Project INSIGHT

See the Project INSIGHT flyer for more details!

Project INSIGHT Recruitment.docx

Welcome to Project INSIGHT

Project INSIGHT is a federal grant to support Culturally and Linguistically Diverse [CLD] students. The grant is being implemented by Kansas State University and LPS is a participant. This site will contain updates regarding Project INSIGHT.

Cohort 3 Sequence

Fall 2021: ESOL Methods
Spring 2022: ESOL Assessment or Implementation Semester
Fall 2022: Culture & Language In the Classroom
Spring 2023: Implementation Semester & Praxis Prep
Summer 2023: ESOL Praxis

Cohort 1 Sequence

Spring 2018: ESOL Methods
Fall 2018: Methods Implementation
Spring 2019: ESOL Assessment
Fall 2019: Assessment Implementation
Spring 2020: Linguistics
Summer 2020: ESOL Praxis

Cohort 2 Sequence

Spring 2020: ESOL Methods
Fall 2020: ESOL Assessment
Spring 2021: Implementation Semester
Fall 2021: ESOL Linguistics
Spring 2022: Implementation Semester & Praxis Prep
Summer 2022: ESOL Praxis

Project INSIGHT is starting a Facebook Group

K-State is always looking for ways to make this experience more meaningful for you and to connect you all with others in the project. As you all know there are teachers from Olathe and Junction City participating in Project INSIGHT. The hope is that through this Facebook group, cross-district collaboration may take place to help us in becoming resources for one another. Once the group is LIVE, it will be hyperlinked to the Facebook icon on the left.

Project INSIGHT Coursework Support

ESOL Assessment

Course Session Support

Session 1 Questions

"Fact Finding" Mission #1:

1. ELL students are meaningful program participants as demonstrated by (e.g., estimated percentage of ELL students in gifted and talented programs, estimated percentage of ELL students in extra-curricular activities):

As of August 2020...

2. What we learned about the educational approach that our district/school has adopted:

Session 1

Session 5 Questions

All ELL students placed into district’s ELL program develop English language skills as demonstrated by the KELPA 2 assessment given annually. Students need to achieve a domain score of 4 or higher in the domains of reading, writing, listening, and speaking in order to receive an overall score of 3, or proficient. When students enter the district, they are screened for ESOL services using the LAS Links assessment. Based on the feedback from that assessment, a variety of supports are offered. These supports are based on their proficiency as a CLD student and depend on the grade level for which they are entering. At elementary, all certified staff at ESOL sites have an ESOL endorsement and there are ELL specialists at a 30:1 ratio available for further support. At the middle and high school levels, the 30:1 ratio continues and support is given in push-in, pull-out, and sheltered instruction formats. As a student achieves proficiency in English, these scaffolds are removed and the student is monitored to make sure they are continuing to make progress and have success in school.
Have opportunity for meaningful participation in the educational program as evidenced by the scaffolding of general education content and specialized instruction provided by general education ESOL endorsed staff, ESOL specialists, and para-educators.
Parents are provided effective notice of program options within the first month of every school year or two weeks of their student starting in LPS. They are given information regarding school activities through interpreters (in many languages as needed/requested), side-by-side translations of grade cards (Spanish only right now), and some translated documents, such as the application for free/reduced lunch and some school events (depending on the school). This is something we are very much working to improve and expand upon moving forward. I believe that our district is better than many in providing multilingual interpreters and translations; however, we definitely have room for growth.

Session 6 Questions: Transitioning from ELL Services

The district will ensure that students transitioned from the ELL program have an opportunity to meaningfully participate in the education program.

1. A transitioned former ELL student is monitored to ensure that he or she is able to meaningfully participate in the district's educational program as monitored by: ELs in LPS that are on Transition or Monitor status continue to have an Individual Language Plan similar to their Active ESOL peers; however, the contents of that plan are to track student progress and success in general education classes and school on a regular (at least quarterly) basis.

