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© 2015 THE EDUCATION TRUST— WEST
The Language of Reform:
English Learners in California’s Shifting
Education Landscape
Jeannette LaFors, Ph.D., Director of Equity Initiatives , Education Trust-West
Norma Barajas-Ruiz, Director of State and Federal Programs, Selma Unified School District
Blanca Tolpezninkas, English Learner Coach, Selma Unified School District
Donning Day, English Learner Coach, Selma Unified School District
Margie Salinas, English Learner Coach, Selma Unified School District
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© 2015 THE EDUCATION TRUST— WEST
Agenda
• Overview of ETW English Learner Report
• Best Practices from Selma Unified School District
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ETW Mission
The Education Trust-West works for thehigh achievement of all students at all
levels, pre-K through college. We expose opportunity and achievement gaps that
separate students of color and low-incomestudents from other youth, and we
identify and advocate for the strategies that will forever close those gaps.
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Purpose of our report
• Create public awareness of the challenges facing English learners in California schools
• Propose methods for understanding EL achievement and reclassification outcomes
• Highlight districts serving English learners particularly well and share effective school and district-level practices for serving English learners that may serve as examples for other districts
• Provide policy recommendations for district and state leaders to ensure every student has access to the highest quality educational opportunities
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California’s English Learners
Language status and languages spoken by California’s English learner students, 2013
• California serves 1.4 million English learners – more than any other state• This accounts for almost one-third of ELs in the entire U.S.• 23% of California K-12 students are ELs• About 12% of ELs are reclassified each year
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Over the past 5 decades, a tapestry of laws and regulations have attempted to remedy the poor outcomes for ELs
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We analyzed district outcomes across four metrics:What the indicators tell us about a district
CST ELA “Ever-EL” Proficiency The CST ELA “Ever-EL” indicator tells us how well a district’s 3rd, 8th, and 11th grade
English learners and reclassified (RFEP) students scored on the state English
language arts test in 2012-13. Combining the results of these subgroups allows us
to study the performance of a consistent group of students rather than shifting
groups defined by their performance.
CELDT Advancement The CALIFORNIA ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT TEST (CELDT) indicator tells
us what percentage of a district’s English learners were making annual progress in
learning English in 2012-13.
Long-Term English Learner Rate The LONG-TERM ENGLISH LEARNER indicator tells us what percentage of a
district’s students had been English learners for 5 years or more (per the federal
definition) as of 2012-13.
Reclassification Rate The RECLASSIFICATION indicator tells us the average percentage of a district’s
elementary, middle, and high school students that were reclassified across 3 years
(2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13).
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For each measure and peer grouping, we show the top ~10% of districts
This figure provides an example of one such top-district display in the report:
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Top Districts
Our methodology surfaces 11 districts that are at the top for at least 3 out of 4 indicators
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Source:
Effective PracticesWhat are high-flying districts doing to close achievement gaps
between English learners and native English speakers?
• A system wide belief in English learners’ ability to achieve at high levels
• Ensuring English learners are taught by highly skilled teachers
• Professional development opportunities that emphasize the instructional shifts in the CCSS and ELD standards
• Access to a full Common Core-aligned curriculum, including college-preparatory courses
• Differentiated instructional strategies (e.g. previewing content, using language objectives, emphasizing reading/writing/speaking)
• Monitoring EL student progress and achievement
• Engaging parents to forge strong home-school connections
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Proposed District Investments
Common Investment Areas
• Professional development
• Bilingual aides
• Extended learning opportunities
• Parent services (e.g. translation and education programs)
• Expanded access to rigorous learning opportunities for English learners
• Academic and linguistic interventions and supports
Challenges with these Plans
• Varying levels of detail on English learner services & budgets
• Lack of clarity on what will be “increased or improved” for English learners
• Inconsistent mention of the new ELD standards and related goals
• Varying levels of reference to English learner master plans
How do high-flying districts plan to invest their state dollars in programs and services for ELs? We reviewed the newly required “Local Control and Accountability Plans” to find out.
