Community Consolidated School District 89 values the linguistic and cultural diversity that our students bring to our schools. The English Learner (EL) program is comprehensive program that is designed to support students in order to be successful in school and beyond.  

Goal 1: To provide instruction enabling students to transition into the general education classroom at high levels of social and academic language proficiency.
Goal 2: To assist students in navigating social and school norms.
Goal 3: To develop an awareness of and respect for cultural and linguistic differences.
Goal 4: To enlist parental and community support.
Goal 5: To continue to grow through professional development

Instructional program

CCSD 89 offers support to English Learners through Transitional Program of Instruction (TPI) and Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) programs. Depending on students' skills and level of English, they may receive EL instruction for 30 to 45 minutes a day. All students participate with English speaking students for such classes as physical education, art and music.

The guiding principles of the EL program are:

• To develop English skills while learning grade-appropriate academic content. 
• To develop academic English language proficiency to assist students in meeting Illinois Learning Standards, as well as the Illinois English Language Proficiency Standards. 
• To aide in the development of both social and academic language in all language domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Identification of English learners

The Home Language Survey is administered for each student entering the district’s schools for the first time and signed by the parent/ guardian. If the response to one or both questions on the HLS is “yes”, the student’s English proficiency is assessed to determine eligibility for EL services. This will be done within 30 days after the student’s enrollment in the district. CCSD 89 may use scores from another district, provided the score was achieved no more than 12 months prior to the student’s enrollment. Kindergarten through eighth grade: If a student’s WIDA Screener composite proficiency level is less than the determined criteria, the student is eligible for EL services. If the determined minimum score is achieved, the student is not eligible for EL services.

Assessment of English Learners

All students identified as Limited English Proficiency will take the annual ACCESS test. ACCESS results will determine continuation in the program or transition from the program in the subsequent school year. Some students are eligible for ACCESS accommodations. All students in grades 3-8 will take the annual Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR). IAR results will provide a summative evaluation of the student’s progress in meeting the Illinois Learning Standards. All students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade will be administered the AIMSweb and MAP assessment during the school year. Subtests include oral reading fluency, reading comprehension, and math computation. Data will be used for instructional decisions.

English Proficiency Standards

The Illinois English Language Proficiency Standards reflect the social and academic language expectations of English Learners (ELs) in preschool through high school attending schools in the United States. The standards provide a common yardstick for educators across Illinois to define and measure how ELs systematically acquire English across the language domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. These standards are the starting point for curriculum, instruction, and assessment of ELs. By incorporating the language of the classroom as well as that of the academic subject areas, the English language proficiency standards provide a pathway to success for English learners.

• English Learner Proficiency Standard 1: English learners communicate for social and instructional purposes within the school setting. 
• English Learner Proficiency Standard 2: English learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of language Arts. 
• English Learner Proficiency Standard 3: English learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of mathematics. 
• English Learner Proficiency Standard 4: English learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of science. 
• English Learner Proficiency Standard 5: English learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the content area of social studies.

English Proficiency Levels 

The six language proficiency levels outline the progression of language development in the acquisition of English as an additional language, from level 1 (entering the process) to level 6 (reaching the end of the continuum). The language proficiency levels define expected performance and describe what ELs can do at each level of proficiency. At the given level of English language proficiency, English learners will process, understand, produce, or use:

6 - Reaching

• Specialized or technical language reflective of the content areas at grade level 
• A variety of sentence lengths of varying linguistic complexity in extended oral or written discourse as required by the specified grade level 
• Oral or written communication in English comparable to proficient English peers 

5 - Bridging

• Specialized or technical language of the content areas 
• A variety of sentence lengths of varying linguistic complexity in extended oral or written discourse, including stories, essays or reports 
• Oral or written language approaching comparability to that of proficient English peers when presented with grade level material 

4 - Expanding

• Specific and some technical language of the content areas 
• A variety of sentence lengths of varying linguistic complexity in oral discourse or multiple, related sentences or paragraphs 
• Oral or written language with minimal phonological, syntactic or semantic errors that do not impede the overall meaning of the communication when presented with oral or written connected discourse with sensory, graphic or interactive support 

