To: School Leaders, Principal Leaders and Language Assessment Team -Facilitators From: Dr. Frances Esparza, Assistant Superintendent-Office of English Language Learners Date: September 16, 2015
RE: Updated Guidance for ESL Scheduling for ELLs (K2-12) in BPS -September 2015
Embracing the “Culture of We” in Boston Public Schools, the Office of English Language Learners welcomes everyone back as we share our excitement for student success and support your work at the school level! The information within this document, which provides an update on ESL service levels, may be challenging given the fact that the school year has just begun and scheduling may have already been completed. Please take the time to review the entire document in order to determine any potential impact it may have on your current scheduling efforts. Should you have specific questions regarding your needs at the school level, have questions or concerns about meeting the ESL scheduling requirements, or request tailored in-person assistance, please contact your Principal Leader and your designated OELL Equity and Accountability Staff.
Overview
The purpose of this document is to integrate DESE’s new “ Guidance on Identification, Assessment, Placement, and Reclassification of English Language Learners, August 2015”[1] with the requirements of the “Department of Justice Successor Settlement Agreement with BPS, 2012” in regards to appropriate services that are to be provided to ELLs in BPS. With the recent update of the DESE’s Guidance-August 2015, certain aspects of The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (DESE) recommendations have been reviewed and revised by the Department of Justice (DOJ) as they impact the district’s obligation to meet the requirements found in the DOJ Agreement.
Assigning ELL Students for ESL Instruction
ELD Levels ELL Students (K2-12) in SEI Language Specific or Multilingual Program Schools Without SEI Language Specific or Multilingual Programs
ELD Levels 1-3
Only ELLs with ELD levels 1-3 with the assigned language code can be assigned to the SEI language specific or multilingual program classrooms. If the Elementary homeroom teacher is ESL certified and has completed the 18 hour WIDA PD[2], that classroom teacher can provide ESL instruction to ELD level 1-3 ELLs and you should indicate an Embedded Homeroom model on ASPEN. Students in SEI programs who are assigned to teachers without an ESL license must receive ESL instruction from a standalone teacher.
Students with ELD levels 1-3 must receive ESL from a standalone ESL certified teacher.
ELD Levels 4-5
Generally, ELLs with ELD levels 4 and 5 are assigned to General Education classrooms and receive embedded ESL during the ELA block from an ESL certified teacher.
ELLs with ELD levels 4 and 5 are to receive embedded ESL during the ELA block from an ESL certified teacher.
● If your school has a language specific and multilingual SEI strand, assign all ELLs with ELD 1, 2 and 3 with the same program code (e.g., BLS, BEV, etc.) to that SEI program strand’s teachers.[3]
□ Hybrid Classrooms: If one or more classes in the SEI program strands, at the Elementary level, are designated as a ‘Hybrid’ classroom. This it will require a review of grouping for ESL instruction.
ELD 1-3 students in that classroom will receive ESL instruction from the ESL licensed teacher, while other students receive content instruction from another qualified staff member during that literacy block.
● Students in SEI programs who are assigned to teachers without an ESL license must receive ESL from a standalone teacher.
● All ELLs, who are not in SEI programs, must be assigned to teachers who are SEI endorsed for content instruction and scheduled for the appropriate ESL Instructional time.
I. Staffing Considerations
ALL ELLs, including SIFE[4] and ELLSWD[5], must be scheduled for the requisite amount of ESL instruction according to their ELD level from an ESL certified teacher.
All ELLs, inclusive of SIFE and ELLSWD , must receive grade level core content instruction (science, mathematics, social studies, history, and ELA) from an SEI endorsed teacher[6]. SIFE students must receive native literacy content from an SEI endorsed teacher.
To ensure the best possible leveraging of staff for your students, you should consider creating your schedule for ELL services first to ensure that an optimal allocation of staff is available to meet ELL’s service needs.
If core academic teachers have one or more English language learners (ELLs) in their classroom during a given class period, they must earn the SEI Teacher Endorsement. In the case of a principal/assistant principal or supervisor/director ("administrator") who supervises or evaluates one or more core academic teachers of ELLs, he/she must obtain the SEI Administrator Endorsement. The following teachers are "core academic teachers" for the purposes of providing SEI instruction; teachers of students with moderate disabilities; teachers of students with severe disabilities; subject-area teachers in English, reading or language arts; mathematics, science; civics and government, economics, history, and geography and early childhood and elementary teachers who teach such content. (DESE Letter Concerning Requirements to Obtain the SEI Endorsement, August 2013)
All content teachers who are servicing ELLs must possess the SEI endorsement, or be enrolled in a pathway to obtain the SEI endorsement by the beginning of the school year. School Leaders are to keep records of all teachers who are in the process of obtaining the SEI endorsement and the pathway that they are pursuing to meet this obligation. All ELLs must be placed in classrooms where teachers are already endorsed or in a confirmed pathway.
