TITLE III: ENGLISH LEARNERS AND IMMIGRANT STUDENTS

Bixby Public Schools provides a program for Limited English Proficient/English Learners and Immigrant students to assist in learning English and to meet state academic content standards for PreK - 12th grade.

Limited English Proficient (LEP) = English Learners (EL)

Between the ages of 3 and 21
Enrolled/preparing to enroll in elementary or secondary school
Not born in the US or whose native language is not English
From an environment where language other than English significantly impacts English language proficiency
Has difficulty speaking, reading, writing, or understanding English sufficiently so that it denies the individual the:
- ability to meet the proficient level of achievement on state content assessments
- ability to successfully achieve in classrooms taught in English
- opportunity to participate fully in society

Federal Funds

Title III provides federal funds to implement supplemental instructional programs. These funds are used to provide language instruction programs for district EL students in elementary and secondary grades. Funds are also used to provide professional development for teachers to effectively instruct English Learners.

Title III Requires Annual Assessment of English Language Proficiency

Title III requires an annual assessment of the English language proficiency of all EL students in grades K-12 in the domains of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and comprehension. EL students must be assessed on an annual basis to assess individual growth in each domain, using the ACCESS Test. When a student receives a level of Fluent English Proficient (FEP) the student no longer receives supplemental EL services, but is monitored for three academic years to ensure continued academic progress.

Language Instruction Programs for English Learners

English Learners are offered a variety of language instruction educational programs. These services may be provided through a pullout model or an inclusion model. The EL pullout model requires students to leave the general education classroom for varying periods of time per day or week. Pullout programs provide intensive English language acquisition instruction. The inclusion model is used to teach content knowledge in the general education classroom, with instruction from the general education teacher(s). Support from the EL teacher or EL para may be provided in the inclusion model.

For questions regarding Title III-EL services, please contact Sherri McMillan, 918-366-2328, Executive Director of Educational Programs.

The following resources are from the WIDA website: http://www.wida.us/