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Title III: English Learner Student Program

Title III English Learner Student Program Overview

The purpose of the Title III English Learner (EL) Student Program is to ensure that all EL students attain English proficiency, develop high levels of academic attainment in English, and meet the same challenging state academic standards as all other students. (20 United States Code § 6812.)

To support this goal, the U.S. Department of Education allocates Title III funds to state educational agencies, such as the California Department of Education, to provide sub-grants to eligible local educational agencies based on the number of EL students enrolled.

All school districts, county offices of education and direct-funded charter schools that report the enrollment of one or more EL students on the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System are eligible to participate in the Title III EL Student Program Sub-grant.

Funds must be used for the following supplementary services as part of the language instruction program for EL students:

  • Increase the English language proficiency of English learners by providing effective language instruction educational programs;
  • Provide effective professional development to classroom teachers, principals, school leaders, administrators, and other school or community-based personnel;
  • Provide activities and strategies that enhance educational programs for English learners, including parent, family, and community engagement.

Emergent Multilingual Learner Master Plan

During the 2022–2023 academic year, Campbell Union High School District (CUHSD) partnered with WestEd, a highly reputable nonprofit agency renowned for its expertise in educational support, to develop a comprehensive and strategic Multilingual Learner Master Plan. With a strong commitment to improving student achievement, enhancing educator effectiveness, and strengthening school leadership, WestEd brought a wealth of expertise to the Multilingual Learner Master Plan Development Committee, which was established and convened during the 2022–2023 academic year.

This plan serves as a framework for promoting the academic success, language proficiency, and overall well-being of Emergent Multilingual Learners.

Our Multilingual Learner Master Plan serves as a roadmap for improving instruction, services, and outcomes for Multilingual Learners. Its development was informed by recommendations from the CUHSD Equity Audit, the California English Learner Roadmap, state and federal policies, district demographics, and current research and toolkits published by the California Department of Education.

The plan includes identification and assessment procedures, instructional programs, language development pathways, instructional strategies, professional development for educators, family and community engagement, and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. It aims to ensure equitable access, academic success, and English language proficiency for Emergent Multilingual Learners while recognizing and valuing their linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

Our Multilingual Learner Master Plan provides

  • Clear and cohesive direction for addressing the unique needs of Multilingual Learners, including specific goals, strategies, and initiatives to guide administrators, educators, and stakeholders.
  • Equity and access to quality education through inclusive and supportive learning environments that reduce educational disparities.
  • Consistency and continuity in services by establishing research-based instructional practices, assessments, and language development programs across schools.
  • Collaboration among administrators, educators, families, and community partners to align efforts and share best practices.
  • Ongoing monitoring and evaluation to assess program effectiveness and continuously improve outcomes for Multilingual Learners.

English Learner Advisory Committees

District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC)

The District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) represents the interests of Emergent Multilingual and English Learner (EL) students and their families, advising CUHSD on programs designed to support these students. The committee discusses English Learner development classes, available support services, and strategies to strengthen the overall learning experience, while ensuring district decisions promote academic success and meaningful family and community voice.

2024–2025 DELAC Meeting Schedule

  • October 3, 2024 | 6:00–7:30 p.m.
  • December 4, 2024 | 6:00–7:30 p.m.
  • February 5, 2025 | 6:00–7:30 p.m.
  • April 2, 2025 | 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Meeting Location

CUHSD District Office Board Room
3235 Union Ave
San Jose, CA 95124

English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC)

The English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) is a school-site committee formed to address the unique needs and interests of Emergent Multilingual and English Learner students and their families. Composed of parents, guardians, and community members, ELAC provides input and guidance on programs and services that support Multilingual Learners.

ELAC promotes communication, collaboration, and engagement between schools and families, ensuring that family voices are heard and reflected in school planning and decision-making.

Requirement

Each California public school with 21 or more Multilingual Learners is required to establish an English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC).

