Grade Placement

Newcomer Grade Placement Requirements at Enrollment

Elementary and middle school ELL students, regardless of their country of origin, date of entry into OKCPS, educational background, and/or English language proficiency shall be placed in the grade appropriate for their age. If a student appears to be in the wrong grade upon arrival, please reach out to Ellen or Stacy as soon as possible.

Grade Level Adjustments: If you are planning to adjust a student's grade level, please always notify Stacy prior to making the change so she can ensure the student is screened and/or ACCESS tested with the appropriate assessment. This can impact the validity of a test, whether or not a student is eligible to exit, and other factors including the school/district report card and testing violations. Thank you! Stacy Office: 70256, Stacy Cell: (405) 824-4380

Remember to look at the age of the student on September 1st of the current school year to determine grade placement.

◼️ All High School ELL students will be placed in the 9th grade until their transcripts have been translated and evaluated.

◼️ All 9th - 12th grade newcomer students should give their transcripts to the school counselor.

◼️ Bus transportation for transferred 6-12th grade newcomer students will be requested after they have enrolled.

◼️ Please notify Stacy prior to making a grade level adjustment for any student so she can ensure correct tests
are administered and other compliance-related data and process are accurate. The grade level impacts eligibity for

band exit along with several other things. Thank you! Stacy Office: 70256, Stacy Cell: (405) 824-4380

Age Appropriate Placement

According to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it is a violation if limited English proficient (LEP) students are retained in grade for failure to demonstrate basic skills in English. The same policies that apply to all students in the school system regarding age-appropriate grade placement should also be followed for LEP students.

To have disparate and indiscriminate placement policies and/or practices solely based on lack of English language proficiency can prove to be detrimental to the students, well as determined to be a violation of his/her civil rights.

Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education

SIFE (Students with Interrupted Formal Education) or SLIFE (Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education), despite having gaps in their academic backgrounds, still bring a plethora of skills that equip them for school readiness. They bring linguistic and social knowledge, content knowledge, valuable life experience, and sometimes even professional experience. Their backgrounds can enable them to think differently than other students and approach challenges in a variety of ways.

Interruptions and/or gaps in education do not determine a student's grade placement.

WIDA Focus On SLIFE: Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education.pdf

SLIFE / SIFE Overview: Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education includes learners who may have missed years of schooling due to migration, conflict, or lack of access — and often require tailored academic and language support.

Underrepresented in Research: Academic work highlights that SIFEs are often under-studied, and research is building in areas like their identity, equity, and specific learning needs.

A Few SIFE / SLIFE Student Assets

1. Multilingual Repertoires

Ability to draw on multiple languages for meaning-making, problem-solving, and relationship-building
Rich linguistic knowledge that supports transfer across languages (morphology, syntax, pragmatics, worldview).

2. High Resilience & Adaptability

Demonstrated ability to navigate uncertainty, change, and complex life situations.
Strong coping skills that often translate into perseverance in academic tasks.

3. Problem-Solving Skills / Resourcefulness

Ability to figure things out independently when formal structures were absent.
Creative use of resources and improvisation — valuable for collaborative learning.

4. Motivation for Education

Many SLIFE students have a profound sense of purpose around school as an opportunity they have not always had access to.
High intrinsic motivation when instruction is meaningful, culturally affirming, and aligned to clear goals.

5. Rapid Growth Potential

Research shows SIFE/SLIFE students often accelerate quickly once foundational literacy/oracy supports are in place.
High trajectory for academic gains when instructional gaps (not ability gaps) are addressed.

6. Leadership & Responsibility

Many have served as caretakers, translators, workers, or community problem-solvers.
These real-life leadership skills translate into school leadership roles when recognized.

7. Persistence Through Adversity

Documented in the SLIFE literature: persistence is one of the strongest predictors of success when programs honor students’ agency and strengths.
Strong work ethic developed through life experience, not formal schooling.

8. Non-Linear Learning Strengths

Flexible thinking formed by learning outside traditional school norms.
Strength in hands-on, experiential learning, apprenticeships, and collaborative problem-solving models.

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