Title+III+application+2008-09

SLHS (Deborah Wilkes)
 * Section 3-B List the types of ongoing assessments utilized to monitor the progress of LEP students in all grades and subjects. These formative assessments are conducted during instruction to measure how students are learning and progressing on a daily basis. The results of these assessments help the teacher adjust instruction to meet the specific needs of students. Examples include various types of portfolios, student demonstrations, journals, teacher-made tests, and meaningful homework. (Exclude EOCs, EOGs, IPT, standardized tests, or other State mandated tests.)**

-teacher observations/anecdotal documentation -teacher-made quizzes, tests including Accelerated Reader tests, CMS, Exam View, content area Test Generator programs -chapter /unit tests, quizzes from textbook -portfolio of student work - rubrics to assess writing, portfolios, presentations, class participation, effort etc - mid-term assessment (locally standards-based) - journals - running records -daily grades – assesses class work completion & achievement

Edwards (Mark Hildreth, Angelica Rodriguez)  ·   It is essential that the ESL teacher communicate with core teachers with regard to ESL students’ progress, as the core teachers can accurately pinpoint student strengths and weaknesses. ·   Monitoring of the ESL students during and after plan implementation to obtain feedback. Question 1: Multiple avenues, both formal and informal, are used to share data among administrators, content teachers, ESL teachers, and relevant specialists. These include: - ESL database from C.O. with all necessary data, including current language assessments, sent to ESL teachers, testing coordinators and administrators, when necessary - LEP teams: standing teams made up of classroom teachers, administrators, ESL personnel and any other designees, to discuss issues including, but not limited to, accommodations, placement and services, and retention - Formal assessments: These include report cards, progress continuums, and standardized tests. Quarterly exams, K-2 assessments, and EOG's/EOC's are all used and analyzed, and the data is often disaggregated to highlight the performance of LEP students, both individually and as a group. - Conferences: Performance is also discussed informally. Parent contacts are made on a consistent basis, often involving both ESL and content teachers, and anecdotal information is shared among professionals regularly. - Classroom/Technology: Technology-based assessment programs produce data for LEP students that is available to all relevant staff. Accelerated Reader, Accelerated Math, STAR, Aims/Webb, etc., offer performance indicators that are used in gauging the overall academic standing of particular students. -Cumulative Records: A host of data is stored in the cumulative file, including testing labels, report card grades, attendance information, and special education information, and this information is accessible to relevant administrators and teachers.
 * 3C What is the process for sharing data that is illustrative of LEP student performance with administrators, ESL teachers, and content teachers? How will your LEA identify and assist students, including students in Grades K-2, who are having difficulty meeting academic standards?**
 * The mainstream teacher will provide, report cards, test scores, and behavior updates to the ESL teacher during the school year. If students are struggling, notify the administrators about measure of difficulties of the students to find solutions.
 * The ESL teacher, mainstream teachers, and administrators collaboratively decide about an action plan to help the students’ weaknesses. Present the plan to the parents for approval or disapproval.

Question 2: There are a number of avenues used to identify and assist students, including: - Standardized Testing Data: IPT, EOG/EOC, etc., scores are often used to target students who are failing to meet standards or progress at an appropriate rate. Service decisions such as Title I placement are made primarily, though not exclusively, using standardized data. - Consultative Updates: LEP students not served directly are monitored by ESL and content teachers and interventions or changes in service are made based upon classroom observation and performance. - PEP: Students who are failing to meet standards are given PEPs in varying formats with targeted areas of need and instructional strategies designed to address those needs. - Modified Instruction/Testing Accommodations: LEP students who are performing below standard or who demonstrate the need for accommodations based upon their specific language/learning profile are offered modified instruction and/or assignments in the classroom and receive appropriate accommodations in testing situations. - School-based initiatives: LEP students are targeted based on multiple data sources for school based programs that may include after-school assistance, individual tutoring, Saturday classes, mentoring programs, etc. - ESL/SIOP/Inclusion: Students receive ESL services based upon need, with those scoring lowest on language assessments receiving the most help. - RTI/TAT: Students identified by teachers as struggling academically are also eligible, as all others, to be put into the referral process for Exceptional Education Services.

