Title III, Part A: English Learner Acquisition
Title III, Part A: Fair-Mont-Egan School Program
Fair-Mont-Egan School (FME) sponsors an English Language Acquisition program. Title III, Part A is intended to help ensure that English Learners (EL) attain English proficiency and develop high levels of academic achievement in English, enabling students to meet state standards in all subject areas.
Title III, Part A: Identification of Students
Every parent/guardian fills out a Home Language Survey upon enrollment. If the Home Language Survey reports a language other than English is spoken at home, then the Testing Coordinator schedules a language proficiency screener (WIDA Screener). If the screener shows that the student is an English learner, then the EL Parent Letter is sent home, and the student is identified EL within the state’s system as well as in the district’s student information system.
Title III, Part A: Exiting Students from the EL Program
According to Montana’s definition of proficiency, a student must achieve an overall composite score of 4.7 or higher on the ACCESS for ELLs assessment to be considered proficient in academic English. Students at this level of academic English proficiency are statistically just as likely as their non-EL peers to achieve proficiency in other statewide math, science, and language arts assessments.
To exit the EL status, a student needs to do the following:
Meet the Montana proficiency level on the ACCESS assessment
Meet academic achievement expectations for their grade level
Have an English proficiency level sufficient to ensure full participation in society
Once the student meets all criteria listed above, the student may be exited from the EL program. Students will be redesignated as formally EL in AIM. The student is continued to be monitored and tested annually using ACCESS for two years following the exit.
Title III, Part A: Curriculum and Instruction
At FME, curriculum and instruction are data-driven and explicit. This means the teachers use direct instruction (I do, we do, you do) and constantly collect and analyze data to inform their practice. Students in all subjects and grade levels are taught using the adopted standards-based curricula.
Once a student is identified as EL, the intervention team and classroom teacher will meet to create a plan to support the student’s needs within the classroom and during intervention time. The plan may include providing core curricula in the students’ native language, using differentiated instruction in the classroom consistent with EL methods, particularly vocabulary development, and targeted instruction with a reading and math specialist through Title IA pullout interventions.
In EL pull-out interventions, teachers use the adopted, evidence-based curricula to support students in their English acquisition as well as to support their reading and math needs:
Reading: SIPPS - Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words
Reading: Rewards - fluency, vocabulary knowledge, and comprehension skills
Mathematics: Bridges in Mathematics
English Acquisition: Coming soon!
Title IA/Title III A eligible students receive interventions for 30 minutes each school day, per necessary subject. Students are pulled from their general education class at a time least likely to disrupt the regular instruction. Students are rarely pulled during music, art, or physical education as FME values “specials” in educating the whole child.
The teacher providing EL intervention will also participate in IEP and 504 meetings for any EL students who may qualify for special programs such as Special Education, 504 Plans, and/or Gifted and Talented Education.
If a student makes little to no progress in English proficiency, the intervention team and classroom teacher(s) will schedule a meeting to determine if a different intervention or classroom support is needed. A referral for a special educational evaluation may also be warranted if ample data shows a need.
Title III, Part A: Assessments
Requirements and Accommodations:
State Math (MAST) and Science (MSA) tests are required by MT OPI regardless of the student’s English proficiency or date of enrollment.
State English Language Arts (MAST) tests are generally required but are not required for newcomers during the first calendar year since the date of entry into the United States.
EL students are allowed all Universal Tools and some Designated Supports.
All EL students and those exited in the past two years will take the yearly ACCESS test (December-February test window).
Title I, Part A: Family Engagement
It is important that FME’s program be evaluated each year to ensure it continues to be effective and meet the needs of the students and families. Here is FME’s yearly plan for family engagement:
Spring:
Parents/Guardians are invited to the annual El review meeting.
ACCESS score reports are sent home.
As well, the many activities and events available to FME families can be found in the Family and Community Engagement Plan 23-25.