Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 160-4-5-.02 - Language Instruction Program for English Learners (ELs)
(1)
DEFINITIONS.
(a)
English
Learners (ELs) - students whose primary or home language is other than
English and who are eligible for English language instruction based on the
results of an English language proficiency assessment.
(b)
English language proficiency
(ELP) - the level of language competence necessary to participate fully
and learn successfully in classrooms where the primary language of instruction
is English.
(c)
English to
Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) - a language instruction educational
program provided to help ELs overcome language barriers and participate
meaningfully in schools' educational programs.
(d)
Georgia Department of
Education - the state agency charged with the fiscal and administrative
management of certain aspects of K-12 public education, including the
implementation of federal and state mandates. Such management is subject to
supervision and oversight by the State Board of Education.
(e)
Home Language Survey
- a questionnaire administered upon enrollment to each
student's parent or guardian for the purpose of determining whether a language
other than English is used by the student or used in the student's
home.
(f)
Language
instruction - language programs and strategies that promote academic
language development for English learner students.
(g)
Local Educational Agency
(LEA) - local school system pursuant to local board of education control
and management.
(h)
School - any building or special entity as defined in State Board
of Education Rule
160-5-1-.03 Identification and
Reporting of Schools.
(i)
State adopted English proficiency measure - an English language
proficiency assessment administered annually to all English learners (ELs) in
Georgia for the purposes of determining the English language proficiency level
of students; providing districts with information that will help them evaluate
the effectiveness of their ESOL programs; providing information that enhances
instruction and learning in programs for English learners; assessing the annual
English language proficiency gains; and providing data for meeting federal and
state requirements.
(j)
State
adopted English proficiency screening measure - a formal measure of
social and academic English language proficiency that assesses students' need
for initial placement in language instruction educational programs.
(k)
State adopted English language
proficiency standards - a set of statements derived from the listening,
speaking, reading, and writing language domains that describe developmental
levels of language proficiency that students need to construct social,
instructional, and academic communication.
(l)
Student Record - the state's
required end-of-year student data collection.
(2)
REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Eligibility for entry into and exit from
English learner status and language instruction programs.
1. Prior to entry into a school in Georgia,
each student's parent or guardian shall complete the required Home Language
Survey to determine if a language other than English is used in the home or is
the student's first language or home language. All students whose first
language or home language includes a language other than English shall be
assessed for English language proficiency using the state-adopted English
proficiency screening measure. Further guidance is in the ESOL Resource
Guide.
2. Initial eligibility for
language instruction programs shall be determined by the student's score on the
state-adopted English proficiency screening measure.
(i) Students who have an English language
proficiency score below proficient on the state-adopted English proficiency
screening measure shall be determined to be English learners (ELs) and shall be
eligible for language instruction programs and services. Coding guidance for
ELs is in the ESOL Resource Guide.
(ii) Students who have an English language
proficiency score at or above proficient on the state-adopted English
proficiency screening measure shall be considered English proficient and shall
not be eligible for language instruction. Coding guidance for non-ELs is in the
ESOL Resource Guide.
3.
All ELs shall be assessed annually on the state-adopted English proficiency
measure to determine English language proficiency. Students whose scores on the
state-adopted English proficiency measure do not meet the state EL exit
criteria shall continue to be eligible for language instruction.
4. Exiting from EL status and ESOL
instruction.
(i) Clear EL exit determinations
are based on the composite score of the state-adopted English proficiency
measure. A student who exits the language instruction program via a clear exit
determination shall be considered English proficient. Additional guidance is in
the ESOL Resource Guide.
(ii)
Students whose composite scores on the state-adopted English proficiency
measure do not meet the score required for clear exit determination may be
considered English proficient following an LEA's reclassification review. The
reclassification review procedures are applied uniformly statewide, as
established in the ESOL Resource Guide.
(iii) Students who are deemed English
proficient shall not be eligible for continued language instruction and shall
be exited from EL status and ESOL programs.
(iv) Each LEA shall monitor students who are
considered English proficient for two years after exit from language
instruction programs. Coding guidance for exited ELs is in the ESOL Resource
Guide. The monitoring process shall consist of a documented review of report
card grades, state assessment results, classroom performance and teacher
observations for the purpose of ensuring the successful transition to the
general classroom. Additional guidance is in the ESOL Resource Guide.
(b) ESOL language
programs' delivery models.
1. LEAs and schools
shall provide English language instruction to all ELs. Such instruction shall
be provided through the state funded ESOL program or placement in a locally
developed language instruction educational program. ESOL language programs
shall address the English language proficiency standards needed to be
successful in the academic content standards. Approved instructional delivery
models include:
(i) Pull-out model - EL
students are taken out of a general education class for the purpose of
receiving small group language instruction from the ESOL teacher.
(ii) Push-in/Collaborative model (within
reading, language arts, mathematics, science, or social studies) - EL students
remain in the core academic class where they receive content instruction from
the content area teacher along with targeted language instruction from the ESOL
teacher.
(iii) Resource
center/laboratory - EL students receive language instruction in an individual
or group setting supplemented by multimedia materials or digital language
learning resources.
(iv) Scheduled
language acquisition - In a class composed only of ELs, students receive
language instruction in foundational social and instructional English and in
the academic languages of content from the ESOL teacher.
(v) Scheduled language acquisition at a
newcomer program - In a class composed only of ELs who are participating in a
newcomer program for recently arrived immigrants, students receive instruction
in foundational social and instructional English and in the academic languages
of content from the ESOL teacher.
(vi) Sheltered content - In a class composed
only of ELs, students at the middle and high school levels receive language and
content instruction from the content teacher with ESOL professional
qualifications.
(vii) Sheltered
content at a newcomer program - In a class composed only of ELs at the middle
and high school level who are participating in a newcomer program for recently
arrived immigrants, students receive language and content instruction from the
content teacher with ESOL professional qualifications.
(viii) Dual language immersion model -
students participating in a dual language immersion program receive English
language instruction from the teacher with ESOL professional qualifications
providing instruction during the English portion of the academic day.
(ix) Innovative delivery model approved in
advance by the Georgia Department of Education for traditional LEAs (without a
waiver of this rule or O.C.G.A. §
20-2-156).
(c) Language instruction curricula
and assessment.
1. Language instruction
educational curricula in the state funded ESOL program shall consist of plans
of instruction which are adapted to the English language proficiency of
students and are designed to develop:
1)
listening, speaking, reading, writing and American cultural concepts and
2) the language of academic
instruction used in language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, fine
arts and physical education.
2. All English learners shall be assessed
annually for language proficiency. ELs shall also participate in state
assessments pursuant to Georgia State Board of Education rule
160-3-1-.07 Testing Programs-Student
Assessment.
(d) Funding.
1. Students identified as eligible for
language instruction who are served by the state funded ESOL program shall
receive the equivalent of at least five segments per week of English language
instruction using ESOL curricula in allowable service delivery models. For
purposes of funding, ESOL served students in grades K-3 shall be counted for a
maximum of one segment at the ESOL weight; grades 4-8 students for a maximum of
two segments at the ESOL weight; and grades 9-12 students for a maximum of five
segments at the ESOL weight.
(i) The class is
limited to the maximum size specified in State Board of Education Rule
160-5-1-.08 Class Size.
(ii) The state funded ESOL program teacher
shall hold necessary and appropriate ESOL endorsement or ESOL certification
issued by the Georgia Professional Standards
Commission.
Notes
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