Language Assessment: California State law, Education Code Section 300 - 340, requires all school districts to survey which languages are spoken in the home of newly enrolled students. Each student who comes from a home where a language other than English is spoken is assessed with the English Language Proficiency Assessments of California (ELPAC). The ELPAC measures the student’s level of English language proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Language Designation and Program of Instruction: You will be notified of the results which determine your child’s language designation either English Learner, Fluent English Proficient, or Reclassified Fluent English Proficient. For TK/K through 5th grade English Learners are placed in either Mainstream English classrooms or the Dual Language Program. For grades 6th – 12th English Learners receive an English Language Development (ELD) course as part of their core instruction.

Annual Assessment of Progress in English: Those students who are designated English Learners are tested annually for their progress towards becoming Fluent English Proficient in Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing using the ELPAC until they meet the criteria and are reclassified to Fluent English Proficient (R-FEP).

Language Acquisition Programs

Structured English Immersion (SEI) Program: In this program, nearly all classroom instruction is provided in English. The curriculum presentation is designed for English Learners. At a minimum, students are offered English Language Development (ELD) and access to grade-level academic subject matter content. Supplemental intervention using the home language is provided based on the student’s individual academic needs. The goal of this program is proficiency only in English.

Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Program Alternative: Also referred to as Two-Way Immersion. This is an enriched bilingual program offered to provide instruction in Spanish and English to students whose parent chooses it. Parents of English Learner students, at all levels of proficiency in English, and at any time of enrollment may request this option for their child. In this program, the core subjects are taught in both languages with the objective that the students become bilingual and bi-literate. The same state content standards, materials, and CAASPP assessments are used as in the regular classes. English Language Development is provided as part of the alternative program core curriculum and measured annually using the ELPAC. Our program follows the 90:10 model in which the percent of instruction initially in kindergarten is greater in Spanish and gradually decreases to 50:50.

English Language Mainstream (ELM) Program: This is an option for students who are gaining fluency in oral English but do not meet the minimum proficiency requirements in reading, writing, and mathematics in English for their grade level. In this program, your child is placed in a regular classroom. Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies are taught in English. English Language Development (ELD) and SDAIE (Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English) strategies are used as needed, determined by the teacher.

Parent Choice: Parents/Guardians may choose a language acquisition program that best suits their child. Schools, in which the parents or legal guardians of 30 pupils or more per school or the parents or legal guardians of 20 pupils or more in any grade request an alternative language acquisition program that is designed to provide language instruction, shall be required to offer such a program to the extent possible. (EC Section 310[a]) Bishop Unified School District offers the Spanish-English Dual Language Program at Kindergarten through 5th grade at Bishop Elementary School as the alternative bilingual program option.

Parent Right: Parents of English learners have a right to decline English Learner services for their child. However, our schools remain obligated to provide the student with meaningful instruction until he/she is reclassified, inform the parent when progress is not made, and offer the parent programs and services to consider at that time.

Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee: We encourage your participation in your school’s English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) which meets to review programs and advise the school administration on programs and services. Parents may also provide input regarding language acquisition programs during the development of the Local Control Accountability Plan. Please contact the school office to become involved.

If you have any questions regarding program options, your child’s placement, or the ELAC, please contact the school office and ask to speak to the bilingual department.

Gretchen Skrotzki
BES Principal
Bishop Elementary School / 760.872.1278
gskrotzki@bishopschools.org

Nancy Hagopian
Hispanic Liaison
Bishop Elementary School / 760.872.1278
nhagopian@bishopschools.org