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Massachusetts SLIFE Definition
Massachusetts SLIFE Definition
To be identified as SLIFE in Massachusetts, a student must meet all the following criteria:
The DOE25 SIMS field indicates the students is an English learner.
The student is 8 to 21 years old.
The student enrolled in a school in the United States after grade 2 or exited the U.S. for 6 months or more and did not attend school during this time.
Prior exposure to formal schooling is characterized by one of the following:
No formal schooling;
Significant interruptions in formal schooling;
Consistent but limited formal schooling (e.g., school days were significantly shorter).
In addition, the chart below outlines common characteristics often shared by students who have experienced significant interruptions in formal schooling. Ultimately, districts should use a holistic approach to determine whether students' gaps in education indicate that they will need significant support beyond what is provided in existing English learner education (ELE) programs to access grade-appropriate content and build foundational skills.
When a student is identified as SLIFE, the district should indicate this designation in the student's school profile, cumulative folder, and on SIMS field DOE041 to help facilitate provision of appropriate supports and services.
Common Experiences, Strengths, and Needs of SLIFE
Common Experiences, Strengths, and Needs of SLIFE
Frequently, students identified as SLIFE share some of the following experiences, strengths, and needs:
Overview of 4-Step Process for SLIFE Identification, Services, & Supports
Overview of 4-Step Process for SLIFE Identification, Services, & Supports
The Toolkit works in conjunction with the 2024 Massachusetts Guidance for SLIFE Identification, Services, and Support, which outlines a 4-step process for identifying and supporting SLIFE.
The first three steps of the 4-step process are meant to be used as a set of interconnected activities to not only determine whether students qualify for SLIFE status but also to develop holistic, asset-based understandings about student interests, goals, strengths, and needs. In flexible and customizable form, the first three steps aim to gather varied and multiple sets of data to inform Step 4 of the process: the development of an individualized plan to inform placement, services, and progress monitoring.
This process is not intended to be prescriptive or rigid but rather to provide schools and districts with a framework they can apply to their contexts in order to develop holistic understanding of students and supports and services that are informed by this understanding.
Additional Research & Reports on SLIFE in MA:
Additional Research & Reports on SLIFE in MA:
This comprehensive national literature review is part of a larger project conducted by the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education designed to better understand SLIFE, to synthesize national trends, policies, and best practices, and ultimately, to support the state in meeting the academic and socio-emotional needs of these students. For a brief summary, click here:
The Annenberg Institute at Brown University has a long-standing research-practice partnership with the MA DESE and Department of Higher Education called Educational Opportunity in Massachusetts. The project aims to "analyzes how students progress to and through the state's K-16 education system and into the workforce, with a specific focus on providing evidence to inform policy and practice in the Commonwealth." As part of this broader project, Annenberg published this November 2023 study on newcomers in Massachusetts public high schools.
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