Arkansas Department of Education Division of Elementary and Secondary Education Required Home Language Usage Survey, Entry/Exit Procedures, ELPA21 Screener, Summer Training

Memo Information

Memo Number
LS-18-083
Memo Date
4/2/2018
Memo Type
Administrative
Unit
Learning Services
Regulatory Authority
Response Required
NO
Attention
Federal Programs; Superintendents; Principals; Test Coordinator; Teachers; Curriculum Coordinator; School Counselor

Primary Contact Information

Memo Text

Required Home Language Usage Survey (HLUS) and Entry/Exit Procedures

 

As part of Arkansas’ transition to common Entry and Exit Procedures related to Language Minority Students in Arkansas under the ESSA plan, Arkansas requires that all incoming students to any Arkansas district complete the Arkansas Home Language Usage Survey (HLUS). The goal is to have a common process for determining Language Minority Students in Arkansas schools. Utilizing the new common HLUS goes into effect for ALL new students registering for the 2018-19 school year. This would apply to ALL incoming Kindergartners and students new to a given district. Every student must have this form on file in their cumulative folder. Districts do NOT have to ask current students who have completed an older version of a Home Language Survey to complete this new Home Language Usage Survey. However, if a student has not yet completed a similar survey, or a copy of a similar survey is not on file, then the student must complete this Home Language Usage Survey.

 

Attached to this memo is the English version of the Home Language Usage Survey (HLUS) along with translations in Arabic, Lao, Marshallese, Spanish and Vietnamese. These were also emailed to all ESOL Coordinators in January 2018. Please make plans now to use this new survey for registration for 2018-19 in Arkansas school districts. These are also available on the ADE English Learner’s website: https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/learning-services/english-learners/

Any answer other than English to questions 1-6 on the HLUS indicates that screening for English Language Proficiency is required.

 

An Entry and Exit Procedure Manual will be released late Spring 2018 detailing the process and providing sample forms for other purposes related to Entry/Exit Procedures as well. Training will be provided to districts related to the Entry and Exit Procedure Manual this summer. One may look at the Entry/Exit Procedures included on pages 122-125 of the Arkansas ESSA plan.

 

ELPA21 Screener Required for 2018-19

 

English Language Proficiency Screening is required for EVERY student who has a language other than English within the first 30 days of a school year or within the first 2 weeks that a student is enrolled if the student enrolls after the beginning of the school year. If a district discovers students who have not been screened and have been with the district for a long time, please contact Tricia Kerr to develop a plan on how to respond. Generally speaking, these students must be screened with an English Language Proficiency assessment as do all Language Minority Students to determine whether or not such students are an English Learner (EL) or a Former English Learner (Former EL). Districts must use the ELPA21 Screener for all ELP screenings for students enrolling for the 2018-19 school year. Districts may contact Alan Lytle, ADE EL Assessment Specialist, for more information about the ELPA21 Screener at alan.lytle@arkansas.gov or at 501-682-4558. ELPA21 information is also available on ADE’s website: https://dese.ade.arkansas.gov/Offices/learning-services/english-learners/elpa21 

Required District Processes Related to Language Minority Students

 

Districts must have a process in place to ensure that the HLUS is completed and reviewed, that appropriate data on Language Minority Students is entered correctly into eSchool, that ELP screening is conducted, that LMS students are correctly placed as an English Learner or Former EL, that appropriate language instruction educational programs/services are provided, and that Former ELs are monitored. Please refer to the ADE ESOL Program Guide for more information or contact Tricia Kerr at tricia.kerr@arkansas.gov or at 479-267-7450.

 

ADE English Learner Updates: ESSA, Entry/Exit Manual, ELPA21 Summer Training

 

Tricia Kerr and Alan Lytle will be providing a day of training at 15 sites this summer called “ADE English Learner Updates: ESSA, Entry/Exit Manual, ELPA21.” Districts are strongly encouraged to send at least one district administrator and ESOL staff to one of the training sessions. Arkansas’ ESSA Plan includes several key components for all districts as Arkansas seeks to meet the needs of English Learners in Arkansas. The first two-hours of the session are intended to help participants learn how schools and districts are going to be held accountable for English Learners’ progress to English Language Proficiency (ELP), how long Arkansas expects English Learners to take to become proficient in English, how Arkansas districts are to have common entry/exit criteria and procedures, and how parents of ELs are to be involved regarding English Learner services. The remainder of the day will focus on implementing the common Entry/Exit Manual and on the ELPA21 Screener, Summative Assessment, and Data Literacy as we seek to utilize ELPA21 data to inform instructional decisions and plans made for English Learners. Registration for all sessions is via escWorks utilizing the session ID numbers provided below. Participants may attend any location.

 

Location

Date

Time

Presenter

Registration Link/Session ID

Arkansas River ESC

June 5, 2018

8:30-3:30

Tricia Kerr & Alan Lytle

344023

Maumelle HS (Central AR area)

June 7, 2018

9:00-4:00

Tricia Kerr & Alan Lytle

346281

Eastern Arkansas Community College (Great Rivers ESC/Crowley's Ridge ESC)

June 8, 2018

8:30-3:30

Tricia Kerr & Alan Lytle

346289

South Central ESC

June 12

9:00-4:00

Alan Lytle

345185

Dawson ESC

June 14, 2018

8:30-3:30

Alan Lytle

345371

Northeast ESC

June 18, 2018

8:30-3:30

Alan Lytle

345977

Northwest Arkansas ESC

June 29, 2018

8:30-3:30

Tricia Kerr

345771

DeQueen/Mena ESC

July 2, 2018

9:00-4:00

Tricia Kerr

345476

Arch Ford ESC

July 9, 2018

8:30-3:30

Tricia Kerr

344121

OUR ESC

July 10, 2018

8:30-3:30

Tricia Kerr

348467

Southeast ESC

July 12, 2018

8:30- 3:30

Alan Lytle

344882

Guy Fenter ESC

July 17, 2018

9:00-4:00

Tricia Kerr

345342

Wilbur D Mills ESC

July 23, 2018

8:30-3:30

Alan Lytle

345362

Southwest ESC

July 24, 2018

8:30-3:30

Tricia Kerr

345512

North Central ESC

August 3, 2018

8:30-3:30

Alan Lytle

347866

 

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