II. ESL Scheduling Update
TABLE 1: Qualifications for providing ESL Instruction by Grade Level Schools are to leverage their staff in order to appropriately serve all students.
Qualified Elementary ( K2-5) staff ● Homeroom teachers with an ESL license can embed ESL for ELD levels 4 and 5
● SEI language specific or multilingual program homeroom teachers with an ESL license can provide ESL to ELD 1-3 students in their class
● Standalone ESL Teachers with an ESL License ● SIFE Standalone ESL Teacher with an ESL License
Qualified Secondary ( 6-12) staff ● Standalone ESL Teachers with an ESL License
● ELA teachers with an ESL License can embed for ELD levels 4 and 5
● SIFE Stand Alone ESL Teacher
Reference: (DESE’s Transitional Guidance, 2015, pp 18) , (DOJ SA, 2012 Para. 46, 47, 49).
ELD Level Previous DOJ and DESE Guidance
Updated DESE Guidance Released (August 2015)
**DOJ Approved Guidance for BPS to be implemented SY15-16**
What does the change mean for me?
ELD 1 2.5 hours of ESL daily 750 mins/week
At least two to three 45-min periods of ESL 90-135 minutes/day
135 minutes /day 675 minutes/week
Decrease in time 15 mins less /day 75 mins less/week
ELD 2 2.5 hours of ESL daily 750 mins/week
At least two to three 45-min periods of ESL daily
90-135 minutes/day 90 minutes/day 450 minutes/week Decrease in time 60 mins less/day 300 mins less/week
ELD 3 1 hour of ESL daily
300 mins/week
At least two to three 45-min periods of ESL daily 90-135 minutes/day OR At least one 45-min period of ESL
daily
60 minutes/day 300 minutes/week
Stays the same
ELD 4 30 mins of ESL embedded daily in ELA 150 mins/week
At least one 45-min period of ESL daily
45 mins/day through Embedded ELA 225 minutes/week
Increase in time but generally ELA is scheduled
for 45 mins 15 mins more/day 75 mins more/week
ELD 5 30 mins of ESL embedded daily in ELA 150 mins/week
At least one 45-min period of ESL daily
45 mins/day through Embedded ELA 225 minutes/week
Increase in time but generally ELA is scheduled
for 45 mins 15 mins more/day 75 mins more/week
TABLE 3: ESL Grouping Recommendations
ELD Level Requisite Amount Elementary Grouping options (DOJ SA Para. 38,39, 40,41)
Secondary Grouping Options (DOJ SA Para.38, 39, 40,41, 42)
ELD 1 675 minutes per week
ELD 1 only across 2 consecutive grades or
with ELD 2 in one grade span
Can be grouped only with ELD 1 in the same ESL class across all grades
ELD 2 450 minutes per week
ELD 2 only across 2 consecutive grades or
with ELD 1 in one grade span
Can be grouped only with ELD 2 in the same ESL class across all grades
ELD 3 300 minutes per week
ELD 3 only across 2 consecutive grades
Can be grouped only with ELD 3 in the same ESL class across all grades
ELD 4 and 5 225 minutes per week
ELD 4 and 5 can be grouped across 2 consecutive grades or within the same
group
Can be grouped with other ELD 4 and 5 students in an ELA across all grades
Grouping guidelines for ELLs will remain the same, with some flexibility for ELD 3 students. In the case of ELD Level 3 students, DESE has provided an opportunity to differentiate the ESL services by ACCESS scores. Students who score
an overall composite score on current WIDA ACCESS reports of 3.4 or less can be grouped with ELD 2 students for additional ESL support beyond their 60 minutes/day (300 minutes/week). ELD 3 students who score an overall 3.5 or more can be grouped with ELD 4 for direct ESL instruction. The ESL instructional type for ELD 3 and 4 grouping cannot be embedded ELA. The students grouped with ELD 4 for 45 mins (1 block) should be scheduled for their additional 15 min/day (75mins/week) of ESL services in order to meet the DOJ requirement that all ELD 3 students receive at least 60 mins/day ( 300 mins/week). This option of grouping for ELD 3 is to provide some flexibility for schools that have low incidence of ELD 2 and 3 students. The ESL instructional minute that should be implemented in this model is the 90 minutes instructional time that ELD 2 students receive.