2. If the student is not able to participate meaningfully in the district's educational program, the following steps are put into place (e.g., student is re-assessed to determine the reason for participation deficiencies and provided appropriate services based on the results of the assessment): If a former EL on Transition or Monitor status is struggling academically and/or culturally in school and is not demonstrating growth and success in the general education program, it is noted in their Individual Learning Plan. The building ELL team for that student, comprised of the ESOL teacher, administration, ESOL paraeducator(s), and/or other staff, will discuss the student’s linguistic and cultural needs to determine whether or the student should be assessed using the district ESOL screener to see if they are in need of ESOL supports again.

Exiting from ESOL Supports

Session 7 Questions: ESOL Monitoring

Using OCR Guidelines for Implementing ELL Services, please identify how your district(s)/school(s) will ensure that CLD students transitioned from the ELL program have an opportunity to meaningfully participate in the education program.

Monitoring

OCR Guidelines: The district is responsible for establishing criteria that determine when a student has sufficient English language proficiency to meaningfully participate. Yes, however, Kansas also provides testing criteria for exiting students from ESOL supports.
The district establishes criteria and assesses ELL students to determine when they no longer need ELL services by: Ultimately, at all levels, ELs receive the amount of support they need as decided on an individual basis. Meaning, that if a student is new and/or has low proficiency in English, he or she receives more support than one that can be successful on their on in a general education setting. ESOL supports vary by grade. At the elementary level, all classroom certified staff have or are working on their ESOL endorsement. Elementary schools use a variety of data, some district/state-directed and some not, to determine what ELs receive (and in what form) additional supports from an ESOL specialist are provided. At the middle and high school level, available data (state and district) is used to recommend/place ELs in the appropriate level of ESOL support to ensure their success in school. It is concluded that student who is an EL no longer needs any form ESOL supports when they...
- - Pass the state ESOL proficiency assessment, the KELPA 2 and can maintain success in the general education curriculum as determined by the building ESOL team.
  - Cannot meaningfully participate in the KELPA 2 as the needs outlined on an IEP are so prominent and dominant that the SIT and ESOL teams unanimously agree that an exit from ESOL supports would best benefit the student.
Language proficiency in speaking, reading, writing, and comprehension of English to enable them to participate meaningfully in the education program as assessed by: The state ESOL proficiency assessment (the KELPA 2), progress noted on the ESOL Individual Language Plans, and ESOL staff recommendations.
Subject matter development or support to meaningfully participate in the education program as monitored by: The KELPA 2, district assessment scores (MAP, etc.), the monitoring of ESOL Individual Language Plans done annually for every EL by ESOL staff, and ESOL staff/general education/administration recommendations.
When students are transitioned from ELL services their progress with respect to ability to participate meaningfully in the educational program is monitored by: Once students pass the KELPA 2 exam, they are placed on ESOL Transition for one year. During this transition year, exiting ELs may participate in ESOL programming, but are not assessed using the KELPA 2. At the end of the transition year, building ESOL staff determine whether or not the student is ready to proceed to an ESOL monitor status or if they need to be returned to an ESOL Active status. A student that is on Monitor status may not receive ESOL supports although their progress and success in school is monitored using the student's ESOL Individual Language Plan for two consecutive years. Students on ESOL Monitor do not take the KELPA 2. A student that is ESOL Active, actively receives ESOL supports and participates in the KELPA 2 assessment. For a student to go from a transition status back to an ESOL Active status, he or she must be recommended based on their Individual Language Plan and re-assessed using the district ESOL screener. For a student to go from a Transition status to Monitor status, they must demonstrate success as noted in their Individual Language Plan.
The length of time for which exited students are monitored is: Two years.

Session 8 Questions: Program Evaluation

OCR Guidelines for Implementing ELL Services

Program Evaluation: The district will develop evaluation procedures to periodically evaluate and revise, if necessary, its ELL program.

During Session 1 of this course, your team determined your district’s educational approach for CLD students. This approach should drive programming and instructional decisions for the schools.

1. Do the program models (e.g. ESL Pullout or Sheltered English) and the instructional methods currently used in your district match this approach? Please discuss with your group and list the evidence of sound implementation of the ELL program (e.g. enough teachers and appropriate curriculum): The LPS ESOL Program is flexible in that while there are standing supports for students, these supports ebb and flow with the current needs of the ELs supported. ELs in our district are supported at a 30:1 student to teacher ratio. Data surrounding ELs is reviewed multiple times each year to make informed decisions as to how and in what way teachers can culturally and linguistically support ELs at various levels of proficiency.

