The Maine DOE is reminding superintendents, Infinite Campus (IC) data managers, building administrators and school office personnel of the expectation to identify English learners for the EPS October 1 Enrollment Reporting requirement due Oct 31.
The identification of Maine’s English learners is critical to ensuring that the required services and assessments are provided.
Districts should be including the Home Language Survey in their preK-12 newly enrolled package typically given to new students on the first day of enrollment in the district. The questions presented indicate if the WIDA Advanced Placement Test (W-APT) is to be administered to determine if the student is limited English proficient (LEP).
When enrolling a student in IC, indicate if the student is a “refugee” on the student’s enrollments tab.
The federal government defines a refugee as “any person who is outside any country of such person’s nationality or, in the case of a person having no nationality, is outside any country in which such person last habitually resided, and who is unable or unwilling to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of, that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. The definition of refugee includes individuals fleeing or fearful of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.”
On the student’s Identities tab in IC, select the primary language of the English learner from the “Home Primary Language” dropdown menu. The available languages codes can be found here.
Check the box “immigrant” on the student’s Identities tab, if applicable, and add the date first enrolled in a U.S. school.
The term “immigrant children and youth” is defined in section 3301(6) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as individuals who are aged 3 through 21; were not born in any state; and have not been attending one or more schools in any one or more states for more than 3 full academic years.
Under the ESEA section 3101(14), the term “state” refers to each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the commonwealth of Puerto Rico. For this reason, children born overseas to U.S. military personnel, can fall within the ESEA definition of “immigrant child and youth” if they meet all of the other criteria.
It is important to indicate limited English proficient (LEP) in IC for every English learner and to select the type of program of services being provided. LEP Services can be found on page 16 of the Department’s Data Standards Documents for Students.
The LEP module provides label data for the annual assessment of ACCESS for ELLs. In addition, under State reporting, assessment reports a district can refer to the ACCESS for ELLs report to review the list of English learners enrolled in its district who have not attained proficiency at a composite score of level 6 or above on the ACCESS for ELLs assessment and therefore must participate in the administration of that assessment.
Look for the following section:
The following students are NOT flagged as LEP for your district in Infinite Campus State Edition. These students took ACCESS for ELLS last year and DID NOT score 6 or above. Labels will be ordered for these students and they MUST be tested. Your district is losing money by not flagging these students as LEP.
In addition, English learners who have attained proficiency with a composite score of Level 6 or above on the ACCESS for ELLs should have the “exit” indicated. If “exit” is not indicated, the assessment report will inform a district of those English learners who should be flagged “exit” and are not to participate in the ACCESS for ELLs assessment.
Look for the following section:
The following students have already attained a composite score of level 6 or above on ACCESS for ELLS. These students SHOULD NOT be tested this year and should have their designation changed to Exited LEP as they are not considered to be LEP students any longer. These students do, however, need to be monitored for the next two years. Labels WERE NOT ordered for these students.
For English proficiency and Title III policy-related questions, please contact the Department’s ESL Program Director Nancy Mullins at nancy.mullins@maine.gov or 624-6788. For Infinte Campus technical assistance, contact the MEDMS Helpdesk at medms.helpdesk@maine.gov or 624-6896.