3 - Developing

• General and some specific language of the content areas 
• Expanded sentences in oral interaction or written paragraphs 
• Oral or written language with phonological, syntactic or semantic errors that may impede the communication, but retain much of its meaning, when presented with oral or written, narrative or expository descriptions with sensory, graphic or interactive support 

2 - Emerging

• General language related to the content areas
• Phrases or short sentences 
• Oral or written language with phonological, syntactic, or semantic errors that often impede the meaning of the communication when presented with one to multiple-step commands, directions, questions, or a series of statements with sensory, graphic or interactive support 

1 - Entering

• Pictorial or graphic representation of the language of the content areas 
• Words, phrases or chunks of language when presented with one-step commands, directions, WH-, choice or yes/no questions, or statements with sensory, graphic or interactive support

Report cards and student files

The Illinois State Board of Education requires that school districts maintain records of all students enrolled in EL Programs. To comply with this requirement, the following documents must be kept in the temporary ELL Student file of all English language learners: 

• District Home Language survey (copy) 
• Parent notification letter (copy) 
• Parent Consent Beyond 3 Years (as applicable) 
• Record of Parent Contact
• IPT Tests (for students enrolled in ELL prior to 8/05) 
• W-APT or MODEL 
• WIDA screener
• ACCESS test results 
• IAR score results 
• EL Database Information Form 
• EL Database Exit Form (as applicable) 
• EL report card (copy) 
• Exit Letter (copy) (as applicable) 
• Refusal of Service Letter (as applicable) 
• Monitor Forms 
• Rationale for Placement in a Part-time Program (as applicable) 
• EL Assessment Summary 
• Modifications Checklist (as applicable) 

The EL teachers will compile these files for each English language learner in their building, they will ensure that all required documentation is in each file, and keep the files in a secure location in that building.

EL Report Cards

EL Report Cards and Progress Reports are sent to parents or legal guardians of students enrolled in the EL Program in the same manner and with the same frequency as the standard district report cards and progress reports. The EL Progress Report is supplementary to the district report card and indicates the student’s progress in attaining English language proficiency in the areas of listening, speaking, reading and writing. 

Parent notification

Notice of enrollment

Parents will be notified of eligibility for EL services no later than 30 days after the beginning of the school year or 14 days after enrollment when a student enrolls mid-year. The notice will be provided in English and in the home language of the student, when possible. 

Withdrawal by a parent

Any parent or legal guardian whose child has been enrolled in the EL Program has the right to withdraw the child from the program immediately by submitting a written notice to the school

Early exit for EL students

Students who score a 4.8 composite on the ACCESS test will be dismissed from EL services. Parents may choose for their child to continue to receive ELL services if they are eligible for dismissal within three years of enrollment to the EL program. 

Transition from EL Program

Transition from the EL program will be determined by the prior year's ACCESS scores. Students must earn a 4.8 Composite score on the ACCESS in order to be dismissed from EL services.  

For two years after exiting form the district's EL program, student progress will be monitored. Monitoring will include: 

• Information about the language proficiency level of the student in each of the four domains provided
• Tri-annual checks (with trimester report cards)
• Meeting with students, teachers, and parents as needed

Parent Advisory Council

The district shall establish a parent advisory committee consisting of parents, legal guardians, EL teachers, counselors, and community leaders. This committee shall participate in the planning, operation, and evaluation of programs. The majority of the committee members shall be parents or legal guardians of students enrolled in the program. 

The committee shall:

• Meet at least four times a year;
• maintain on file the minutes of the meetings; and 
• review the district's annual program application to the State Superintendent of Education. 

Evaluation

Each year, based on the results of the ACCESS test, the state will issue a report that will indicate whether the district has met AMAO (Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives). 

AMAO criteria: 

• AMAO 1 (progress):  at a minimum, LEAs/sub-grantees must assure annual increases in the number of percentage of children making progress. 
• AMAO 2 (proficiency):  at a minimum, LEAs/sub-grantees must assure annual increases in the number of percentage of children attaining English proficiency by the end of each school year. 
• AMAO 3 (AYP): LEAs/sub-grantees assure that ELL students are making adequate yearly progress (AYP) on the state's academic content assessments.