At the elementary level decisions are made in school data meetings and change based on the school’s timeline for data review. Often times ELs identified to need further assistance receive support via push-in and/or pull-out with an ESOL teacher. In some buildings small group math, reading, and/or writing instruction may be done with an ESOL teacher.

At the secondary level, decisions are made by the ESOL teacher working in conjunction with building staff. Schedule changes are most often done at semester, but that does not rule out the possibility of a mid-semester change as the ESOL teacher, building staff, and administration deem necessary. Most often at the secondary level, when an immediate need arises, the ELL team will work to adjust ESOL teacher and/or paraprofessional staff to meet student needs mid-semester.

ESOL supports for ELs at the secondary level include, but are not limited to sheltered core content classes, ESOL language support electives, Co-taught core content classes, ESOL paraprofessional push-in, and scheduling the student with a teacher that has or is working on an ESOL certification. These supports vary by school year due to EL student needs and population size.

2. Effectiveness of the ELL program in meeting its goals for students (i.e., English language development and their ability to participate meaningfully in the educational program), as evidenced by (e.g. State Assessment and KELPA scores): LPS ESOL Programming is currently measured by Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives, or AMAOs. AMAO 1 is the percentage of ELs that are making progress toward English proficiency. AMAO 2 is the percentage of ELs that have attained English proficiency. We are also measured by the EL subgroup performance on state assessments. These, in conjunction with ELs Individual Language Plans, or ILPs, are ways that we reflect on the effectiveness of our programming in serving the needs of ELs in LPS.

3. Is appropriate input from knowledgeable persons and other stakeholders gathered in order to keep the ELL program current and responsive to the changing needs of learners? What is the evidence? Yes. There are multiple levels for which this is evidenced.

School Level: All ESOL teachers provide input at building data meetings regarding ESOL students and their progress. ESOL staff also meet on a regular basis with their building ESOL colleagues to specifically discuss ESOL student items and programming. Many ESOL teachers are on building committees and/or teams.

District Level: There is an elementary, middle, and high school ESOL Leadership team. These teams meet multiple times a year to discuss ESOL programming and student needs. They work to develop tools to help improve their instruction and assist general education staff. Elementary and middle school ESOL teachers also have job-alikes several times a year for cross-school peer collaboration and group work.

Beyond LPS: Several LPS ESOL staff are on several state wide committees dealing with ESOL students. There are also annual opportunities for ESOL teachers to participate in ESOL-specific professional development at the local, regional, and national levels. For non-ESOL specialists, the district participates in federal grants, graduate courses and ESOL-specific programming to assist teachers in working with ELs. Finally, the district ESOL Facilitator also works with state officials to keep track of the latest changes regarding ESOL student programming.

Guidance & Support for Home Visits

LPS does not have a formal procedure for completing home visits. However, after speaking with district and building administrators and Jose Cornejo, the district Mental Health Facilitator, there are several tips and resources we highly recommend for your review. Along with the tips listed, I personally found the video above and the Colorín Colorado article on home visits most helpful.

Home Visit Tips

Complete the home/porch visit in pairs.
Notify and/or chat with with a building administrator prior to visiting.
With your administrator, ELL teacher or school team, discuss (by student) if notifying the family of the visit beforehand is a good idea.
Take something to give the family or student (treat, school swag, etc.).

From Colorín Colorado

Making Your First ELL Home Visit: A Guide for Classroom Teachers

How to reach out to Parent's of ELLs

Home is where your HEART is

From Jose:

Children's Services Practice Notes from NC Division of Social Services

From Myron Melton, a program consultant at KSDE:

Home Visitor Safety Training PPT from the Idaho Dept for Health and Wellness. It is very long with information and scenarios that are beyond the scope of your visit. Not all components are pertinent for our purposes, so apply them as you see fit.

From the MindShift Podcast:

Can Inviting Teachers Over to your Home Improve How Kids Learn?

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