Bilingual Education Student Information Survey (BESIS) Manual Special Education

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1 Chief Achievement Office Students with Disabilities and ELLs Fall 2009 Bilingual Education Student Information Survey (BESIS) Manual Special Education Purpose The Bilingual Education Student Information Survey (BESIS) is the official annual survey of those students that are identified as English Language Learners (ELLs) and eligible for bilingual or English as a Second Language (ESL) services. Completing the BESIS accurately is critical to generating state LEP aid, determining fund allocations to schools, and ensuring that schools deliver entitled services appropriately for ELLs in the New York City school system. To identify ELLs, each school must administer the Home Language Identification Survey (HLIS) to all newly enrolled students to determine possible ELL status. Then, if deemed necessary, schools must administer the Language Assessment Battery-Revised (LAB-R) test to determine students English proficiency level and placement in the appropriate bilingual or ESL class within ten school days of admission. Schools must immediately hand score LAB tests to determine entitlement to services. This year s BESIS data collection process begins with a survey on programs for ELLs in each school. This is also critical data that must be collected for central analysis which will inform the goals and directives of Children First reforms and provide more comprehensive information on ELL programs to the public, strengthening parent choice and departmental transparency. Target Population: Who is Included in the Special Education BESIS? The survey must be completed for all Special Education students with an IEP who are identified as ELLs in grades K-12 and are on your school s register as of October 31, 2009, (even if they were subsequently discharged), including students newly admitted to Special Education programs. These students can be served in any Special Education setting and score below the State designated grade cut-scores on the Spring 2009 New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT) or on the Language Assessment Battery-Revised (LAB-R). Also students who are alternate assessment with a home language other than English and are receiving bilingual or ESL services must be included on this survey. General Instructions for Completing BESIS Data Collection To complete the BESIS, schools must provide program level data in the BEPG function in ATS (school wide ELL program data) before proceeding to the BEDC function (student level BESIS information). The BEPG screen information only needs to be filled out once for a school not separately for general education and Special Education. For the student information portion (BEDC), students who should appear but do not must be added, 1 with accompanying data, through the SBES function in ATS (see Adding ELLs to BESIS section). All students in the target population who were on register at your school as of October 31, 2009, and who meet the criteria, must be included in the survey, even if they have been subsequently discharged. Also, do not add names to the survey for students who have scored above the designated grade cut-score on either the LAB-R or NYSESLAT. 1 Specific criteria apply to these students, as mentioned on page one. However, if you have any questions regarding criteria, contact your ELL Compliance and Performance Specialist for clarification (see contact information at the end of this manual).

2 SCHOOL ELL PROGRAM DATA COLLECTION (BEPG): Starting this school year, the BEPG screen not only collects information about the three program options offered to ELLs (English as a Second Language, Transitional Bilingual Education or Dual Language), the languages of instruction offered and grades served, but also information about staff supporting these programs. Pursuant to Part 80 of the Commissioner s regulations, staff providing bilingual and ESL instruction must hold valid credentials in bilingual and ESL education, respectively. All information must be completed before proceeding to the student information portion of the BESIS. SCHOOL TEACHER & SUPPORT PERSONNEL/PROGRAM INFORMATION DATA COLLECTION (BEPG): NUMBER OF CERTIFIED TEACHERS Record the number of staff in full-time equivalents (FTE's) who are appropriately credentialed for their respective area (bilingual, ESL instruction) in the current school year. Teachers holding temporary certificates, or who applied to the State Education Department for a temporary certificate in bilingual education or ESL, should be included. NUMBER OF INAPPROPRIATELY CERTIFIED TEACHERS Record the number of teachers not appropriately certified but who are providing bilingual of ESL instruction. Include teachers without a valid New York State teaching certificate or without an appropriate New York City license for the subject area(s) being taught. NUMBER OF TEACHING ASSISTANT/PARAPROFESSIONALS Record the number of teaching assistants and paraprofessionals who are working under the direct supervision of a licensed bilingual or ESL teacher. NO PROGRAM Input Y for yes (your school does not offer ESL, bilingual or dual language classes). Press F2 to save and continue with the BESIS data collection through the BEDC function. Otherwise leave this field blank and continue to fill out information on the school s programs for ELLs. LANGUAGE If school only has an ESL program, leave blank. However, if your school offers a Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) and/or Dual Language (DL) program, input the 2-digit home language code of instruction for each language offered at the school (up to five). Note that information on grades served is aligned under each language. Also, a list of home language codes is available by pressing F4. GRADES SERVED IN EACH PROGRAM TYPE ESL: Put a Y next to each grade level that the school serves with an ESL program. TBE: Under each language in which the school offers a TBE program, put a Y next to each grade level served. DL: Under each language in which the school offers a DL program, put a Y next to each grade level served. After completing this screen, press F2 to save or work will be lost. Then press F3 to proceed to BESIS student data entry through BEDC. 2