Responsibilities

  • Advise the principal and school staff in the development of the site plan for Multilingual Learners and submit recommendations to the School Site Council for inclusion in the School Plan for Student Achievement.
  • Assist in the development of the schoolwide needs assessment.
  • Support efforts to increase parent and guardian awareness of the importance of regular school attendance.
  • Elect at least one representative to serve on the District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC). Districts with 31 or more ELACs may use proportional or regional representation.

California State Seal of Biliteracy

The California State Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by the state of California to high school graduates who have demonstrated proficiency in two or more languages, including English. The program was established in 2011 to encourage and recognize students who have attained high levels of proficiency in multiple languages.

To be eligible for the California State Seal of Biliteracy, a student must demonstrate proficiency in English and at least one other language, either by passing a proficiency exam or meeting other criteria established by the state or school district. The program is implemented at the district level, and each school district in California has its own eligibility criteria and requirements.

The California State Seal of Biliteracy is recognized by many colleges and universities, and can also have significant benefits for students in their future career opportunities. Students who earn the California State Seal of Biliteracy receive a special insignia on their diploma or transcript, and many districts hold special recognition ceremonies or events to honor these students.

Overall, the California State Seal of Biliteracy aims to promote and celebrate multilingualism and linguistic diversity in California, and to support the academic and career success of students who have demonstrated proficiency in multiple languages.

About the State Seal of Biliteracy

The Seal of Biliteracy is awarded by the Campbell Union High School District in accordance with Assembly Bill 815, which established the program to recognize students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation.

Program Goals

  • Encourage students, including Emergent Multilingual Learners, to develop and maintain biliteracy and multilingual skills.
  • Recognize and honor the district’s rich and diverse language assets.
  • Promote world language instruction across schools.
  • Foster cultural appreciation and cross-cultural understanding.
  • Provide employers with a way to identify candidates with biliteracy skills.

Benefits of Earning the Seal

  • College and Career Advantages: Recognized by colleges and valued by employers in multilingual fields.
  • Increased Language Proficiency: Strengthens academic language skills and cultural competence.
  • Personal Fulfillment: Honors students’ dedication to multilingual learning.
  • Enhanced Resume: Demonstrates unique skills and academic distinction.

Eligibility

Students wishing to receive the State Seal of Biliteracy must meet the following State requirements:

  1. Students must have completed all English-language arts (ELA) requirements for graduation with an overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or above in those classes.
  2. Students must have passed the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) in ELA (administered in grade eleven), or any successor test administered in grade eleven, at or above the “standard met” achievement level or at the achievement level determined by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SSPI).
  3. Students must demonstrate proficiency in one or more languages other than English through one of the following methods:
    1. Pass a foreign language Advanced Placement (AP) exam, including American Sign Language, with a score of three or higher.
    2. Pass an International Baccalaureate (IB) examination with a score of four or higher.
    3. Successfully complete a four-year course of study in a foreign language and attain an overall GPA of 3.0 or above in that course of study, and demonstrate oral proficiency comparable to that required to pass an AP or IB examination.
    4. If no AP examination or off-the-shelf language test exists and the district uses its own language examination, the school district must certify to the SSPI that the test meets the rigor of a four-year high school course of study and assesses speaking, reading, and writing.
    5. If a student seeks to qualify through a language that is not characterized by listening, speaking, or reading, or for which there is no written system, the student must pass an assessment of the communication modalities that characterize that language at the proficient level or higher.
    6. If a district offers a language examination in a language for which an AP or off-the-shelf examination exists, the district language examination must be approved by the SSPI.
    7. Pass the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) II foreign language exam with a score of 600 or higher.
  4. In addition to the requirements above, if the primary language of a pupil is other than English, the pupil must demonstrate an Oral Language Composite Score of 4 on the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC), or any previous or successor state English language proficiency assessment, in transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive (California Education Code Section 51461).

English Learner Reclassification

Reclassification is the process whereby an Emergent Multilingual Learner is Redesignated as a Fluent English Proficient (RFEP) student after meeting various linguistic and academic criteria set by the state and district.

