Bilingual/ESL Instructional Plan Approved by PISD Board of Trustees 2012-2013
I. District Mission/Beliefs/Goals... 3 II. Program Overview... 4 III. LEP Identification, Placement, and Exit... 4 IV. Program Design... 5 6 A. Grades PK 5 th Foundations to Bilingual Program B. Grades PK 5 th ESL Program C. Grades 6 th 12 th ESL Program VII. Curriculum... 6 VIII. Assessment and Grading... 7 IX. Professional Development... 7 IX. Family-Community Involvement... 7 X. Evaluation of Program... 7 2
Mission Statement The mission of Palestine Independent School District is to foster relationships that excite, engage, and empower our students and community to achieve excellence. Positive Attitudes Integrity Shared Responsibility Dedication to Excellence Core Values District Goals 1. Educate, Empower, and communicate with all Stakeholders to increase TAKS/STAAR scores across all subject areas with emphasis on math and science. 2. Attract and retain a highly qualified faculty and provide all teachers with staff development that assures all state mandates regarding faculty training requirements and all priority districts needs are met. 3. Maintain a safe and orderly environment through implementation to create an atmosphere conducive to learning. 4. Increase positive attitude of School District throughout the Community 3
Program Overview In accordance with Education Code 29.051; 19 TAC 89.1201(a), Palestine Independent School District will provide an appropriate learning environment for LEP students. The goal of PISD is to cultivate the acquisition of concepts and skills for all content areas. The district s Bilingual/ESL plan affords all stakeholders the opportunity to pursue learning in the language that best support students prior knowledge, support framework, and cognitive learning styles while only employing professionals who meet all Highly Qualified expectations for ESL and/or bilingual certification, according to the State Board of Educator Certification. The culminating expectation is for LEP students to manifest proficiency in English and their native language(s). LEP Identification, Placement, and Exit PISD will utilize a Home Language Survey to determine if a student qualifies for LEP services. Students who are identified via the Home Language Survey as Limited English Proficient will participate in Woodcock-Munoz testing in, both, English and Spanish twice per year with the initial administration being conducted within the first 20 days of school. The second administration of Woodcock-Munoz testing will be conducted during the final six weeks of school. Testing is offered in both languages to monitor progress in conceptual understanding and to ensure that extenuating factors do not hinder student learning. The following placements will be made according to Woodcock assessment outcomes: English Woodcock-Munoz Scores: 1 = Bilingual Placement 2 = Bilingual OR ESL Placement* 3 5 = ESL Placement 6 = Regular Education Placement Students may be exited from the bilingual program based upon significant progress in language acquisition indicators, the recommendation of the LPAC, and parent request. Criteria for Exit from ESL programming include passing the TAKS Reading Test in English, Advanced/Advanced High TELPAS cumulative score, and LPAC recommendation. All students who exit the ESL program will be monitored for two years by the LPAC to ensure successful integration into the general education environment. The district will honor all parent/guardian requests for the denial of services for LEP students. *Students who score a 2 on the English Woodcock-Munoz may be admitted into either the ESL or Bilingual program dependent upon LPAC review of prior performance, student interview, and parent requests. 4
Program Design I. INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL FOR FOUNDATIONS TO BILINGUAL PROGRAM (PK 5 TH GRADE) Reading/Language Arts PK- 2 nd grade in grade level Spanish only for ELLs 3 rd 5 th grade in Spanish and English (Students will alternate L1 and L2 instruction on a weekly basis.) Mathematics PK-5th grade in English only (all students) Science and Social Studies PK-5th grade in Spanish only (all students) Language of the Week (Utilized in All Grade Levels) Non Content-Area School Language Morning Activities (calendar, pledge, daily news, word walls) Journals, Read-Aloud, Music, DEAR, PE, Library, Computer Lab, etc All school staff should use the Language of the week to the extent possible Classroom Environmental Print in Both Languages Classroom labels, Eng/Span alphabets, word walls, student work Instructional materials in both languages 5
II. INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL FOR ELEMENTARY ESL PROGRAM (PK 5 TH GRADE) Elementary ESL students will be served in one of the following ways, based upon the district s ability to provide highly qualified staffing: 1. ESL students receive all instruction from an ESL certified teacher OR 2. ESL students receive supplemental assistance in Reading/Language Arts from an ESL certified teacher via a pullout schedule III. INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL FOR SECONDARY ESL PROGRAM (6 TH 12 TH GRADE) Secondary ESL students will receive special services in two separate capacities. They are as follows: 1. ESL students will participate in English/Language Arts classes that are taught by a certified ESL teacher. AND 2. ESL students will receive inclusion support in those areas deemed most appropriate by the LPAC. Curriculum PK 5 th grade instruction will be implemented by utilizing curriculum and materials in the students first and second languages. Supplemental materials in both languages may be incorporated as well. 6 th 12 th grade teachers will utilize English curriculum, while being allowed to incorporate materials in the students primary language in a supplemental fashion. 6
Assessment and Grading All teachers who provide instruction to LEP students will collaborate with the LPAC to ensure that all modifications offered during standardized assessments are consistently implemented during all other formative assessments. LEP students are subject to the same grading requirements and expectations for all students. Likewise, it is expected that differentiated instruction is offered to LEP students in that it is offered to all others. Professional Development All teachers providing instruction in a bilingual learning environment are expected to complete a minimum of twelve hours annually in professional development activities to further edify teaching practices. All teachers providing ESL support will annually complete a minimum of six hours related to the utilization of strategies and techniques which support second language learners (such as sheltered interventions and ELPS implementation.) Family and Community Involvement The district will work to foster a clear understanding of linguistic competency and language acquisition amongst all immigrant communities and families of Limited English Proficient students. It is the intent of PISD to sustain a program that allows parents to be informed participants in deciding the tract of learning that their children undertake. Evaluation PISD staff strives to ensure the most advantageous learning environment for all students. In order to monitor the quality of instruction and progress of student learning, the district will review the success of LEP students based upon standardized assessment, classroom averages, attendance, graduation rates, college readiness, and post-secondary participation. It is the intent of the district to sustain a program to develop LEP students to achieve success that is commensurate with all other learners. 7