Multilingual English Language Learning

Are you the parent or caregiver of a child who may be considered a Multilingual English-Language Learners (ML-EL)? Please make sure that you fill out the Primary/Home Language Survey when you enroll your child in his/her new school.

State and federal laws require that school personnel ensure the identification of students who are eligible for Multilingual English-Language Learners (ML-EL) services. The first step is to use the Primary/Home Language Survey on all incoming kindergartners and any new K-12 students ​during the enrollment process.

OESU is committed to supporting the academic and social needs of all Multilingual English-Language Learners (ML-EL) attending our schools and ensuring that ML-EL students can participate meaningfully and equally in educational programs. An ML-EL student is a learner whose home language is not English and who is developing proficiency in English, as determined by a state-approved English language proficiency assessment in Vermont. Historically terms have been used to describe the ML-EL students, including Multilingual English-Language Learners (ML-EL), English as a Second Language (ESL), Limited English Proficiency (LEP), English Learner (EL) and English Language Program (ELP). The OESU ML-EL Program is inclusive of students who fall into all of these categories.

Students are determined to be eligible for ML-EL Services through a screening and identification process.

1. At the time of registration, parents/guardians of each new student will complete the state required VT Primary/ Home Language Survey.  If any other language is indicated on the Survey, the ML-EL teacher assigned to that school is notified and provided with a copy of the Survey.
2. The ML-EL teacher assigned to the student’s school will review the survey, conduct any necessary interview and/or testing, and complete the OESU Screening Form for Multilingual English-Language Learners (ML-EL) Student Identification which can be found in the full OESU Lau Plan (below).
3. If it is determined that this student is an ML-EL student, the ML-EL teacher will develop an ML-EL Student Service Plan which outlines the nature and frequency of ML-EL services provided to the student that year.  The Service Plan will be revisited throughout the year and may be revised to meet the changing needs of the student. Parents/guardians will receive notification of assessment results and ML-EL status determination, as well as a copy of the ML-EL Student Service Plan (if applicable). Parents will be given an opportunity to ask questions or share their concerns.

Based on the screening and identification process, ML-EL students fall into one of three categories:

• Current ML-EL: An ML-EL student who qualified and is receiving services.
• Monitoring: An ML-EL student who has passed the ACCESS test must be, per VT regulations, monitored by a qualified ML-EL teacher for two years prior to fully exiting the program.  Students are listed as Monitoring Year 1 (MY1) or Monitoring Year 2 (MY2).  During this time, ML-EL teachers will review student academic records, assessment results and consult with teachers to ensure that the student’s academic progress is not being hindered by language proficiency.
• Exited: Following two years of monitoring, ML-EL students will exit the ML-EL program.

Vermont is a member of the WIDA Consortium. ML-EL instruction and Assessment Programs in Vermont are aligned with the WIDA Standards.  To learn more about the Standards and the WIDA Consortium visit the WIDA site. The WIDA standards include “Can Do” Descriptors for each grade level which outline what a student at each language proficiency level should know and be able to do.

• ​Translation Services​: All parents and guardians, including those who are non-native English speakers or who are still developing English proficiency, have the right to receive meaningful communication in a language they can understand. OESU will provide translation services for families in order to support access to their child’s educational program, including parent conferences, special education meetings, truancy hearings, open house events, field trip permission forms, report cards/progress reports and other critical school events and documents. Translation services provided by OESU are limited to only to school-related events and materials.

• State Assessments: Vermont regulations require that an ML-EL student continue with ML-EL programming until he or she passes the state ACCESS assessment or the school determines that the student is eligible to exit services based on other compelling local assessment data. ML-EL students are required to take all other state assessments unless he or she qualifies for an exemption as outlined by state or federal regulations.  For example, currently newcomer ML-EL students are exempt from participation in the state assessment (VTCAP) for English Language Arts if they have moved into the U.S. within one calendar year of the assessment window.  The student is, however, required to take the state math and science assessment.

• ML-EL Staff: Students who are Multilingual English-Language Learners (ML-EL) in grades K-12 are provided with a comprehensive ML-EL Program that is staffed by a highly qualified ML-EL teacher. The teacher focuses on meeting the needs of all students in the program in two areas: becoming proficient in the English language and adjusting to the school and community culture.

All school districts are required to maintain a current Lau Plan. The Lau (ELL) Plan is named from the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1974 decision in Lau v. Nichols to ensure that all students have equal access and that identical education does not constitute equal education under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The OESU Lau Plan will be updated periodically to ensure compliance with state and federal statutes and regulations.

OESU Lau Plan