Broadway (Angela Ayala, Isabel Monsalve, and Julio Oliveros) Administrators, ESL teachers, and content teachers will collaborate to empower students to meet academic standards by: Administrators, ESL teachers and content teachers are working hard on being aware of the individual LEP students’ strengths and weaknesses, however, it is an aspect we all need to keep on improving every day at our school. All of the aspects mentioned in the first point have been happening in the school year 2007-2008 and they will be enhanced and refined for next year after evaluating the good and bad experiences we have been going through. Some examples are: accommodating a better and bigger place for the open house, reserving a time to attend the level grade planning sessions, looking for new and different ways of working with the direct students together with the classrooms teachers in order for them to gain more confidence and succeed in their learning process.
 * Section 3-D How will administrators, ESL teachers, and content teachers collaborate to empower students to meet academic standards? Are administrators, ESL teachers, and content teachers aware of individual LEP students' strengths and weaknesses? Provide some specific examples how this will occur.**
 * __ 1. __**
 * Organizing an “Open House” just for non English speaker patents, to introduce the contents, objectives to be achieved, goals of each subject expectations and standards to be reached during the development of each particular class.
 * Giving the parents recommendations on how to help students at home, even if they cannot speak, read or, write in English at home.
 * Giving all the written material needed in Spanish for the parents to be aware and to understand better the general and/or specific information given in the “Open House”
 * Having communication by different means with parents (conferences, phone calls, letters, etc) to have them currently informed about their child performance in class.
 * Participating in grade planning meetings whenever the content teachers have them, in order to be aware of the topics the students are going to study; and plan how to help them to have their best performance during the development of each unit, class, etc.
 * Sharing information with the content teachers often, to keep track on how students are doing and on their strengths and weaknesses as well.
 * Promoting the development of differentiated activities in the regular classes for LEP students including accommodations in the reading first program that takes place at Broadway Elementary School.
 * Make sure students count on the opportunity to have ESL Saturday classes to review Math and Reading contents for each grade level as a way to help them be successful in the EOG tests.
 * __ 2 __**
 * __ 3. __**

Deep River Elementary Noemy Elizondo Yolanda Gierbolini a. Translate teacher documents sent home. b. Report Card meetings Instead of having one-on-one conferences, have a Latino parent meeting; discuss general information, and meet with parents. c. Bilingual social worker or decision-maker leader should talk to uncompromised parents and convince them of integrating to school community. d. Evening tutorials for parents, to work in how to help with homework and others. (also at Plaza Comunitaria) e. Parent Day at school; once a year teacher or students choose a parent to be teacher or teacher-assistant for a day. f. International Festival family project (//presentations, posters, demos, role playing, etc.)// g. parents as guest speakers
 * Section 4-A Describe how parents and community members participate in class and school activities. Include opportunities that support student achievement, such as appropriate family projects, student/parent created newsletters, reading logs, including parents as guest speakers or activity helpers, and student-led portfolio reviews. (Note: Parent/Teacher conferences and allowing parents to come at any time are certainly good practices, but they are not sufficient to answer this question completely.)**

Bullock (Tim Burriss, Adriana Luz Sierra)

Eilem Arellano (Ingram)** 1.Answer a survey/questionnaire 2. Is the LEP program meeting the needs of their children? 3. Other ways to support and help their children
 * Section 4-B Describe how parents and community members will be involved in the decision-making process that occurs when the Title III application is created, reviewed, and revised to meet the needs of students. (For example, you may share the program design, results and implementation strategies in a comfortable setting; engage participants in meaningful discussion and utilize their feedback. This might occur as a series of sessions throughout the school year and/or a function of a Parent Advisory Board.0
 * Parents shall receive information describing programs for LEP students (Parent Notifications are not enough):
 * 1) Reasons for identifying and placing their child in LEP programs.
 * 2) The process of testing and results.
 * 3) Methods of LEP instruction: to meet the needs of their children, help them learn English and achieve in the regular classroom
 * 4) Requirements for exiting
 * Parents shall be encouraged to participate in discussions:
 * Implement an English Learner Advisory Committee with the participation of:
 * 1) parents
 * 2) school faculty and staff
 * 3) PTO
 * 4) Members of the community
 * 5) Students (high school)

Tramway (Laura Lee Matthews) Elda E. McGrath (Deep River) ·  Positive communication is encouraging; call each parent to tell him or her, something good about their children. ·  Create a monthly newsletter to keep them informed about events, they can participate and show their children, how much they care. ·  Provide materials about reading, school rules, etc., every parent needs to know how the school system works and help their children to succeed. ·  I believe it is very important for the parents to learn how to read in Spanish or English, and to learn to speak English, that way they could be aware of what is going on with the academics of their children. ·  Have Family nights at school; send invitations to all the Hispanic parents for a family night. Bring a presenter to provide information about important issues and answer questions about their concerns. Always provide interpreters!
 * Section 4C Describe how parent and community participation is feasible and accessible**

A. How will you train ESL and content teachers to utilize the English Language Development Standard course of Study (ELD SCS)?
 * Section LEAs are required to provide high quality, on-going professional development to teachers, administrators, and school personnel. In addition, community-based organizations must be invited to such training opportunities.

5. Consult with teachers, researchers, school administrators, parents, and other education-related community groups in the development and completion of this grant. Sec. 3116 (b) (5) A.** Who will provide Input within your LEA? //The district should maintain and provide the LEA with appropriate data so that the success of its programs can be measured in terms of students performance. The data should be organized in a manner that enables the LEAs to evaluate students performance outcomes over time.

B.// Where and how often will you meet to discuss the development and completion of this Title III grant?

