Students who are learning English are often called English Language Learners (ELLs) or English Learners (ELs). School Districts are required to make sure that their English Learner students can participate in meaningful ways in the school and its programs.
Schools need to:
- Identify English Learners: At the beginning of each school year, and when new families move into the school, school districts ask about home languages in order to try to identify students who might need English language instruction and supports.
- Assess English Learners: If a student is still learning English and might need help with English, school districts will do a test, or “assessment”, as soon as possible, to determine how much English the student knows and where the student needs help. Students are tested every year to help the school decide if they are still eligible for English Learner instructional supports. To understand what the language proficiency test results mean and what the levels are, look at OSPI's Migrant/Multilingual website: here (available in Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Marshalese, Punjabi, Sgaw-Karen, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Ukranian, and Vietnamese).
- Provide Language Supports: In Washington State, school districts must provide “transitional bilingual instructional programs” (unless it is not practical) that include teaching the student in the student's home or first language while the student is also learning English. If it is not practical for the school district to teach the student in both languages, then the district can offer “alternative instructional programs.” Some examples are: bringing English language instruction to the student's regular classroom (sometimes called “push in”) or pulling the student out of the regular classroom for instruction (sometimes called “pull out”). The student can learn English in groups or just on their own with a teacher. Parents can always choose to opt-out of English Learner programs.
- Ensure Equal Access and Inclusion of English Learners School districts must make sure that English Learner students have the opportunity to participate in all district programs and services that they qualify for, including Highly Capable programs, extra-curricular programs.
Sometimes, making sure that the student can participate means offering interpretation or translation. If you have questions about how or whether an English Learner student can participate in a school program or service, try:
- Talking to the school principal; and/or
- Contacting the school district's English Learner department.
If you need help, please contact OEO. Learn more about how school districts can provide meaningful access for students learning English by reading the US Department of Education's English Learner Toolkit. Available in multiple languages on the US Department of Education's website, here: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oela/english-learner-toolkit/index.html
Learn more about English Learner Assessments and Programs at OSPI's Migrant/Multilingual web page: here Read more about how (and why) public schools are doing more to help students keep and build skills in multiple languages: here .