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Recommendations
For county offices of education, districts, and schools:
Modify the Local Control Funding Formula to allow reclassified ELs to generate supplemental funds
For state leaders and policymakers:
Support & offer biliteracy programs
Ensure ELs have full access to content and college-preparatory courseworkaligned with rigorous standards
Train teachers to support language development within the core curriculum, not just in ELD classes
Address the needs of ELs, along with targeted investments, in LCAPs (district plans and budgets)
Monitor implementation of new assessments to understand impact on ELs
Disaggregate results for LTELs
Report student growth, not just overall proficiency
Create clearer, more uniform state reclassification guidelines
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Selma Unified School DistrictMark G. Sutton, Superintendent
Norma Barajas-Ruiz, Director of State and Federal Programs
Blanca Tolpezninkas, English Learner Coach
Donning Day, English Learner Coach
Margie Salinas, English Learner Coach
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Selma Unified EL Services
TK
•Integrated ELD
K-6th
•Integrated ELD
•Designated ELD
•30 min 5 x week or 45 min 4 x week
Secondary
•Integrated ELD
•Designated ELD Sections
SpecializedServices
•Long Term English Learners Sections
•Newcomers 3rd-12th
•ELD Summer School
Staff Support Services
•Professional Development
•EL Coaching
•Program Manager EL PD
•Supplemental New Teacher Induction Component
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English Language Development
• Designated ELD instruction:
– 30-45 minute ELD lessons
– No more than 2 language levels in a group
– Use of the ELD district adopted materials
– Incorporate student interaction routines
– Increased ELD sections at the secondary sites
• Newcomers
• ELD 2 and 3
• English 3D
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English Learners Coaching Model
The English Learner Coaches provide:
Professional Development
Pre/Post team meetings with site leadership
CELDT data analysis
Coaching protocols
Coaching Cycle of about 4-6 weeks
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ELD Lesson Component Example
Oral Language
Build Background
Teacher makes connections, activates prior
knowledge, reviews concepts/text, asks questions
Sentence frame (appropriate for language level)
Visibly Posted
Modeled by teacher & chorally rehearsed by
students
Teacher models example & provides think time
Partner Interaction
Teacher reviews partnering expectations
Teacher indicates who speaks first
Students use sentence frame
Book introduction (Day 1 only)
Vocabulary
Teacher selects additional vocabulary activities to
review words throughout week
Teacher states word & definition- students repeat
Teacher or students identifies cognates as
appropriate
Teacher explains connection to picture
Students practice using the word in a sentence
Vocabulary picture card is posted
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Example Continued
Listening Comprehension Active Engagement Strategies
Multiple opportunities for students to speak
(cooperative learning structures, structured partner
interactions, choral response)
Multiple strategies for student responses (stating
partner’s idea, partner nomination, random
selection tool, popcorn, volunteers)
Teacher monitors student responses/interactions
and provides specific feedback
Teacher uses verbal and non-verbal techniques to
check for understanding
Teacher provides appropriate response time for
students to speak
Teacher reads aloud
Variety of reading strategies are used for a
portion of the text (phrase-cued, choral,
clozed, student read aloud, partner reading)
Interactive Question-Response
Teacher asks questions related to text and
provides opportunities for students to respond
in multiple ways
Strategy or Skill (Graphic organizer,
Comprehension strategy, Prewriting activity)
Used to generate student language and
model/practice the strategy or skill in writing
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Coaching Protocols
• Determining level of support
• Establishing coaching goals and time-lines
• Reaching agreements on coaching specifics:
– Observations
– Demonstration Lessons
– Co-Teaching
– Planning Sessions
– Feedback methods
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Effective Practices
• Improving our collective understanding of language development.
• Collaborating with ELAC, DELAC and Migrant Parent Advisory Council.
• Ensuring compliance of EL requirements.
• Elevating our expectations of ourselves and of our students.
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Next Steps for Selma Unified
• Integrated ELD Professional Development
– Spiraling back to;
• Content and Language Objectives
• Depth of Knowledge (DOK)
• Cooperative Learning Structures
• Strategies/scaffolds/routines
• New Teacher EL Coaching for 7-12
• Professional Development for SPED personnel.
• Coaching Support for Intervention teachers.
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© 2015 THE EDUCATION TRUST— WEST© 2015 THE EDUCATION TRUST – WEST
THANK YOU!
Jeannette LaFors, Ph.D., Director of Equity Initiatives
Norma Barajas-Ruiz, Director of State and Federal Programs
Blanca Tolpezninkas, English Learner Coach
Donning Day, English Learner Coach
Margie Salinas, English Learner Coach
Please visit our website to read the full report:
The Language of Reform:English Learners in California’s Changing
Landscape