En Engl glish ish La Language nguage Le Learner rners s Task sk For orce ce: : Rep epor ort t to Bos o Boston on Sch choo ool l Com ommitt mittee ee No Novembe ember r 7, , 2018
EL ELLTF F Ba Back ckgr ground ound The English Language Learners (ELL) Task Force of the Boston School Committee was created in October 2009 for the following purposes: Provide guidance to the School Committee and the Superintendent regarding a vision and a plan of action to respond appropriately to the growth in the numbers of students whose first language is a language other than English. Identify mechanisms to address the needs of ELLs. Monitor the district’s progress in meeting the educational needs of ELLs. 2
EL ELLs Ls in in B BPS PS At least forty-nine 49% of BPS students have a first language that is not English. 31% of BPS students are identified as English learners (17,442 ELLs). 74+ first languages are spoken by BPS ELLs. Source: BPS. Data includes active BPS K0-12 students as of April 17, 2018, Aspen SIS (includes in-district Horace Mann charter schools; excludes student outplacements).
EL ELL-SWDs WDs in in BP BPS There is substantial overlap between ELLs and students with disabilities (SWDs). One-third (34%) of all students with One-fifth (22%) of all English learners are disabilities are English learners (3,802 students). students with disabilities (3,802 students). Source: BPS. Data includes active BPS K0-12 students as of April 17, 2018, Aspen SIS (includes in-district Horace Mann charter schools; excludes student outplacements).
EL ELLTF F Go Goal als 1. Recognize and promote BPS as a multilingual, multicultural district 2. Promote and monitor progress in distributing responsibility for outcomes of ELL students to all parts of the BPS organization 3. Continue to monitor, assess, and advocate to improve: • School district data systems and the use of technology • Impacts of student assessment and assignment policies on ELLs • ELL program quality • Engagement of families of ELLs and linguistic minority communities • Services to and outcomes for ELL students with disabilities (ELLSWD) • Human capital alignment with ELL needs 5
EL ELLTF F Com omposi ositi tion on / / Or Organ aniz izati ation on 18 volunteer members ( see Appendix 1 ) The ELLTF and its subcommittees. . . Bi-monthly meetings • Interact with the BPS Offices of Subcommittees that work in target areas English Learners, Special Education, Engagement, Data and • Data (SY17-18: Janet Anderson and Miren Uriarte; SY18-19: TBD) Accountability, Human Capital, as well as with the Chief of Schools, • Program Quality (SY17-18: Diana Lam; Budget Office, Office of SY18-19: Suzanne Lee) Opportunity Gaps, Department of • English Learner Students with Strategy, and others. Disabilities (ELSWD) (Maria de Lourdes Serpa and John Mudd) • Engage with parents and • Parent Engagement (Rev. Cheng Imm Tan) community-based organizations. • Human Capital (Suzanne Lee and John Mudd) 6
EL ELLTF F Act ctiv ivit itie ies 2 s 2017-20 2018 Monit itor or Assess Advocate • School district data • ELL program • To improve ELL systems and use of quality family and technology related to community ELLs engagement • ELL impacts of student • To improve human assignment and capital alignment assessment with ELL needs • Services and outcomes for ELL students with disabilities (ELSWDs) 7 See Appendices 2A-2E for detailed activity reports by subcommittee area.
Con onti tinu nuin ing g Chal allen lenge ges: s: The e Detai Details • Inconsistent analysis of district data by ELL/FELL, by ELD level, and Data and by language group information • Remaining questions about Opportunity Index and immigrant gaps students • Analysis of the ELL overlay to understand impact on EL students and Student programs assignment • Concern about balance between “choice” and program fidelity • Lack of comprehensive school-level engagement strategy • Limited effective methods for evaluating the quality of parent ELL parent engagement — inadequate data at district and school levels engagement • Need for ongoing observation of implementation of training on Culturally and Linguistically Sustaining Practices (CLSP) 8
Con onti tinu nuin ing g Chal allen lenge ges: s: The e Detai Details • Need to develop further a clear strategic vision for growth of ELL Program program and implementation of high-quality programs allowed by the quality LOOK Act • Incomplete data on staff members’ language skills • Barriers to deployment of staff with specific language skills to meet students’ language needs Gaps in • Limited accountability for hiring of culturally and linguistically appropriate appropriate staff as a requirement for proficiency in the evaluation of staffing principals • Inadequate comprehensive professional development that enhances culturally and linguistically sustaining practices across the district ELL students • Lack of systems for understanding student language and learning needs with • Absence of systems to meet those needs with adequate bilingual staffing disabilities 9
Con onti tinui nuing ng Chal allen lenges ges: : Fi Findi nding ngs on s on ELS ELSWDs WDs TEACHER/STUDENT LANGUAGE MATCH ACHIEVEMENT ELSWD Students in BPS 3,802 ELSWD students are the # of Bilingual Special Ed Teachers 16 lowest-achieving subgroup. In 64 # of Bilingual Speech & Language 26 reporting Therapists schools # of Bilingual Paraprofessionals 58 Summary of findings: • teacher/student language match in a minority of schools • no systems to track data on language match • no planning systems for linguistic staffing needs INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAMS (IEPs) In a review of 26 IEPs for ELLs, none included mention of access to native language, adapting to students’ cultural needs, or second language learning objectives. 10
Con onti tinu nuin ing g Chal allen lenge ges: s: The e Bi Big Pi Pict ctur ure Take ELLs into account in all Acknowledge that one-half of BPS decision-making — from BPS students are bilingual and data, to academics, to SELWELL, one-third are ELLs. to staffing, and so on. Recognize and promote BPS as a multilingual, multicultural district. Take students’ language into Engage cultural and linguistic account consistently — in all minority communities in areas, but especially in decision-making regarding assessment, placement and BPS policy. service delivery for ELLs. 11
Req eques uest t t to B o Bos oston on Sch chool ool Com ommi mitt ttee ee Reauthorize the ELLTF for School Year 2018-2019 Appoint new members (replace departing members): • Lisette Le • Julia Mejia • Marie St. Fleur • Dr. Ana Solano-Campos 12
Li List o st of Ap Append endic ices es Appendix 1: List of Task Force Members Appendix 2: Subcommittee Activities and Progress for 2017-2018 Appendix 2A: Data Subcommittee Appendix 2B: Program Quality Subcommittee Appendix 2C: ELLSWD Subcommittee Appendix 2D: Parent Engagement Subcommittee Appendix 2E: Human Capital Subcommittee 13 13
Ap Append endix ix 1: 1: E ELL LL Tas ask For orce ce Mem ember ers • Dr. Andres Alonso , Harvard Graduate School of • John Mudd , Advocate Education • Alejandra St. Guillen , City of Boston, Office for • Janet Anderson , EdVestors Immigrant Advancement • Farah Assiraj , Founder & Executive Director, • Cheng Imm Tan , Parent and Educational Peregrinum Consultant • Paolo de Barros , Catholic Charities Teen Center • Dr. Miren Uriarte, Co-Chair and CVC-Unido • Nominating Lisette Le , Executive Director, VietAID • Dr. Patricia Crain de Galarce , Lesley College • Nominating Julia Mejia , Founder/Executive • Geralde Gabeau , Immigrant Family Services Director, Collaborative Parent Leadership Action Institute Network (CPLAN) • Robert Hildreth , Families United in Educational • Nominating Marie St. Fleur, J.D. , St. Fleur Leadership Communications; Former State Representative • Suzanne Lee, Co-Chair • Nominating Dr. Ana Solano-Campos , Professor of • Dr. Maria de Lourdes S erpa, Lesley College Education, UMass Boston 14
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