English Learner Program

In the Inglewood Unified School District, we believe that every student has the potential to achieve at high levels when instruction and educational supports meet their needs. The English Learner Program ensures that our multilingual students receive an effective educational experience to reach their full potential.

The mission of the English Learner Program is to support students’ full and meaningful access and participation in a quality education, attaining high levels of English proficiency and mastery of grade level standards, while developing or retaining proficiency in their primary language.

To achieve our mission, Inglewood Unified School District is committed to:

Provide all students with high quality curricular activities and lessons that address the California State Standards
Offer programs based on student need and research-based educational pedagogy
Provide ongoing, high quality staff development
Embrace parent involvement in the educational process
Provide a process for monitoring the effectiveness of the program

Within the Four Principles of the California English Learner Roadmap:

Assets-Oriented and Needs-Responsive Schools
Intellectual Quality of Instruction and Meaningful Access
System Conditions that Support Effectiveness
Alignment and Articulation Within and Across Systems

LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS

LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS

Diversity & Characteristics of Multilingual Learners

Multilingual learners are students who are developing proficiency in two or more languages. This includes students learning English as an additional language in school and students that have or have achieved proficiency in English.

The California Department of Education (CDE) defines an English Learner as a student in grades TK-12, who has a primary language other than English, and is in need of an English language assistance program.

Multilingual learners come to school with a wide range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds, experiences with formal schooling, proficiency with native language and English literacy, immigrant, migrant and socioeconomic status, as well as interactions in the home, school, and community.

The Inglewood Unified School District strives to serve its multilingual learners within the Four Principles of the California English Learner Roadmap, aligning practices and resources to meet their specific academic, language and socioemotional needs.

A number of terms are commonly used in research, legislation, and in our district to discuss students who speak a language other than English at home. Understanding the differences between these terms is critical for determining which population of students is being addressed.

English Learner (EL) is the official, and overall term to identify a student who is unable to communicate fluently or learn effectively in English, who often comes from a non-English-speaking home and background, and who typically requires specialized or modified instruction in both the English language and in his academic courses through the English Learner Program.

In order to provide effective targeted instruction and support, it is important to further identify their needs according to their cultural background and linguistic areas of growth:

Newcomer (NC) is the term used to describe an English learner student who has been in the United States for less than 12 months; speaks little to no English; and may need help integrating into U.S. culture.

Newcomer students who have had adequate schooling in their home language catch up quickly academically by transferring the previously learned literacy skills into the development of the target language.

In contrast, newcomers with limited formal schooling face immense difficulty in the U.S. school system. They have little native language literacy to rely on when learning to read in English, and while the rest of the students have long passed the need for instruction in literacy, these students frequently are just beginning.

Long-Term English Learner (LTEL) is a term used to identify EL students who have been enrolled in U.S. schools for more than six years, who are not progressing toward English proficiency, and who are struggling academically because of their limited English skills. They usually don't sound like English learners. In fact, they may actually also be described as native English speakers. They often speak fluent English—sometimes even more fluently than their home language. Although they may have started English schooling in kindergarten, their reading is behind that of their native English-speaking peers, and they often have little idea that language is even a source of academic challenge for them.

At-Risk of Becoming LTEL students are identified when they have been enrolled in schools in the United States for four years, score at Level 2 or below on the English Language Proficiency Assessment for California (ELPAC) and score in the fourth year at the below basic or far below basic level on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) for English Language Arts.

Dual Language Learners (DLL) in Inglewood Unified School District, attend the Dual Immersion Program at Frank D. Parent or at Woodworth Monroe. DLLs are students learning English as a second language while continuing to develop the Spanish language.

Reclassified Fluent English Proficient (RFEP) is the official classification of a student who no longer requires specialized or modified instruction in neither the English language nor in his academic courses through the English Learner Program. Students are eligible for reclassification when they are able to participate effectively with English-speaking peers in regular classes and have met all district reclassification requirements.

Initially Fluent English Proficient (IFEP) students have a primary language other than English, but are proficient in English and do not require a language assistance program.

IDENTIFICATION OF ENGLISH LEARNERS

IDENTIFICATION OF ENGLISH LEARNERS

Federal and state laws require school districts to identify students whose primary language is not English and will require assessment of their English language proficiency (ELP) to determine if they are in need of language assistance services.

