english learners in shifting education landscape · 2015-01-21 · •overview of etw english...

© 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


Agenda

• Overview of ETW English Learner Report

• Best Practices from Selma Unified School District


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.


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


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


Over the past 5 decades, a tapestry of laws and regulations have attempted to remedy the poor outcomes for ELs


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).


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:


Top Districts

Our methodology surfaces 11 districts that are at the top for at least 3 out of 4 indicators


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


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.


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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.


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.

© 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

http://www.edtrust.org/sites/edtrust.org/files/ETW The Language of Reform Report.pdf

english learners in shifting education landscape · 2015-01-21 · •overview of etw english...

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