English Learners

As defined in Minnesota under 2023 Minnesota Statutes, section 124D. 59, subdivision 2 an “English learner” is a pupil in kindergarten through grade 12; an early childhood special education student under Part B, section 619, of the Individuals with Disabilities Act, United States Code, title20, section 1419;  or a prekindergarten student enrolled in an approved voluntary prekindergarten program under section 124D.151 or a school readiness plus program who meets the requirements under subdivision 2a or both of the following requirements:

(1) the pupil, as declared on the Minnesota language survey by a parent or guardian first learned a language other than English, comes from a home where the language usually spoken is other than English, or usually speaks a language other than English; and

(2) the pupil is determined by a valid assessment measuring the pupil's English language proficiency and by developmentally appropriate measures, which might include observations, teacher judgment, parent recommendations, or developmentally appropriate assessment instruments, to lack the necessary English skills to participate fully in academic classes taught in English.

• We will deliver high-quality instruction and resources specifically designed to support English Learners in achieving proficiency in the language of English.

• We will help students and families use our technology tools, starting with the tools that families know and slowly introducing new tools as students become comfortable.

• We will provide instruction and support that target each student’s individual needs through an asset-based lens.

• We will design short, clear assignments that allow for feedback and align to larger learning targets and grade level standards.

• EL teachers will use strategies that provide structured opportunities for students to produce oral and written language.

• Classroom teachers will provide instruction in multiple ways, focusing on supporting students in learning academic English with an emphasis on opportunities for student-to-student interaction.

• We will monitor students' progress closely and identify their strengths and areas where they need to grow.

• We will provide contact information for teachers, administrators, support staff, Cultural Liaisons, and interpreters so that families can communicate their questions and concerns in a direct and efficient manner.

In the state of Minnesota, English Learners (ELs) are identified through a two-step process:

1) Identification of primary language using responses from parents or guardians on the Minnesota Language Survey (MNLS) completed upon enrollment; and

2) Screening for English language ability using a state-approved language proficiency assessment.

MNLS

All students enrolling in Minnesota districts and charter schools must have a parent or guardian complete the Minnesota Language Survey (MNLS). When students enroll in ISD 191 and indicate a language other than English on any of the four questions of the survey, they are screened for English Learner (EL) Service following Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) English Learner Procedures.

Screening for EL Service

• The first step in screening is to examine students’ academic records and/or assessment history to determine if they were previously identified as English Learners or had prior ACCESS scores.

• When no school records or assessment history are available, or when prior ACCESS scores are more than one year old, screening is conducted using the WIDA Online Screener for students in grades 1-12 or the WIDA Screener for Kindergarten (1st semester includes Listening & Speaking domains only; 2nd semester includes Listening, Speaking, Reading, & Writing domains).

• Neither the school or the district is required to notify parents prior to screening. When appropriate, or when parents make a request, schools can use the following documents to communicate the process and purpose of the screener with parents: Explanation of Screening for EL Services.

Students meeting any one of the following 4 criteria is eligible for EL Services in ISD191 :

1. Students who take the WIDA Online Screener are identified as English Learners if either of the statements below are true:

• Overall composite is below 4.5.

• Any domain score is below 4.0.

2. Students who take the WIDA Screener for Kindergarten are identified as English Learners if either of the statements below are true:

• During the first semester of kindergarten the Listening & Speaking score is 27 or less.

• During the second semester of kindergarten the Listening & Speaking score is 27 or less OR the Reading score is 10 or lower OR the Writing score is 11 or lower.

3. Students whose prior school records indicate they qualified for EL services in that prior district are identified as English Learners in ISD191.

4. Students for whom previous ACCESS scores (not more than one year old) indicate they have not reached proficiency (Composite score below 4.5 OR two domain scores below 3.5) are identified as English Learners in ISD191.

Parent Notification Letters

Minnesota statute requires that parents and guardians are notified within 30 calendar days after the beginning of the school year, the district or charter school in which the English learner identified for participation in an instructional program for English learners is enrolled must notify the parents. For those children who have not been identified as English learners prior to the beginning of the school year but are identified as English learners during that school year, the district or charter school shall notify the children's parents during the first two weeks of the child being placed in a language instruction educational program. This notice must:

(1) be in writing in English and in the primary language of the pupil's parents;

(2) inform the parents that their child has been enrolled in an instructional program for English learners;

(3) contain a simple, nontechnical description of the purposes, method and content of the program;

(4) inform the parents that they have the right to visit the educational program for English learners in which their child is enrolled;

(5) inform the parents of the time and manner in which to request and receive a conference for the purpose of explaining the nature and purpose of the program; and

(6) inform the parents of their rights to withdraw their child from an educational program for English learners and the time and manner in which to do so.

The department shall, at the request of the district, prepare the notice in the primary language of the parent.