Determination of Student's Primary Language

To determine the student's primary language according to state and federal regulations, Inglewood Unified School District must follow the same initial registration procedure for all new TK-12 grade students enrolling in a California public school for the first time. This begins with the Home Language Survey.

The Home Language Survey

The Home Language Survey (HLS) is a questionnaire required by law that must be completed by a parent or legal guardian upon initial registration of TK-12 grade students enrolling in a California public school for the first time. New students may include, but are not limited to migrant, immigrant, out of state transfers, special or alternative education, transitional kindergarten (TK), and kindergarten students.

The information provided on the HLS is used solely to determine the student's primary language with the purpose to offer appropriate educational services and is not shared with any governmental offices. The survey consists of the following four questions:

Which language did your child learn when he/she first began to talk?
Which language does your child most frequently speak at home?
Which language do you (the parents or guardians) most frequently use when speaking with your child?
Which language is most often spoken by adults in the home? (parents, guardians, grandparents, or any other adults)

The answers provided for each question are used to determine a student’s primary language and the survey becomes a permanent part of the student’s cumulative record.

The first, or initial HLS for a student supersedes any other HLS forms completed at later times. Once the primary language determination is made, it does not need to be re-determined unless the results are disputed by the parent or guardian. If the HLS contains an error, the parent or guardian may request to change it within 90 days.

Identification of English Learners

Once a Home Language Survey is submitted, the student's primary language will be officially designated either as English or as a language other than English. If the student's language is other than English, an English language proficiency assessment will be administered to establish the student's English Language Acquisition Status (ELAS).

English Language Acquisition Status (ELAS)

English language acquisition assumes knowledge in at least one first language and encompasses the process a student goes through as he or she develops the English language.

A Student’s English Language Acquisition (SELA) status is an official code recorded in the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS). CALPADS is the central system that maintains quality student-level data to enable California to meet state and federal requirements for student achievement.

Initial Assessment of English Language Proficiency

When the student's primary language is designated as other than English, the student's ELAS will remain undetermined, or To Be Determined (TBD), until the English language proficiency assessment results establish the student's initial proficiency level.

A student who scores advanced requires no further testing, is placed in the school's general instructional program, and is designated an ELAS code of Initially Fluent English Proficient (IFEP).

A student who scores intermediate or below is designated an ELAS code of English Learner (EL), provided English Language Development (ELD) services, and must be re-assessed annually until the student is able to meaningfully participate in the general instructional program without those services.

Parents, or guardians, have the right to decline ELD services; however, once the student is classified as an English learner, declining services will not change the student’s official classification and will not exempt the student from annual testing. A student’s official classification of EL will change only when all reclassification criteria are met.

LANGUAGE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS & ELD SERVICES

LANGUAGE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS

A language instructional program is a program designed to meet the needs of English learners to enable them to gain English proficiency. School districts are required by law to have at least one language instructional program.

Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 (EEOA), public schools must ensure that all English learner students can participate meaningfully and equally in educational programs. According to the U.S. Department of Education, districts are responsible for providing meaningful access to all curricular and extracurricular programs, as well as providing English learners access to all programs offered to non-English learners.

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires that all language instructional programs include English language proficiency standards and that all English learners be assessed annually to determine their English proficiency level and provide instructional accommodations and supports that provide English learners access to grade-level content and instruction preparing them for college and career success.

Inglewood Unified School District currently offers two language instructional programs:

Structured English Immersion (SEI)

All students at the Emerging, Expanding, and Bridging levels, including newcomers, are placed in the Structured English Immersion (SEI) program, unless they enroll in the dual immersion program at Frank D. Parent or Woodworth Monroe.

SEI is a language acquisition program for students classified as English learners in which nearly all classroom instruction is provided in English with curriculum and presentation designed to develop the students’ abilities in English as quickly as possible and meet grade level academic standards.

The SEI program includes:

At least 45 minutes of Designated ELD instruction, daily (core for English learners)
Integrated ELD in all core content in English delivered through Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) to make content lessons comprehensible. May include primary language support and supplemental materials to increase access to the standards.
District-adopted, standards-based grade level curriculum and materials

All courses in this program are taught by teachers with a CTC authorized ELD certification. Teachers are trained in various differentiation strategies and best practices. They scaffold, target instruction and make content comprehensible for students at all levels of English proficiency.

