodations and Supports
Accomodations and Supports
English Development Pull-Out Tier 1 Instruction
English Development Pull-Out Tier 1 Instruction
Students are pulled out individually or in a small group for targeted English Language Intervention
ELA taught by TESOL Endorsed Teacher
ELA taught by TESOL Endorsed Teacher
Students take their ELA class with a licensed TESOL teacher.
Collaborative Instructional Support
Collaborative Instructional Support
High-level progressing ELs receive content classes in the mainstream classroom with support and guidance from TESOL instructor.
TESOL Instructor Push-In to Support General Education Content
TESOL Instructor Push-In to Support General Education Content
During content classes, a bilingual tutor may push-in or pull-out to support content instruction.
Study Hall/Content Support with TESOL Certified Teacher
Study Hall/Content Support with TESOL Certified Teacher
Students have a content support period to aid in the comprehension and completion of content coursework
Monitoring
Monitoring
Progress Monitoring: Students in mainstream ELA content area classes are monitored by the EL teacher to determine if additional supports are needed.
Exit Monitoring: After exiting, academic success is measured by EL staff for 2 years.
EL Programs and Resources
EL Programs and Resources
TESOL instructors at Marion City Schools use a variety of curricula and resources to address the language and content needs of their students.
Individualized Standards Based Instruction-
Words Their Way for ELL- Systematic vocabulary and spelling/phonics instruction designed for English Learners
RAZ Plus with ELL and Spanish Editions- The raz-plus.com website is used for supplemental reading, alternative instructional supports, bilingual supplements, and to track reading.
Inside the USA- Newcomer program by National Geographic for students with emerging language
Inside- National Geographic ELA curriculum for ELLs at the Middle School level aligned with both LEP and LEP standards.
Edge- National Geographic ELA curriculum for ELLs at the High School level aligned with both LEP and LEP standards.
program Terminology
program Terminology
EL Program Abbreviations & Definition of Terms
EL Program Abbreviations & Definition of Terms
BICS- Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills (social language)
CALP- Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (academic language)
EL(L)- English Learner or English Language Learner (a student learning the English language)
EL Plan- English Learner Plan (a plan created for every LEP student detailing needs, supports, and accommodations)
ELP- English Language Proficiency
ESL- English as a Second Language
ESSA- Every Student Succeeds Act
LEP- Limited English Proficient (students who are not proficient in the English language.)
LUS- Language Usage Survey (used to determine if another language is spoken in the home)
Mainstream Classroom- Integrating students with all abilities and needs in the general education classroom
MAP- Measure of Academic Achievement
ML(L)- Multilingual or Multilingual Learner
OELPS- Ohio English Language Proficiency Screener
OELPA- Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment
SIFE- Students with Interrupted Formal Education
Monitoring Protocol
Monitoring Protocol
Annual EL Program Evaluation
Annual EL Program Evaluation
The EL Coordinator and staff meet annually to review the program, analyze OELPA scores and Ohio State Test scores. Goals are set for the next school year. Decisions are made for the use of Title lll funds to support areas of need to improve the program.
English Language Proficiency is measured each year through a state-mandated standardized test, called the OELPA. Marion City Schools aims to increase each student's overall score and comprehension score each year. Growth in these two measures contributes to English Language Proficiency and the likelihood that students will exit the EL program.
The performance of the EL program is monitored on a continuous basis by the EL Coordinator and EL Department.
Among the measures used to determine progress are:
● Classroom work samples
● Oral reading samples
● Course related tests
● Grades
● Teacher observations
● Student/Parent interviews
● Progress reports
● State and District approved assessments
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