District 191 serves students in the English Learner Program according to their grade levels, English proficiency levels in all four domains (as determined by the WIDA Screener, WIDA Screener for Kindergarten, ACCESS, or Alternate ACCESS), prior school records and assessment history, feedback from previous teachers, best practice research, and the District 191 LIEP for English Learner Program.

Also taken into consideration when determining the amount and scope of instruction are the following factors: amount of previous formal schooling, Special Education identification, Gifted/Talented identification, amount of time in the US, and identification as a migratory child and/or students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE).

The following charts represent the amount and scope of service students receive:

• Type and Scope of EL Service - Grades K-5

• Type and Scope of EL Service - Grades 6-8

• Type and Scope of EL Service - Grades 9-12

ACCESS for ELLs 2.0

Under both federal and state law, all students enrolled in K-12 grades and identified as English Learners must participate in the annual English language proficiency assessment, ACCESS 2.0 for ELLs.

• All students who have been identified as English Learners, regardless of whether or not they are enrolled in an LIEP, must participate in the ACCESS 2.0 assessment.

• This assessment usually takes place in February and March. For additional information on this assessment, please see the statewide testing page on the Minnesota Department of Education’s website.

• A student must remain identified as an English learner until the student has met the exit requirement.

• Initial ACCESS score results for ELs are typically available to districts in May on the Minnesota Department of Education’s website under secure reports or secure reports Section/site.

• The results of the ACCESS 2.0 assessment guide the EL team to determine if a student continues to be EL eligible.

• After a student is placed in the Language Instruction Education Program (LIEP), districts must annually identify students who continue to be eligible for English language instruction.

Opting-Out of ACCESS for ELLs 2.0

As with any state-wide testing parents/guardians of English Learners may choose for their students to opt-out of ACCESS for ELLs testing.

• If parents/guardians choose for their students to opt-out of ACCESS for ELLs testing, they must complete this opt-out form on a yearly basis.

• Important: If a student does not participate in the ACCESS for ELLs, the student cannot be considered to have met the proficiency requirement for exiting the EL identification.

Continuation of EL Services

Once all ACCESS scores are available, District 191 begins to evaluate every EL’s ACCESS scores to determine continuing program eligibility.

• EL Teachers & District staff first examine students’ composite scores on ACCESS.

• If a student's overall composite score is not at least 4.5 on ACCESS, the student does not meet the definition of English language proficient and is, therefore, automatically eligible for continuing ELD instruction and must be enrolled in the LIEP in the following school year.

• If a student's overall composite score is 4.5 or above on ACCESS, the student may or may not be eligible for continuing ELD instruction. District 191 looks at the individual domain scores of ACCESS to make one of the three following determinations:

1. If a student has at least two individual domain scores (listening, speaking, reading, or writing) that are below 3.5, the student is automatically eligible for ELD instruction and must be enrolled in ELD instruction in the following school year.

2. If a student has all of the domains equal to or greater than 3.5 and has a composite score of 4.5 or higher, the student is considered to be proficient, is no longer eligible for enrollment in the LIEP, and must not be enrolled in ELD instruction in the following school year.

3. If a student has at least three out of four domain scores equal to or greater than 3.5 and a composite score of 4.5 or higher, EL Teachers or other staff of ISD 191 use additional criteria to determine continuing eligibility for EL services. If the student continues to be eligible for participation in the LIEP, in the following year the student must be enrolled in the LIEP and continue to receive ELD instruction.

Continuing Eligibility Parent Notification

Every year, District 191 notifies parents/guardians of students continuing with EL services within 30 calendar days of enrollment in the LIEP. This parent notification letter, written in a language that is accessible to the parent/guardian, is sent via US Mail during the month of September, accompanied by the student's Individual ACCESS report (if available), and a description of the district LIEP. The letter informs the parents/guardians that they have the right to visit the program, request a conference to understand the program, and withdraw the child from EL Services at any time.

Like all school districts in Minnesota, ISD 191 must wait until ACCESS test scores are available before beginning the exiting process.

• If a student’s ACCESS composite score is at least 4.5 and ALL domain scores are at least 3.5, the student must be exited from EL Services.

• If a student has an overall composite score of at least 4.5 and three out of four domain scores (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) of at least 3.5, that student has met the ACCESS proficiency score. That student will exit EL Services in ISD 191, except in cases where the student's EL Teacher has determined with additional criteria that the student should continue to receive EL Services.

• If a student does not have a proficient ACCESS score (the composite score is less than 4.5 or 2+ domain scores are less than 3.5, the student may not exit EL Services.

• Exit Chart

ISD 191 notifies parents/guardians that their students have exited EL Services in a parent notification letter sent out during the month of September. This letter is sent via US Mail in a language that is accessible to the parents/guardians, along with the student's Individual ACCESS Report (if available).