ELD 3 students should not be grouped with students who are more than 1 ELD level from them. (SEI language specific programs and SEI multilingual programs are exempt as the program model is specifically for ELD1-3)
TABLE 4: BPS Recommended ESL Instructional Model (ESL License Required)
Types Description
Standalone ESL For ELD 1-3 all grades (K2-12), this is the recommended instructional model for ESL service delivery. Students are appropriately grouped by their ELD levels and scheduled for appropriate “ESL” titled courses that are within BPS course catalog.
ESL in Homeroom/Embed HR
For ELD 1-3 in Elementary (K2-5) SEI language specific or multilingual programs. Students are scheduled for their literacy time (Course title: Reading, Writing). Teachers providing instruction need to complete the 18 hour WIDA webinar trainings per DOJ Paragraph 39.e
ESL Embedded in ELA For ELD 4 and 5 students, all grades (K2-12), this is the recommended instructional model where ESL is embedded in ELA/Literacy courses only.
Pull-Out ESL At the elementary level, when an ELL student is being taken out of a literacy based course to receive additional ESL instruction.
Push-In ESL At the elementary level, when the ESL teacher is coming into a literacy based course within the classroom to provide ESL services for a specific small group of ELD students within the same classroom while other students continue to receive content instruction.
III. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
a. BPS Dual Language Programs: Dual Language Schools must submit a Language Policy that will be used to confirm if students are being appropriately serviced. The purpose of this Language Policy will be to promote biliteracy for all students enrolled in the Dual Language program. A caveat for ‘strand schools’ will apply. A ‘strand school’ will have some grades that have dual language programming and other grades that do not. For example, School B is a K-8 school and provides dual language instruction to grades K1-3 and does not have dual language programming in grades 4-8. Therefore, School B must ensure that appropriate ESL instructional time is scheduled for LEPS in grades 4-4-8. Dual Language Policy templates will be provided for all Dual Language Schools. Updated Language Policies for Dual Language Schools must be submitted to the Office of English Language Learners by October 1, 2015.
b. SIFE: SIFE students must receive at least the same hours of ESL instruction as ELLs of comparable ELD Levels. SIFE in Language specific programs such as Spanish must receive Native language instruction as they develop literacy in their native language as well as English. Other core subjects such as Math, Science, and Social Studies must be taught in students’ Native or primary language. The SIFE schedule must allow room for Elective courses. During Electives, SIFE students are included with any and all other students. SIFE students must have dedicated teachers for all of their core
classes and work independently of other groups during all core classes including ESL. Teachers must follow exit criteria guidelines for exiting SIFE students to SEI programs.
c. Special Education: English Language Learners with Disabilities, who receive specialized services for mild disabilities should be scheduled for the required amount of time for ESL instruction appropriate to their ELD level. Pending further approval from DOJ, guidance will be forthcoming for modifications to ESL services only for those students with moderate to severe disabilities when decided upon by the IEP team.
IV. IMPACT OF CHANGES
● If your school has already completed your ESL scheduling and you are able to service all students per previous guidance, please continue to implement this ESL schedule and enter into ASPEN. \
● If you need to adjust your schedules there are important changes to be made in ASPEN as indicated below: ● For ELD 4 and 5 students who are receiving Embedded ELA, the student’s ESL instructional time will need to
increase from 30 to 45 minutes daily.
● There is a decrease in ESL Instructional Minutes for ELD Levels 1 and 2 and an increase of ESL Instructional Minutes for ELD Levels 4 and 5.
● If there are constraints in your current ESL schedule to service ELD 1 and 2 students under the previous guidance, use the updated ESL minutes guidance to better leverage your ESL qualified staff.
V. ELL LEVEL OF SERVICE REPORTING CYCLE
The information that schools input on Aspen (SIS) will be used to generate three reports annually in order to identify the level of ESL services that students are receiving per school. For each cycle of the reports, BPS will be reviewing the following quality indicators for ESL Services:
● Are teachers qualified [7]
to service students in ESL and Content (SEI)? ● Are students in the right course type to receive services?
