English Learners (EL)

Batavia Public School District 101 is committed to the long-term success of students through growth in language development, literacy skills, content mastery, cognitive competencies, social competencies, and emotional learning. The following programs are available to our English Learners:

The school district has established a transitional bilingual (TBE) program for each language classification when an attendance center has an enrollment of 20 or more English Learners of the same language classification in K-12 or 20 or more English Learners of the same language classification in preschool.

If the district has 19 or fewer students of limited English proficiency from any single non-English language, and the district elects not to provide a transitional bilingual education (TBE) program, it provides a locally determined transitional program of instruction (TPI) for those students.

English Learners Program

This program is designed for students who have a language background other than English, as indicated on the Home Language Survey completed by parents or guardians. An individual English Language Proficiency screen will determine the student’s eligibility for EL services. View English Learners Guidelines >

Assessment of English Learners

All students identified as LEP 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 IAR assessment. IAR results will provide a summative evaluation of the student’s progress in meeting the Illinois Learning Standards. All students in grades kindergarten through ninth grade will be administered the MAP assessment during the school year. Data will be used for instructional decisions.

ACCESS Parent Cover Letter

August 2022

Dear Parent or Guardian,

Last winter, English Learner (EL) students in grades kindergarten through twelfth grade participated in the administration of the ACCESS for ELLs® language proficiency test.

ACCESS provides a standardized measurement of academic language proficiency for EL students throughout the state of Illinois, and in other states. With this information, we will be able to monitor individual EL student progress on an annual basis.

Enclosed you will find your child’s results on ACCESS. The Parent/Guardian Report provides information about your child’s English Language Proficiency Level. This information is for you to review and keep.

If you have any questions regarding this test or the information that is being sent to you about how your child performed on this test, please contact me, your child’s ELL teacher, or the school principal.

Sincerely,

Brad Newkirk

Chief Academic Officer

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 the 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 an 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

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.

Bilingual Program

This program is designed for students who have a language background in Spanish as indicated on the Home Language Survey completed by their parents or guardians. An individual English Language Proficiency screen, as well as a Spanish Language Proficiency screen, determines students’ eligibility.

Transition from the EL Program

The prior year’s ACCESS scores will determine the transition from the EL program. Students must earn a 4.8 Composite score on the ACCESS in order to be dismissed from EL services.

Student progress will be monitored for two years after exiting from the district’s EL program. 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 Involvement

The EL staff and school communities highly encourage parent involvement in their child’s EL or Bilingual Program. (Telephonic translation services are provided for all parent communication.) Bilingual families are also encouraged to attend the Bilingual Parent Advisory Council meetings. These meetings provide a valuable opportunity for parents to collaborate with other parents and school personnel to continuously improve EL and Bilingual programming.

2023-24 Meeting Dates

September 19, 2023

Bilingual Advisory Committee Training

7:00 pm to 8:00 pm via Google Meet

Notes

December 12, 2023

Parent Workshop with Guest Speakers:
Success By Six-Batavia United Way
Early Childhood Program
Ms. Sonia Esquivel-Home and School Partnerships

6:30 pm to 7:45 pm via Google Meet

Notes

February 22

BPAC will be attending the BSPN Parent Resource Fair

6:00-7:30 at Batavia High School

April 9, 2024

Parent Workshop

Times and location to be determined

Notes

May 14, 2024

Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee

Review Bilingual Service Plan and EBF Spending Plan

6:30 pm to 8:00 pm via Google Meet

Notes

2024-25 Meeting Dates

Meeting Date	Activity	Time/Venue	Notes
August 21, 2024	Bilingual Advisory Committee Training (required)	7:00 pm to 8:00 pm via Google Meet
October 16, 2024	Building Community/Parent Workshop with guest speaker	6:30 pm to 7:45 pm via Google Meet
January 8, 2025	Multi-Lingual Family Open House and Community Expo	6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at Batavia High School
May 15, 2025	Review District’s FY26 EL-Bilingual Service Plan and EBF spending plan	6:30 pm to 8:00 pm via Google Meet