Who are English Learners?"English learner'' means a child who does not speak English or whose native language is not English, and who is not currently able to perform ordinary classroom work in English. (MGL-71A) For more information on the laws governing the public education of English Learners, please click on the buttons below.
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Mendon-Upton English Learners
The number of English Learners or Former English learners in the Mendon-Upton school district comprises 3.5% of the total student population. While these students represent a small percentage of the overall student enrollment, they enrich each school with cultural and linguistic diversity and are a very welcomed addition to our school community. Please read below to learn about the process for identifying, providing services, and exiting English Learners in the district.
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ScreeningWhen a student is first enrolled in a public school in Massachusetts, enrollment forms must be filled out by their parents or legal guardians. Among these forms is a form called the Home Language Survey. This form asks about the child's home language and whether another language is spoken at home. There are also questions related to family member's first language. If the answer to any question on the survey indicates that the child's first language is not English or a caretaker or someone in their family speaks a language other than English with that child, or in the home, the child will be screened for English proficiency using a state approved screening tool. For more about EL assessment please see the RESOURCES tab.
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ServicesOnce it is determined that a child is not proficient in English, that student is now categorized as an English Learner. ELs in the Mendon-Upton school district are placed in a program called Sheltered English Immersion (SEI). In this model of instruction, students are placed in a regular education classroom with English as the primary mode of instruction taught by a certified SEI instructor who can make accomodations and modify the content depending on the student's language proficiency. These students will also receive services from a licensed EL Teacher. The amount of service time the student receives depends on their level of proficiency and current state guidelines. Parent or guardian approval is required for EL services. To learn more about the English Language Development standards please click the RESOURCES tab.
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Exiting StudentsTo make the transition from an English Learner to a Former English Learner, the student must meet a specified score on the English proficiency test called ACCESS that is administered once a year. The student must also be be proficient, or showing growth in other assessments such as MCAS, school-wide benchmarks, and making progress in their classwork as determined by their content teachers. Once a student is exited from the program, they are still placed with SEI endorsed teachers and monitored for four years by the EL teacher. Monitoring the student's progress via teacher communication, grade review, and state-wide assessment ensures the student is able to do well without additional support from the EL teacher. To learn more about EL program guidance, please click the RESOURCES tab.
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