California Education Code Section 313(f) identifies four required criteria for reclassification, but also allows for other measures to be included. The criteria are:

  1. Assessment of English language proficiency (ELP), using an objective assessment instrument, including, but not limited to, the state test of English language development; and
  2. Teacher evaluation, including, but not limited to, a review of the student’s curriculum mastery; and
  3. Parent/guardian opinion and consultation; and
  4. Comparison of student performance in basic skills against an empirically established range of performance in basic skills based on the performance of English proficient students of the same age.

The Campbell Union High School District has developed student reclassification policy and procedures on criteria set forth by California Department of Education (CDE) guidelines.

  1. Assessment of Language Proficiency (ELPAC) - Overall performance level of 4 or Alternate ELPAC overall level of 3;
  2. Teacher Evaluation - The teacher has determined that the student has demonstrated grade-level proficiency by a grade of C or better in grade-level English, LTEL course, or Credit Recovery Course. Note: Teachers who do not recommend the student for reclassification will follow the Student Intervention Plan form and will reassess the student's progress in six weeks.
  3. Local ELA Basic Skills Assessment - Comparison of student performance in basic skills against an empirically established range of performance in basic skills based on the performance of English proficient students of the same age.
  4. Parent/guardian consultation - Once the student meets the reclassification criteria, the parent/guardian is sent the Notification of Reclassification letter and acknowledges the student’s change in language classification to RFEP.

Note about EMAST when a student is not recommended

Note: In the event that a student has passed the ELPAC, met the grade level Local Assessment criteria for reclassification, and has not been recommended for reclassification, an Emergent Multilingual Academic Support Team (EMAST) meeting needs to be convened, and additional evidence should be collected and reviewed for a possible reclassification recommendation. If EMAST recommends that the student for reclassification, the supporting data, and appropriate EMAST documentation needs to be submitted to the District Multilingual Learner Program Coordinator for review and approval. EMAST is led by the principal (designee) and includes the ELA/ELD teacher, assigned counselor, ELA/ELD Department Chair, Multilingual Learner Teacher on Special Assignment, and Special Education Teacher and case manager if the student being reviewed has an IEP.

Monitoring Progress Of Reclassified Students

In accordance with State and Federal requirements, Campbell Union High School District monitors students who have redesignated from Emergent Multilingual Learner (EM) status to fluent English proficient (RFEP) status for a duration of four years. The purpose of this monitoring is to ensure that these students continue to make satisfactory academic progress and receive appropriate support.

Teachers and administrators closely track the English language development and academic performance of EL students in the areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. To facilitate consistent monitoring and data tracking, the district utilizes ELLevation, a web-based platform that integrates with the Student Information System (AERIES). This system enables administrators, counselors, specialists, and teachers to quickly access EL student data for various purposes, including:

  1. Monitoring student progress throughout the school year and informing instructional planning.
  2. Identifying students who require additional support through tiered interventions.
  3. Tracking student progress towards reclassification as fluent English proficient.
  4. Placing Emergent Multilingual Learners in appropriate programs based on their needs.
  5. Assessing whether schools and the district meet state and federal accountability criteria.

Assessments used for monitoring EL students include state-mandated exams like the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) and the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium summative assessment (CAASPP). Additionally, district and curriculum-embedded assessments are also employed. Site administrators, counselors, specialists, and teachers regularly review student data to continually monitor the progress of Emergent Multilingual Learners in achieving language development and academic content learning goals.

Reclassified students who face challenges in the core curriculum are provided access to tiered support services and interventions available to all students who are not meeting academic standards. These services are outlined in the Multi-tiered Integrated Intervention Support System. If a student's grades fall below grade level or they are not making satisfactory progress in any academic class, a meeting will be convened by the site administrator or designated staff members to evaluate the student's progress.

The progress of both ELs and reclassified students is annually examined and compared to data from native English speakers. This student achievement data is included in the CA Dashboard data for the school district.