3 BESIS STUDENT LEVEL DATA COLLECTION (BEDC): Section: SELECTION CRITERIA Select the population: G for General Ed and S for Special Ed, and choose any specific criteria related to the school. To review your school s entire roster, leave specific criteria blank for entire school and press Red Enter (Right-Ctrl). SIFE (STUDENTS WITH INTERRUPTED FORMAL EDUCATION) Enter Y to indicate ELL is a SIFE; enter N to indicate ELL is not a SIFE where an asterisk * is indicated. The PREV SIFE column has been added to indicate previously identified SIFE (information is automatically reported in this column and is for informational purposes only it requires no action). Who are SIFE? Immigrants (students born in a country other than the USA or its territories), and Students who come from a home where a language other than English is spoken, and Students who enter a US school after grade two (i.e., grade 3 and above) who: upon enrollment have had two years less schooling than their peers; function at least two years below expected grade level in reading and in mathematics; and, may be preliterate in their first language. Schools are required to screen selected ELLs who are new entrants to identify whether they are SIFE. (See Appendix B Instructions for the Identification of Immigrant ELLs as Students with Interrupted Formal Education.) ENTITLED Select only one of the following: E (Entitled): A student who took the Spring 2009 NYSESLAT exam and scored at or below the State grade designated cut-score, or a new entrant who took the LAB-R, Form B and scored at or below the grade designated cut-score. Include students determined to be entitled based upon hand-scored LAB-R results. Also for alternate assessment students, the Test Status section of the LAB-R answer document should reflect Tested, But Unable to Answer Any Questions. NOT ENTITLED REASONS: H (Home Language Identification Error): Select this if the student s home language is English but the OTELE code in ATS is coded for a language other than English. Have the school s pupil accounting secretary make the appropriate change. T (Tested in Error): Select this if the NYSESLAT or LAB-R was mistakenly administered to a student who is not LAB-R eligible or the child had previously passed the LAB-R. If a student was administered the NYSESLAT or LAB-R in error, submit appropriate documentation and a request to the Division of Assessment and Accountability to have the student s NYSESLAT or LAB-R score removed from ATS. P (Passed/Tested out): Select this if a new entrant was administered the NYSESLAT or LAB-R and scored above the cut-score. If a student is designated H, T, or P, neither Program Participation nor Parent Choice information is required for that student. 3