● Are students receiving the right amount of ESL instructional time for their ELD level?
● Are students grouped in the appropriate setting to receive ESL instruction?
October 1st: Deadline for inputting and correcting all ELL related data for October 2015 Report
● September 22nd: OELL will conduct an initial review of the quality of data entry to provide schools feedback for areas that need correction. Please ensure schedules are inputted by that time so you can receive feedback before the final October 1st deadline. Information will be shared with Principal leaders to provide support to schools in need. Schools will have 2 weeks to review and complete any corrections.
● September 29th: A final report will be generated for each school to identify if there are any additional outstanding items for ESL scheduling on Aspen (SIS) . Schools will have 48-hours to complete corrections.
November 1st- November 15th: Deadline for inputting and correcting all ELL related data for December 2015 Report
● November 1st: OELL will review the quality of data entry to provide schools feedback for areas that need
correction. Information will be shared with Principal leaders to provide support to schools in need. Schools will have two weeks to review and complete any corrections.
February 1st- February 15th: Deadline for inputting and correcting all ELL related data for March 2016 Report ● February 1st: OELL will review the quality of data entry to provide schools feedback for areas that need
correction. Information will be shared with Principal leaders to provide support to schools in need. Schools will have two weeks to review and complete any corrections.
VI. NEXT STEPS
● Have dialogue with each member of your Instructional Leadership Team and Language Assessment Team around the items shared in this document to ensure all key stakeholders are aware of their responsibility.
● Identify what parts of this information needs to be reviewed on a monthly basis and which additional leaders are in the school that can support this work.
● Work with your LAT-F to audit your school scheduling to assure that every ELL is appropriately scheduled for all services. Auditing ESL Schedule is a technical resource that LAT-Fs are provided that can be shared with other leaders within the building.
● Utilize the LAT-F calendar to integrate ELL related activities during your staff updates.
● OCTOBER 1st, NOVEMBER 15th, and FEBRUARY 15th: COMPLETE YOUR ESL SCHEDULE ASPEN (SIS) ENTRY, REVIEW AND CORRECTIONS.
VII. RESOURCES
OELL Equity and Accountability TLT will work with Operational Leaders in order to support logistics and operational matters for ELL instruction. OELL Instructional TLT will work with your Principal Leaders in order to support ESL and SEI instructional practices for ELLs in your building. Please contact if you are in need of ESL instructional services support.
Teaching and Learning Teams
OELL Instructional Support
Contact Information OELL Equity and
Accountability
Contact Information
TLT #1 Marice Edward Vincent
and Christine Landry
Denise Bekler drodrigues@bostonpubli cschools.org
Vanessa Lima vlima@bostonpublicschool s.org
TLT #2 Kelly Hung and
Mary Driscoll Joelle Gamere jgamere@bostonpubli cschools.org
Daphne Germain Dgermain@bostonpublicsc hools.org
TLT #3 Tommy Welch and Alexandra Montes-McNeil Kerensa Elzy Maiden kelzymaiden@bostonp ublicschools.org
Diana Iglesias diglesias@bostonpublicsch ools.org
TLT #4 Anthony Pope and Jonathan Landmann
Ewald Charles
echarles@bostonpublic schools.org
Allen Dowling adowling@bostonpublicsc hools.org
English Language Leaners with Disabilities
Maria Campanario
mcampanario@boston publicschools.org
Mark Weissfeld mweissfeld@bostonpublic schools.org
[1]
Guidance on Identification, Assessment,Placement, and Reclassification of English Language Learners- August 2015
[2]
Per DOJ Paragraph 39.e, BPS has submitted these online webinars as training that will meet the requirements of ESL teachers developing and enhancing their skills of providing differentiated instruction by ELD levels in a mixed classroom. These webinars are available through BPS Learns for all staff in need (http://learn.mybps.org/).
[3]
There are BTU class limitations of 20:1 restrictions for these classrooms. [4]
Students with Interrupted Foreign Education (SIFE) programs and services are governed by the META CONSENT DECREE 1992 with Boston Public Schools. If your school has a SIFE Program, please make sure to review this information.
[5]
ELLSWD: English Language Learners with Disabilities [6]
SEI Endorsement information: www.doe.mass.edu/retell [7]
Qualified is defined as holding an active ESL license for those teaching ESL and is defined as holding an active content license and the SEI endorsement for other content teachers.
