ELL Identification Process

Guidelines for Identifying Language Learners in Ohio
Home Language Survey

DISTRICT GUIDELINES FOR EL STUDENTS
English Learners (ELs) should be placed in a grade level appropriate to their age unless other factors preclude such placement.  Other factors to consider include: educational background, length of time in the country, English language proficiency, first language proficiency and parental requests.  In addition, cultural differences regarding the time of year school begins should be considered in making initial placement decisions.

Initial placement decisions will be made by a team consisting of the EL Coordinator, building principal, the EL teacher, an age-appropriate classroom teacher, a guidance counselor(s), and other school personnel as needed.  Parents should be informed that the student’s initial classroom placement, made at the time of registration, is provisional pending the outcome of the assessment process described above. The team’s placement decision should be confirmed in a timely manner.

EL BUILDING TEAMS
Since South-Western City Schools believes in site-based management, the members of the teams used for identifying and servicing EL’s will be determined by each building, with assistance from the District Coordinator of EL Services.  However, EL staff are a required member of any team relating to EL students. It is encouraged that those teams include the building principal, classroom teachers, school psychologists, and school counselors.

A. Staff Authorized to Make Eligibility Determination
TESOL staff will be authorized by South-Western City Schools to identify EL students in need of language services. The TESOL staff will be trained in the administering and interpreting of the results of the assessment instruments by the EL Specialist and Coordinator of EL Services as needed.  TESOL staff will also be instructed on collecting, documenting, and analyzing data needed to make determinations on how to best provide services for ELs.

The District personnel responsible for identification and documentation of EL students will be:

1. EL Building Staff
2. EL Specialist
3. Coordinator of EL Services
4. EL Department secretary responsible for inputting data (for documentation purposes)

B.  At the time of each student’s enrollment, the District will survey the family as to what is the Primary

Home Language.  On the student’s ADM 100 enrollment form, the identification of each student will be made by administering the Ohio English Language Proficiency Screener (OELPS) for grades K-12, and the PreLAS for Pre-K (four-year-olds). This information will be forwarded to the Data Center and retained on the student’s records for the duration of his or her enrollment in SWCSD.  Identification through OELPS is as follows:
1- Emerging
2- Progressing
3- Proficient

However, in order to appropriately determine service needs for ELs, a 1-5 rubric based on OELPS domain scores, is utilized following the initial screener:

1- Prefunctional (Service 5x/week)
2- Beginner (Service 5x/week)
3- Intermediate (Service 3x-5x/week)
4- Advanced (Service 2x-3x/week or consultation basis)
5- PHLOTE (Not identified as EL/No Services)