4 PROGRAM PARTICIPATION B: Select this if the student participates in a bilingual program (TBE). Components of a bilingual program are native language arts, ESL/ELA, and content area instruction in English and/or native language. D: Select this if the student is participating in a Dual Language/Two Way program. E: Select this if the student is participating in an ESL program. Components of an ESL program are ESL/ELA and content area instruction using ESL methodologies. N: Student is an ELL but is not served. S: ELL is served as per IEP. This code only applies to ELLs with an IEP (also should be consistent with current CAP records) recommendation for Monolingual Services without ESL or Bilingual. SERVED F: Select this only if entitled student is fully receiving services pursuant to CR Part 154. P: Select this only if entitled student is partially receiving services pursuant to CR Part 154. Leave blank if entitled student is not receiving mandated bilingual or ESL program services pursuant to CR Part 154. SERVICES PROVIDED BY ESL/BIL CERTIFIED TEACHER F: Select this if the ELL teacher (or group of ELL teachers) holds the proper ESL and/or bilingual certification. P: Select this if the ELL teacher (or group of ELL teachers) does not hold the proper ESL or bilingual certification. N: Select this if the ELL teacher (or group of ELL teachers) does not hold the proper ESL or bilingual certification (but may be certified in content area only). ADDING ELLS TO BESIS To add names to the BESIS, type SBES and press RED ENTER. On the spaces provided, type in student IDs and press F2 to Add. In order for a student to be added, he or she must have a home language other than English. Also, ATS will not allow students already included on the BESIS to be added in this screen. VERIFYING AND PRINTING THE BESIS CERTIFICATION In order to verify BESIS entries, you can use the BEDC function to transfer a complete spreadsheet of what has been entered on BESIS to your DOE account. Once you have completed entry on the BESIS, you can release the Principal s Certification through the RBPS function on ATS. All signed Principal s Certifications should be submitted to your designated ELL Compliance and Performance Specialist. 4

5 For More Information If you need technical assistance with completing your school s BESIS, contact your network s ELL Compliance and Performance Specialist. Contact information is available at the Office of ELLs website at under Contacts on the right hand side of the page. If you have comments or concerns about this manual or other technical resources that would be useful for your school, contact Richard Bellis (rbellis@schools.nyc.gov) or Nick Pandey (npandey@schools.nyc.gov), both in the Chief Achievement Office for Students with Disabilities & ELLs ( ). 5

6 Appendix A: Instructions for the Identification of Immigrant ELLs as Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE) Students to be Screened: ELLs who meet the following six criteria must be screened to determine whether they are Students with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE): Immigrants (students born in a country other than the USA or its territories 2 ); Students that come from a home where a language other than English is spoken; New entrants to the New York City Public School System and to an English Language School System (ELSS); Students enrolled in the third grade and above; Students who upon enrollment have had at least two years less schooling than their peers; Students who function at least two years below expected grade level in reading and in mathematics; Students who may be preliterate in their first language. Screening Procedures: Follow these steps, as needed, to screen students meeting the above criteria to determine extent of prior schooling. 1. HLIS Responses. Review responses on the HLIS as follows: o HLIS Part 1, questions 3 and 4 to determine if the student reads and/or writes in the other-than-english home language. If the survey indicates that the student does not read and/or write in the home language, this may indicate that he/she had interrupted prior schooling. o HLIS Part 2, questions 1-3 to determine the extent of prior schooling. 2. Interview(s): If the HLIS responses do not provide sufficient information to determine whether the student meets the criteria for SIFE, a bilingual pedagogue should interview the student s parent/guardian, if possible, and/or the student, if appropriate. Use the same HLIS Part 2 questions 1-3 to secure or clarify the information regarding prior schooling. Use the oral interview questionnaire to gather more specific information on the student s educational history and language and literacy practices. 2 US territories include Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands. 6

7 3. Teacher Consultation/Assessment: It is possible that bilingual and/or ESL teachers have already determined that a particular student had interrupted or little/no prior formal schooling. Therefore, consult teachers to determine if they have any information regarding the student s prior schooling in his/her native country. o If the oral interview questionnaire pinpoints an interruption of two years or more in formal schools, students with a home language of Spanish should take the Academic Language and Literacy Diagnostic (ALLD). o The ALLD requires technical assistance sessions prior to administration at the school. Information on ALLD professional development offerings is available on the ProTraxx online registration system ( 7