Workshop Objectives
Workshop participants will:
1. Learn become familiar with the revised charter law that governs the education of
students who are English Language Learners;
2. Develop a clear definition of who an English Language Learner is;
3. Become familiar with the compliance requirements & regulations that govern the
education of ELLs;
4. Learn strategies for recruiting ELLs to participate in the admissions lottery; and,
5. Learn strategies for identifying ELLs.
1
Quiz on English Language Learners
Directions: Read the following statements and determine if each is either TRUE or FALSE.
1. English Language Learners (ELLs) are only students from homes where a language other
than English is spoken. _____________
2. One in four students in New York City is an English Language Learner. _____________
3. The revised Charter law does not require schools to meet enrollment and retention
targets for students with special needs as well as those who are ELLs. _____________
4. There are three (3) subpopulations of English Language Learners. _____________
5. Charter schools do not have to adhere to Chancellor’s Regulations. _____________
6. Charters must demonstrate that they have a well defined program to support academic
success and English language proficiency among ELLs. _____________
7. The Home Language Survey (HLIS) should only be administered to ELLs and immigrant
families. _____________
8. The New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT) is
administered only annually. _____________
9. The HLIS should be administered to every incoming student and the administration
should be done by anyone in the school. _____________
10. Schools should only administer the Language Assessment Battery-Revised (LAB-R) to
only students who they know are ELLs. _____________
2
Quiz on English Language Learners (Answer Sheet)
Directions: Read the following statements and determine if each is either TRUE or FALSE.
1. English Language Learners (ELLs) are only students from homes where a language other
than English is spoken. FALSE. ELLs are students from homes where a language other
than English is spoken and who score below a State designated level of proficiency on a
test of English language skills.
2. Approximately 1 in 4 students in New York City is an English Language Learner. TRUE.
Approximately 26% of students in an ELL.
3. The revised Charter law does not require schools to meet enrollment and retention
targets for students with special needs as well as those who are ELLs. FALSE. Schools
are required to meet enrollment targets for ELLs and SPED set forth by the state
authorizers.
4. There are three (3) subpopulations of English Language Learners. FALSE. There are five
subpopulations of ELLs: New Comers; Long term ELLs; ELLs with special needs; Students
with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE); and former ELLs.
5. Charter schools do not have to adhere to Chancellor’s Regulations. TRUE. Charters do
not have to adhere to Chancellor’s Regulations (Part 154) when serving ELLs.
6. Charters must demonstrate that they have a well defined program to support the
academic success and English language proficiency among ELLs. TRUE.
7. The Home Language Survey should only be administered to ELLs and immigrant families.
FALSE.
8. The New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT) is administered
only annually. TRUE.
9. The HLIS should be administered to every incoming student and the administration should be
done by anyone in the school. FALSE. It should be administered to every incoming student and
done only by a pedagogue.
10. Schools should only administer the Language Assessment Battery-Revised (LAB-R) to only
students who they know are ELLs. FALSE. The tests should be administer to students when the
staff is not sure if the child is an ELL. It’s a test of verification.
3
“Laws of New York/Education/Article 56 (Charter Schools)”
§ 2854. General requirements.
2.Admissions; enrollment; students.
(a) A charter school shall be
nonsectarian in its programs, admission policies, employment practices,
and all other operations and shall not charge tuition or fees; provided
that a charter school may require the payment of fees on the same basis
and to the same extent as other public schools. A charter school shall
not discriminate against any student, employee or any other person on
the basis of ethnicity, national origin, gender, or disability or any
other ground that would be unlawful if done by a school. Admission of
students shall not be limited on the basis of intellectual ability,
measures of achievement or aptitude, athletic ability, disability, race,
creed, gender, national origin, religion, or ancestry;
provided,
however, that nothing in this article shall be construed to prevent the
establishment of a single-sex charter school or a charter school
designed to provide expanded learning opportunities for students at-risk
of academic failure or students with disabilities and English language
learners; and provided, further, that the charter
school
shall
demonstrate good faith efforts to attract and retain a comparable or
greater enrollment of students with disabilities, English language
learners, and students who are eligible applicants for the free and
reduced price lunch program when compared to the enrollment figures for
such students in the school district in which the charter school is
located.
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/psc/law.html
How do I meet my enrollment target for ELLs?
NYSED Demographic comparison Table: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/psc/startcharter.html
4
ELL Subpopulations
Newcomers: Students who are new to the United States. These students are clustered in early
elementary and early high school grades. (Note that 43% of all ELLs are foreign born)
Long-term ELLs: Students who have completed at least six years of ELL services in NYC schools and
continue to require them. (Almost 13% 2009 data)
ELLs with Special Needs: ELLs served by and Individualized Education Plan (IEP). An IEP team
determines eligibility for special education services and, if eligible, the language in which the special
education is delivered. (Almost 22%)
Students with Interrupted Formal Education: ELLs who have entered a US school after second grade;
have had at least two years less schooling than their peers; function at least two grade years below
expected grade level in reading and math; and may be pre-literate in their first language. (Almost 11%
have been SIFE at some point in their lives)
Former ELLs: Students who have reached proficiency on a test of English language skills and no longer
require ELL services.
Top Languages Five (5) Spoken by ELLs
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Spanish (68% of ELLs)
Chinese (11%)
Bengali (btwn 2.3-2.9%)
Arabic (btwn 2.3-2.9%)
Haitian Creole (between 2.3-2.9%)
5
Strategies for Recruiting ELLs
1. Ethnic Media
a. New York Community Media Alliance
http://www.indypressny.org/nycma/voices/457/
i. 350 weeklies;
ii. 26 foreign-language dailies;
iii. A readership of well over 3.5 million of which 1.8 million have little or no
English-language skills, according to the Mayor's Office on Immigrant
Affairs.
2. Mayor’s Office on Immigrant Affairs
http://www.nyc.gov/html/imm/html/home/home.shtml
3. NY Immigration Coalition
http://www.thenyic.org/
4. Religious organizations
5. Community Based Organizations that serve immigrant populations (CBO’s)
6. Local politicians—leave brochures & flyers in their offices as well as ask them which
CBO’s should you particularly target
6