ESL Students and Assessment:

Questions and AnswersGreathen Derenne

EDU 536

How are ESL Students Identified?

All students fill out a Home Language Survey when they register.  There is a box to check about which language is spoken at home.  Any time that a language other than English is selected, the student is evaluated.

Districts are not required to ask parental permission to test students' English proficiency. We are legally and ethically required to do so, based on the parents' responses on the Home Language Survey.

Module 1, Theme 3

How are ESL Students Identified? Just being “able to speak English” does not mean a

student will be considered fully English proficient and not qualify for ESL services upon testing.

A student does not have to speak, read, write, or understand his or her “home language” in order to be tested for English proficiency and possible ESL services.

If a student fails to test fully academically fluent in English in just one of the four skill areas (speaking, listening, reading, or writing), the student must be considered an ESL learner and reported to the state as such.

Module 1, Theme 3

Do ESL students have benchmarks they are supposed to meet?

ESL students are accountable for all of Michigan’s standards and benchmarks.

There are specific English Language Proficiency Standards to help guide the ESL classes. The standards include:• Listening• Speaking• Reading• Writing

Examples :

S.4 Use English to interact in the classroom.

R.8 Make inferences, predictions, and conclusions from reading.

www.michigan.gov

What does No Child Left Behind have to do with ESL?

NCLB is divided up into 10 different “Titles”. Title I is the most common “Improving the

Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged;”

Title III: “Language Instruction for Limited English Proficient and Immigrant Students.”

ESL students are mentioned throughout the act, not just in Title III; but Title III is dedicated solely to this group of students.Module 1, Theme 2

What is Title III? The purpose of Title III is to help ensure that

limited English proficient students attain English language proficiency and meet the same challenging academic content and benchmarks that all students are expected to meet.

School districts my use Title III funds to implement language instruction and educations programs designed to help ESL student achieve the standards.

How are districts held accountable for Title III?

The State and Districts are accountable for increasing the English Proficiency and core content knowledge of ESL Students.

The measurement of this achievement is called Annual Measureable Achievement Objectives (AMAO)

www.michigan.gov

What are Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives?

www.michigan.gov

Does our district receive Title III funds?

Battle Creek Public Schools receive Title III funds. Central High School is a Title III school.

Did Central High School meet AMAO this past year?

Central High School did not meet AMAO.

Why is it important to identify ESL students?

The district / school is responsible for making sure every student receives an equal education.

The students education can be tailored to meet their needs.

The district / school is responsible for helping these students pass the MME.

ResourcesModule 1, theme 2: No Child Left Behind Title III Assessment and Reporting Requirements

for ESL Learners Jones International University. EDU536: Assessment for Second Language Learners of English

Module 1, theme3: District and State Obligations in Assessment and Reporting for ESL students, Jones International University. EDU536: Assessment for Second Language Learners of English

English Language Proficiency and Core Content Standards: Linking Documents for the Instruction of English Language Learners. Michigan Department of Education. Retrieved from : http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/1Michigan_Linking_Documents_Introduction_7_15_09_docGJMedits_335001_7.pdf

Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives. Michigan Department of Education. Retrieved from: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/AMAO_FAQs_330509_7.pdf