Scavenger Hunt English Language Learners Legislation 1. Fill in the chart below by following these directions: Choose a school district. Identify the six subsections of the Florida Consent Decree (LULAC et al. v. The State Board of Education of Florida, 1990). Explain how your local school district is complying with each of the six subsections. For example, if you were looking for information about the School District of Lee County’s ELL program you would consult the following web page: esol.leecountyschools.com. School District: Lee County Subsection How does the district comply?
1. Identification and Assessment All students with limited English proficiency must be properly identified and assessed to ensure the provision of appropriate services. The Consent Decree details the procedures for placement of students in the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program, their exit from the program, and the monitoring of students who have been exited. Lee County complies by: 1. Having a home language survey a. Registration / Questions 2. An ELL Committee Meeting b. Parents, teachers and ESOL personnel meet to discuss and evaluate ESOL students’ academic needs. 3. Developing an ELL Student Plan C. Comprehensive Student Review/RTI for Students 4. Having an English Language Assessment d. Language Assessment Battery (LAB) 5. Classification / Reclassification 6. Post-classification monitoring e. Report card monitoring
II. Equal Access to Appropriate Programming All ELL students enrolled in Florida public schools are entitled to programming, which is appropriate to their level of English proficiency, their level of academic achievement, and any special needs they may have. ELL students shall have equal access to appropriate English language instruction, as well as instruction in basic subject areas, which is understandable to the students given their level of English proficiency, and equal and comparable in amount, scope, sequence and quality to that provided to English language learner (or non-ELL) students. Lee County complies by: 1. Providing ESOL Instruction a. Instructional Models: Basic Inclusion, Clustered Inclusion and Self-Contained b. ESOL Strategies documentation – Lesson Plan 2. ESOL Instruction and / or home language instructional strategies C. ESOL Paraprofessional / Bilingual d. Translation in native language for clarification of concepts.
III. Equal Access to Appropriate Categorical and Other Programs for ELL Students ELL students are entitled to equal access to all programs appropriate to their academic needs, such as compensatory, exceptional, adult, vocational or early childhood education, as well as dropout prevention and other support services, without regard to their level of English proficiency. Lee County Complies by: 1. ELL students are entitled to equal access to all programs appropriate to their academic needs; a. Compensatory
b. Exceptional Student Education c. Vocational d. Early Childhood IV. Personnel This section details the certificate coverage, and in-service training that teachers must have in order to be qualified to instruct ESOL students. Teachers may obtain the necessary training through university course work or through school district provided in-service training. The Consent Decree details specific requirements for ESOL certification and in-service training and sets standards for personnel delivering ESOL instruction. Lee County Complies by: 1. Training and Certification Timelines a. Certification i. Bachelor or Master Degree in TESOL ii. Passing Score on ESOL Subject Area Test b. ESOL Endorsement iii. 15 semester hours or 300 in-service credit points. 2. ESOL Competencies for Administrators C. 18 or 60 in-service points or 3 semester credit hour
V. Monitoring Issues The Florida Department of Education is charged with the monitoring of local school districts to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Consent Decree pursuant to federal and state law and regulations including Section 229.565, Florida Statutes (Educational Evaluation Procedures) and Section 228.2001, Florida Statues (Florida Educational Equity Act). This monitoring is carried out by the Office of Academic Achievement through Language Acquisition (AALA), Division of Public Schools, and Florida Department of Education. Lee County Complies by: 1. Internal Audits a. ESOL District Personnel 2. Monitoring of ESOL Blue Insert b. ESOL District Personnel C. School Personnel
VI. Outcome Measures The Florida Department of Education is required to develop an evaluation system to address equal access and program effectiveness. This evaluation system is to collect and analyze data regarding the progress of ELL students and include comparisons between the LEP population and the non-ELL population regarding retention rates, graduation rates, dropout rates, grade point averages and state assessment scores. Lee County complies by: 1. Comprehensive English Language Learning Assessment (CELLA) a. Measures the growth of classified LEP students in English skills.
