What measures do schools use to reclassify students as English proficient?

A pupil remains identified as an ELL until he or she obtains, on tier B or tier C of the approved assessment, a composite score of 5.0 or higher and score of 4.0 or higher in each of the tested domains of reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

Districts are required to monitor the academic progress of a pupil who has been identified as an ELL for two years after the pupil is no longer identified as an ELL. A former ELL is not required to participate in the annual English language proficiency assessment unless the district determines that a student's failure to make academic progress may be a result of a lack of English language proficiency and the pupil may need to be re-identified as an ELL.

The reclassification procedures include, but are not limited to, a responsible administrative mechanism for the effective and efficient conduct of the language reclassification process, which includes each of the following procedural components:

School districts are required to monitor the progress of pupils reclassified to ensure correct classification and placement.

Every ELL student is administered an English language proficiency assessment annually. Students who achieve proficiency score higher than the department-established cut off score must be transitioned as fully English proficient and placed in a regular classroom. Districts and charter schools must monitor these students' academic performance for at least two school years after being identified as fully English proficient. Students who experience academic difficulty in the regular classroom during the transition period may be reassessed and, based on the results, reenter a bilingual or ESL program or be provided with additional instructional services.

ELLs are considered English language proficient and exited from the ELL program after obtaining:

Depending on when the exam scores are received, schools must exit English-proficient students by the last school day of the school year or within two weeks of the beginning of the next school year.
 

Regardless of a student's English proficiency exam or state reading assessment scores, ELL students enrolled in an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program may be re-evaluated for English language proficiency upon the request of a student's teacher, counselor, administrator, or parent. An ELL committee must be convened and must follow these procedures:

The student exits or remains in the program based on a majority decision of the ELL committee. The parents' preference about the student's English language proficiency determination must be considered in the final decision.
 

Students who score at the proficient level on both the composite score and the literacy (reading and writing) sub-score of the state-adopted English proficiency measure are considered English proficient. Students who do not score at the proficient level may qualify to have their continued eligibility for language assistance determined through a Language Assessment Conference (LAC). The LAC is attended by the student's classroom teacher, the teacher providing language assistance services, and other relevant parties selected from the following: parent, principal or designee, counselor, school psychologist, or lead teacher. Students who are considered English proficient are not eligible for continued language assistance services and are exited from language assistance services. Districts must monitor students for two years after they exit language assistance services, and the monitoring process includes a documented review of report card grades, state assessment results, classroom performance and teacher observations. 

School districts must annually assess the English language proficiency, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, of all ELLs in kindergarten and grades 1-12 using the English language proficiency assessment prescribed by the state superintendent of education. The state superintendent is required to determine and post on the state board of education's website the composite score and the literacy score that will be used to determine whether a student is identified as “proficient”. Each student whose score on the English language proficiency assessment is identified as “proficient” must exit the program of bilingual education services and will no longer be identified as an ELL. Students who are not enrolled in a bilingual education program but who have been identified as ELLs are required to participate in the assessment each year until achieving a “proficient” score.

An individual student may exit from an ESL or transitional bilingual education program after an assessment has shown both that the student can function in English (in speaking, listening, reading, and writing) at a level commensurate with the student's grade or age peers and that the student can function academically at the same level as the English speaking grade level peers. These assessments must include state, local, or nationally recognized tests as well as teacher observations and recommendations.

To be considered English proficient and exit ELL status, an ELL student must score as follows:

Each school district is required to establish criteria, in accordance with state department of education guidelines, to identify students who may no longer be ELLs.

Governed by the department of education’s ELL guidebook or federal law rather than state policy.

A district may transfer an ELL out of a bilingual education or special language program for the first time or a subsequent time if the student is able to participate equally in a regular all-English instructional program as determined by:

The language proficiency assessment committee may reenroll a student who has been transferred out of a bilingual education or special language program if the student has inadequate English proficiency and achievement. The committee is required to reevaluate a student who is transferred out of a bilingual education or special language program to determine whether the student should be reenrolled if the student earns a failing grade in a core subject during the first two school years. In addition, during the first two school years after a student is transferred out of an ELL program, the language proficiency assessment committee must review the student's performance and consider:

• The total amount of time the student was enrolled in a bilingual education or special language program;
• The student's grades each grading period in each subject in the foundation curriculum;
• The student's performance on each assessment instrument administered;
• The number of credits the student has earned toward high school graduation, if applicable; and
• Any disciplinary actions taken against the student.