//The District should provide a calendar of education-related participation activities, programs and procedures. Annually, representatives of the education-related community (teachers, researchers, school administrators, parents) should meet in the Board of Education to document how the District has promoted language minority parents and community participation.//

Cristina Granados (Lee Senior High School.)

WLMS (Mary Sening) ELMS (Angel Mills)
 * Section 8. LEAs are required to provide high quality,on-going professional development to teachers, administrators, and school personnel. In addition, community-based organizations must be invited to such training opportunities.**
 * B. What opportunities are provided for teachers to integrate content, language acquisition, and the ELD SCS to make the NC Standard Courses of Study accessible to LEP students?**

 I. General Comments regarding Suggestion No. 1 (see bordered suggestion No. 1 immediately following comments) As an ESL teacher in Lee County, I feel that we are provided with excellent training on such topics as the ESL Standards, their implementation, SIOP, Teaching Reading, etc. Suggestion No. 1 takes this training one step further. It offers a way in which the money the County spends on training us can see faster results in the classroom. But first, we must ask, “What exactly is meant by //professional development//?” I believe the reason for using the term //professional development //instead of //professional training// in Section 8 of Title Three’s application is the realization that development involves not only the training received in a workshop, but also the further development outside the workshop consistent with a particular school’s LEP population, ESL program, and resources. In other words, implementing the often broad-ranging concepts and theories presented in our workshops often requires much more than putting together a unit of lessons. Rather, it involves, analyzing our students’ needs, scanning existing materials, and securing new materials, before finally putting together something akin to a curriculum and pacing guide. Here’s an example of what I mean: This year the workshop entitled “What’s Different about Teaching LEPs to Read” taught us that specific, sequential, direct instruction is the best approach to teach our LEP children to read. It was a great workshop, offering lots of strategies and insights. But it’s one thing to train us on the approach we should take and quite another to put this approach into practice. In conclusion, I believe that //professional development// entails a two step process: first workshop training and second, the analysis/development of the workshop’s concepts given a particular school’s ESL context. Suggestion No. 1 is meant to address how we can complete this second step. Suggestion No. 1- Independent Study Professional Development Option for ESL Teachers ESL teachers may submit a written proposal to the Program Director for professional development in the form of independent study related to the development and/or implementation of ESL research, concepts, and curriculum design. If approved, the teacher will receive CEU credit and professional leave to accomplish the study. His or her study shall be the property of the Lee County schools. II. General Comments regarding Suggestions No. 2 and 3 (see bordered suggestions No. 2 and No. 3 immediately following comments) Since LEP students are taught by regular teachers about 80% of the day, I think we can all agree that these students would greatly benefit if //many// more regular teachers received training on LEP students’ special needs. And because ultimately administrators are the persons responsible for the design of the ESL program at individual schools, training for them for them is critical too. The question is how can we get more teachers and administrators interested in the language acquisition training when their plates are so full with pressing tasks. I believe that one way to do this is to offer teachers and administrators the type of training which they readily recognize as making their //immediate// task at hand easier. What I am suggesting is personalized or tailor-made training/assistance. Here’s an example of how we could tailor our training to meet the needs of a particular principal. Each spring, for example, the ESL Contact Teacher could meet with ESL Program Director or her designee to discuss the characteristics of the next year’s LEP population and optimal ESL Program design, given the school's resources. Then, a meeting could be arranged with the principal to offer suggestions based on best practices, given the school’s limited resources. This meeting could also be used to provide the principal with ESL updates, and answer any questions he or she may have. Now let’s look at the possibility of establishing a protocol which provides personalized training for content area teachers. Instead of one generic training for all these teachers on how to teach their LEP populations, I would suggest that training/assistance be provided to small groups of teachers. One way this could work is as follows: The ESL teacher could give the Lead teacher a list of the teachers at his or her school who are teaching LEP students for whom modification is a necessity. Then, to the extent possible, training sessions tailor-made to the needs of the students and teachers could be provided at each school. If trainers would refer to students by names, discuss particular learning goals, provide concrete suggestions for alternative reading materials, I believe the teachers would not only better retain important concepts about language acquisition, but also be very grateful for the help. In conclusion, Suggestions Nos. 2 and 3 attempt to describe these personalized training approaches. Here’s something we could also consider: Should CEU credits be offered for the Lee County based trainers and trainees? Suggestion No. 2: Training for Administrators At least once a year, administrators shall receive personalized ESL Program training designed to update them on state and federal requirements pertaining to LEP students as well as assist them in understanding their ESL Program Design options for the upcoming year. This training shall be provided to administrators at their school site and be tailored to the needs of the particular school and their LEP population. Suggestion No. 3: Training for Content Area Teachers In the first two months of every school year, content area teachers of LEP students shall receive personalized training designed to teach them the ELD SCS as well as assist them in integrating content with language acquisition. This training shall be provided to teachers at their school site and be tailored to the needs of the particular teacher and his or her particular LEP students.