Dual Language Immersion (DLI)

The Dual Language Immersion program in the Inglewood Unified School District is a two-way, 90/10, Spanish/English educational model that is designed to promote high levels of academic achievement in all curricular areas and help students achieve full proficiency in both languages.
In the DLI program, literacy development in both languages is available to all students –EO, IFEP, RFEP, as well as English learners. Core content instruction is presented in a manner that is comprehensible to EL students using a variety of strategies.

The DLI program includes:

At least 45 minutes of Designated ELD instruction, daily (core for English learners)
Integrated ELD in all core content in English delivered through Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) to make content lessons comprehensible. May include primary language support and supplemental materials to increase access to the standards.
District-adopted, standards-based grade level curriculum and materials in English and Spanish

The program is open to students entering a transitional kindergarten, kindergarten or first grade level; or to any newcomer in any other grade level who has had formal schooling in Spanish in another country or via a DLI program outside the district.

This program is only available at Frank D. Parent and Woodworth Monroe, and is taught by teachers with a CTC authorized bilingual certification.

Parents' Right to Request an Alternative Program

Schools in which the parents or guardians of 30 students or more per school, or the parents or guardians of 20 students or more in any grade, request an alternative language acquisition program that is designed to provide language instruction, are required to offer such a program to the extent possible.

Parents wishing to request an alternative program can do so by submitting a Parent Request for Alternative Language Acquisition Program form to their school Principal. Schools are required to maintain a written record of each request.

Within 10 school days of 30 requests, or 20 requests in the same grade level for a similar program, the school Principal must provide a written notification of the request to the parents of the students attending the school, the school's teachers, administrators, and the English Learner and Parent Advisory Committees.

Within 60 school days of 30 requests, or 20 requests in the same grade level for a similar program, Educational Services must provide a written notification of determination to the parents of the students attending the school, the school's teachers and administrators.

If Educational Services determines that the requested program can be implemented, a timeline and actions for implementation will be provided. If it is determined that the program cannot be implemented, a written explanation of the reason(s), and an alternate option will be provided.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

English learners are entitled to appropriate English language development services to become proficient in English and to participate equally in the regular education program within a reasonable period of time. These services are offered until ELs are proficient in English and can participate meaningfully in education programs without English language acquisition support.

Many factors help determine which English language development services are best suited for English learners, including proficiency, grade level, educational and language background, and disabilities, if any.

English Language Development Instruction

Comprehensive English Language Development instruction is a fundamental and non-negotiable service requirement for all English learners, including those with disabilities. The California Code of Regulations requires English language development instruction to be research-based and include both Designated and Integrated ELD.

Designated ELD is instruction provided during a time set aside in the regular school day, focused on the CA ELD Standards to assist English learner students to develop critical English language skills necessary for academic content learning in English.

Integrated ELD is provided throughout the day in all academic subjects, using the CA ELD Standards in tandem with the common core standards for ELA/Literacy and other content areas. Integrated ELD includes Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) and may include primary language support.

Primary Language Support

Primary language support is the use of a student’s first language to build on the development of their target language. It is used in English instruction primarily to newcomer students at the Emerging ELD level to make content comprehensible and to lower the linguistic load. Students’ primary language is used as a leverage to support the acquisition of the English language.

Primary language support is a supplementary service intended to increase access to challenging state academic standards.

Bilingual (English/Spanish) professional tutors support students and teachers, and bridge the gap between them. They are in the classroom to assist individual students by making sure they understand the academic content as well as the tasks the teacher assigns.

Digital Learning Tools

Nearpod is a tool for creating and delivering interactive presentations, formative or summative assessments, and content. Nearpod EL allows teachers to create daily differentiated learning experiences that maximize language acquisition for all learners, including scaffolds, videos and activities.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION

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ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY ASSESSMENTS FOR CALIFORNIA (ELPAC)

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY ASSESSMENTS FOR CALIFORNIA (ELPAC)

Federal law requires that schools administer a state test of English language proficiency (ELP) to eligible students in kindergarten through grade twelve. The English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) is the mandated state test for determining English language proficiency (ELP).

The ELPAC is aligned with the 2012 California English Language Development Standards and assesses proficiency in all four domains of language: Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing.

