• Newcomer ELL students should not receive a failing grade if the contributing factor for failure is solely related to language acquisition.

• Content teachers and ENL teachers should collaborate on grading and assessments, if applicable.

• For all ELLs, be prepared to provide evidence of differentiation and modifications in daily lessons, units, and assessments.

• In content classes that do not have the support of an ENL teacher, content teachers must seek the council and support of ENL teachers that work with the student or an ENL teacher that can make best practice recommendations for differentiation.

Procedures for assessing and grading students that receive English as a New Language Services

• Focus on meaning and content knowledge, not on English language proficiency.

• Grade the student on process as well as the product.

• Explain how you grade and show examples so that students are clear about expectations and standards.

• Have grades reflect a wide variety of formative assessments (including alternative assessments), rather than solely on exams.

• Students must have access to modified and scaffolded materials during instruction and assessments.

• Teachers must record student growth toward mastery of content using multiple measures by documentation of progress monitoring, student portfolios, etc. (suggestive list, not comprehensive)

• Grades provide feedback to students on their individual understanding of and progression through a course or subject.

All students, including ELLs, should be working toward the standards and skills required in each content -area class.

The following table shows appropriate instructional and grading considerations to follow,