Western Placer Unified School District - English Language Development

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Educational Programs

English Language Development

ELD Services California English Language Development Test Newcomer Programs Elementary Programs Secondary Programs Adult Programs English Learner Advisory Committee District English Learners Advisory Committee

ELD Services

Western Placer Unified School District provides many programs to support students who are learning English as a second language. Our goal is to move students through the five levels of English Proficiency quickly and thoroughly while concurrently enabling them to acquire grade level content.

Each school site tailors its English Language Development (ELD) program to meet the needs of its English Learners (EL) population while adhering to District policies, California state standards, and state and federal guidelines.

California English Language Development Test

Federal and state law require that any student enrolled in school in California who has a primary language other than English spoken in the home be assessed with the California English Language Development Test (CELDT) within his/her first 30 days of school. The CELDT test determines if the child is an English Language Learner (ELL). ELL students receive additional instructional support learning academic content and acquiring English proficiency. ELL students are monitored with the CELDT annually. They may take the assessment at any time from July to October 31st.

Newcomer Programs

Students who are encountering English for the first time may receive instruction at two Newcomer programs:

The Newcomer Program at Glen Edwards Middle School serves all qualifying district students in grades six through twelve. Middle school students attend regular classes for part of their day, while receiving additional instructional support through the Newcomer Program. High school students attend regular classes at Lincoln High School, busing to Glen Edwards Middle School for partial-day newcomer support.

Elementary Programs

English learners at the elementary sites are in regular education classrooms with teachers certified to develop their English language proficiency as well as provide comprehensive instruction in grade-level content in the core areas of language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science.

Secondary Programs

English learners at the middle schools and high schools are given content instruction by teachers certified to make their content accessible and comprehensible. Elective classes in English Language Development are also offered when necessary.

Adult Programs

English Language Development classes are offered for parents of WPUSD students through federal funding at a variety of sites. For more information, contact Lynn Kelso at lkelso@wpusd.k12.ca.us.

English Learner Advisory Committee

Every school site which has twenty-one or more English learners enrolled has an English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) for the families of these students. The ELAC meets four or five times a year to offer parents information about the educational programs for their English learners at the school and to give the parents the opportunity to give their input or opinions about issues that pertain to their students. Contact your school site for a calendar of ELAC dates for the 2012-2013 school year.

District English Learners Advisory Committee

The District English Learners Advisory Committee (DELAC) meets four times during the year either directly before or after ELAC meetings at school sites. The DELAC functions to keep the families of English learners informed about district programs and policies that support English learners. It also solicits parental involvement, input, and advice on topics of direct concern to English learners and their families.

The DELAC schedule of meetings will be posted after the school sites have established the dates for their ELAC meetings.