2. The 2006 administration results were used to acquire the baseline data necessary to establish Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives required by Sec. 3122 of the Title III, Part A of the NCLB Act. b. Adequate Yearly Progress References: The School District of Lee County. (2012). ESOL Meta. Retrieved July 15, 2014, from http://esol.leeschools.net/eManual/ meta.htm Students with Exceptionalities Legislation Public Law (PL) 94-142 of 1994 was revised in 1997 and 2004 and is currently referred to as Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). In each of the areas listed in the chart, significant changes were made to the act from 1997 to 2004. Fill in the graph below with the appropriate information from the 1994 to 2004. 1997 2004
Discipline IDEA students can be removed for 10 consecutive days, as can regular ed students. Services provided in alternative setting beyond 10 days with a manifestation determination and a functional behavior analysis (FBA). Students receiving special ed services can only be removed to an Interim Alternative Education Setting (IAES) for 45 days if they bring drugs or weapons to school. 10-day rule for suspensions still applies. 45 school day removal of students on IEP may be done regardless of whether or not behavior was manifestation of the child’s need for drugs, weapons or serious bodily injury. Student on IEP removed to IAES (as an ordered change in placement) remains in IAES as “stay put” during appeal process. Paperwork Reduction No paperwork reduction currently in place Up to 15 states may participate in federal pilot program granting waivers of statutory requirements in an effort to reduce paperwork IEP Reviewed and developed annually.
All IEP team members required to be present at meeting. Emphasis of IEP development based on academic achievement and functional performance. Exceptions may be allowed for attendance of an IEP team member. Early Support Districts can use up to 20% of IDEA funds for “special services” for high-cost, at-risk special needs students. General ed funds support prereferral services. Schools may spend up to 15% IDEA funds for early intervening services (k-12 with emphasis on K-3) Parental Choice If parent does not dispute district’s program, privately placed child has no individual right to receive special education or related services. Expenditure for services in private school placement chosen by parent must be equal to proportionate amount of federal funds made available to LEA.
Conflict Resolution Does not specify role of lawyers in mediation room, left to decision of states. Mediation is option before due process. Agreement is binding. Two-year limit on filing a complaint. Research/Training The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) houses the department overseeing special education research. Research assigned from OSEP to IES. National Center for Special Ed Research Created Teacher Quality Qualification mandates determined be states. Aligned with NCLB. Teachers in core subjects must be highly qualified by 2006. Bachelor’s degree, license or certificate, and demonstrated content area knowledge required. List Florida Qualification for Exceptional Education Teachers Certification: Bachelor or Master Degree in TESOL and Passing Score on ESOL Subject Area Test ESOL Endorsement: 15 semester hours or 300 in-service credit points.
Response to Intervention: Due to the enormous amount of referrals and diagnosis that accompanied IDEA, the FLDOE recently mandated a Response to Intervention (RTI). This mandate ensures students receive interventions for academic and social issues prior to being referred for any psychometric assessment. Fill in the average (in percent) number of students that need intervention at each of three tiers below and give a sample intervention for each scenario. Tierl: 80-90% Scenario: Shirley comes from a poverty stricken environment. She often doesn’t have lunch money or snack. Her mother does not show up for parent conferences and her father has chosen not to assume the responsibility of parenting. Shirley often comes to school without any school supplies and rarely completes her homework.
After morning work, Shirley refuses to stay in her seat. What is an appropriate intervention at Tier I? -An intervention at Tier I would be to provide Shirley with adequate time throughout school to complete her unfinished homework. Maybe having a one on one with me (the teacher) to help her complete her homework and help me modify instruction appropriate for Shirley. I would provide or let Shirley borrow any school supplies that she may need in order for her to do her work. Tier II: 5-15% Scenario: After six weeks of Tier I interventions, Shirley still refuses to remain seated during the day. She often becomes agitated when approached by authority figures. What is an appropriate intervention at Tier II? -An appropriate intervention at Tier II would be to set Shirley in a small group setting at her instructional level to help her complete her work and remain seated. Instruction and work would be broken down into smaller time periods of 30 minutes depending how long she can remain seated doing work.
Data would be recorded for her progression and based on date review time periods will increase as her behavior gets better. Tier III: 1-5% The teacher finally persuades Shirley’s mother to come in for a conference. The mother offers little insight on Shirley’s behavior, but says she has problems with all ten of her children. The mother just isn’t sure what to do anymore, but is delighted Shirley’s teacher is dealing with her. She informs Shirley’s teacher that when Shirley is at school she is her problem. The mother seems irritated that she had to come in and leaves without offering any further assistance. However, she does agree to any type of assessment the teacher feels necessary. What is an appropriate intervention at Tier 111? -The intervention appropriate at Tier III would be to have Shirley assessed for a learning disability.
• What type of data has been collected thus far? o Shirley lives in poverty and lack school supplies o Often does not have lunch money or a snack o Mother never shows up for parent conferences; showing no interest in her child’s education o Shirley has ten siblings o Does not have a father o Shirley becomes agitated when approached by authority figures • Has Shirley made any progress? o Shirley has not progressed at all. The situation has gotten worse. • What type of referral do you make and at what point? o After having the conference with Shirley’s mother, I would make the referral for Shirley to be assessed for a learning disability.