It is administered as an initial assessment to newly enrolled students whose primary language is not English, as indicated on a home language survey; and annually as a summative assessment to students who have been previously classified as EL students.

There are no parent or medical exemptions for the ELPAC.

Types of ELPAC Assessments

Initial ELPAC—The general assessment whose results provide the primary identification of students as English learners (ELs). The test administration window runs from July 1 to June 30.

Summative ELPAC—The general assessment, administered annually, whose results measure an EL student's progress and identify the student's ELP level. The test administration window runs from February 1 to May 31.

The general ELPAC has four domains (Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing) which are administered on computer except for the Writing domain for kindergarten through grade two, which is a paper-based test.

Initial Alternate ELPAC—The alternate assessment whose results provide the primary identification of students with the most significant cognitive disabilities as ELs. The test administration window runs from July 1 to June 30.

Summative Alternate ELPAC—The alternate assessment, administered annually, whose results measure and identify the student's ELP level, for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. The test administration window runs from February 1 to May 31.

The Alternate ELPAC has two communication modes: Expressive (Speaking and Writing) and Receptive (Listening and Reading), and is delivered via a computer-based test delivery platform.

Practice & Training Tests

The practice and training tests allow students, parents/guardians, families, teachers, and others an opportunity to become familiar with the computer-based test delivery platform as well as the types of test questions that may appear on the actual test at each grade or grade span.

The practice test includes examples of all the types of test questions that may appear in the actual test at each grade or grade span and mirrors a full-length operational test. The training test is shorter compared to the practice test and includes some sample test questions for each domain.
How to Start a Practice or Training Test
Cómo iniciar una prueba de práctica o capacitación

Student Scores & Results

The Starting Smarter website help parents understand student scores and reports, view sample test questions, and provide additional free resources to support your child’s learning.

You can use the Student Score Report to see the areas your child is excelling and where they can improve. All of this can begin a conversation with your child’s teacher about offering better learning support at home and all year long.

Sample Student Score Report (SSR)

ELPAC Performance Levels & Descriptors

Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) provide a snapshot of students’ English language skills based on performance on the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC). PLDs are statements that describe the specific knowledge and skills students typically demonstrate at each performance level.

PLDs are linked to the CA ELD Standards. PLDs can be used as a tool in classroom instruction because they assist teachers and schools in better understanding a student’s performance on the ELPAC. PLDs can also enhance parents’ understanding of their child’s English language strengths and weaknesses and can help the community at large better understand state test scores and the level of performance required of our students.

Initial ELPAC Performance Level Descriptors
NOVICE (EL) - Students at this level have minimally developed oral and written English skills. They tend to rely on learned words and phrases to communicate meaning at a basic level. They need substantial-to-moderate linguistic support to communicate in familiar social and academic contexts; they need substantial linguistic support to communicate on less familiar tasks and topics.

INTERMEDIATE (EL) - Students at this level have somewhat-to-moderately developed oral and written skills. This level captures a broad range of ELs, from those who can use English only to meet immediate communication needs to those who can, at times, use English to learn and communicate in meaningful ways in a range of topics and content areas. They may need some degree of linguistic support to engage in familiar social and academic contexts; they may need substantial-to-moderate support to communicate on less familiar tasks and topics.

INITIAL FLUENT ENGLISH PROFICIENT (IFEP) - Students at this level have well developed oral and written skills. They can use English to learn and communicate in meaningful ways that are appropriate to different tasks, purposes, and audiences in a variety of social and academic contexts. They may need occasional linguistic support to engage in familiar social and academic contexts; they may need light support to communicate on less familiar tasks and topics.

Summative ELPAC Performance Level Descriptors
LEVEL 1 - English learners at this level have minimally developed oral (listening and speaking) and written (reading and writing) English skills. They tend to rely on learned words and phrases to communicate meaning at a basic level. They need substantial-to-moderate linguistic support to communicate in familiar social and academic contexts; they need substantial linguistic support to communicate on less familiar tasks and topics. This test performance level corresponds to the “Emerging” proficiency level as described in the CA ELD Standards.

LEVEL 2 - English learners at this level have somewhat developed oral (listening and speaking) and written (reading and writing) skills. They can use English to meet immediate communication needs but often are not able to use English to learn and communicate on topics and content areas. They need moderate-to-light linguistic support to engage in familiar social and academic contexts; they need substantial-to-moderate support to communicate on less familiar tasks and topics. This test performance level corresponds to the low- to mid-range of the “Expanding” proficiency level as described in the CA ELD Standards.

LEVEL 3 - English learners at this level have moderately developed oral (listening and speaking) and written (reading and writing) skills. They can sometimes use English to learn and communicate in meaningful ways in a range of topics and content areas. They need light-to-minimal linguistic support to engage in familiar social and academic contexts; they need moderate support to communicate on less familiar tasks and topics. This test performance level corresponds to the upper range of the “Expanding” proficiency level through the lower range of the “Bridging” proficiency level as described in the CA ELD Standards.

LEVEL 4 - English learners at this level have well developed oral (listening and speaking) and written (reading and writing) skills. They can use English to learn and communicate in meaningful ways that are appropriate to different tasks, purposes, and audiences in a variety of social and academic contexts. They may need occasional linguistic support to engage in familiar social and academic contexts; they may need light support to communicate on less familiar tasks and topics. This test performance level corresponds to the upper range of the “Bridging” proficiency level as described in the 2012 California English Language Development Standards, Kindergarten Through Grade 12.

Alternate ELPAC Performance Level Descriptors
NOVICE EL - Students at this level have minimal English language proficiency. They need substantial linguistic support to enable them to access adapted grade-level content in English.

INTERMEDIATE EL - Students at this level have moderate English language proficiency. They may need frequent linguistic support to enable them to access adapted grade-level content in English.

FLUENT ENGLISH PROFICIENT - Students at this level have sufficient English language proficiency. They may need occasional linguistic support to enable them to access adapted grade-level content in English.

SUPPORT & SERVICES FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES

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CONSIDERATIONS FOR NEWCOMER STUDENTS

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STUDENT PROGRESS MONITORING & RECLASSIFICATION

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DUAL IMMERSION PROGRAM

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PRESCHOOL DUAL LANGUAGE LEARNERS

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PARENT & FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

PARENT & FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

Inglewood Unified School District understands that family and school partnerships are a necessary component in improving outcomes for all students. Family engagement in schools contributes to improved student achievement, decreased disciplinary issues, improved parent-teacher and teacher-student relationships, and improved school environment.

English Learner Advisory Committees

The English Learner Program encourages family participation, input, and accountability through the English learner advisory committees.

District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC)

DELAC is a district-level committee composed of parents, staff, and community members designated to advise district officials on English learner programs and services. DELAC meets at least every other month and engages on at least the following state-required tasks to provide advice to the school district governing board.

Development of a district master plan for education programs and services for English learners. The district master plan will take into consideration the school site master plans.
Conducting a district wide needs assessment on a school-by-school basis.
Establishment of district program, goals, and objectives for programs and services for English learners.
Development of a plan to ensure compliance with any applicable teacher and/or teacher aide requirements.
Review and comment on the school district reclassification procedures.
Review and comment on the written notifications required to be sent to parents and guardians.

The English Learner Program Director, or a designee, facilitates regular DELAC meetings at a time and place that is the most convenient for parents of English learners. In an effort to build parent capacity and obtain parent input, these topics are also reviewed:

LCAP goals, objectives and actions
Achievement data (CAASPP, ELPAC, i-Ready)
Suspension and chronic absenteeism data
Federal, state and local funding for English learner programs and services

2023-2024 Meeting Agendas & Minutes

2023-2024 Meeting Calendar

*All DELAC meetings are held at the Parent Family Resource Center at the main district office complex.

English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC)
ELAC is a school-level committee composed of parents, staff, and community members designated to advise school administrators on English language programs and services. Every school with 21 or more English learners must have an ELAC and meet at least five times per year to accomplish the following tasks as required by the state of California:

Advising the principal and staff in the development of a site plan for English learners and submitting the plan to the School Site Council for consideration of inclusion in the School Plan for Student Achievement.
Assisting in the development of the school-wide needs assessment.
Making parents aware of the importance of regular school attendance.
Electing at least one member to the District English Learner Advisory Committee.

The school Principal, or their designee, facilitates regular ELAC meetings at a day and time that is the most convenient for parents of English learners. In an effort to build parent capacity and obtain parent input, these topics are also reviewed: