Arkansas English Learner Entrance and Exit Procedures
English Learner Entrance and Exit Procedures Manual
Identifying which students in Arkansas are English Learners (ELs) is critical to the success of these students. To facilitate consistent identification of ELs, reclassification to Former English Learners (FELs), and monitoring of FELs, the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has standardized statewide entrance and exit procedures effective as of the 2018-19 school year. These standardized entrance and exit procedures were developed after consulting with 51 English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Coordinators throughout Arkansas and gathering feedback from ESOL Coordinator groups at several education service cooperatives, as well as in collaboration with the Arkansas English Learner/Title III Advocacy Group representing districts of various sizes throughout the state.
Home Language Usage Survey Verification Form
Occasionally, responses on a student’s HLUS may not correctly reflect the student’s Language Minority Student (LMS) status. The Home Language Usage Survey Verification Form (HLUS-VF) was created for Arkansas schools to document when this occurs. There are only two reasons to complete the HLUS-VF:
- To refer a student with ALL English on his/her HLUS for English Language Proficiency screening or
- To document why a student with a response other than English on his/her HLUS is NOT an LMS.
Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC)
Placement decisions are made by a site-based Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) consisting of at least three educators, one from each category:
- Building administrator (principal, assistant principal
- English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) designee (teacher who is English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsed and/or trained to work with ELs)
- Certified educator familiar with the student's data and performance in the classroom
The LPAC must meet for the following reasons to review assessment results and other available data to determine placement, services, and recommended classroom and assessment accommodations:
- Initial placement
- Within the first 30 days of enrollment at the beginning of the school year
- Within two weeks of enrollment thereafter
- Annually thereafter for all current ELs and monitored former ELs (M1-M4)
- As needed for student success
Specific EL services offered remain a local decision. Local Education Agencies (LEAs) are expected to offer appropriate English Language Development (ELD) services and meaningful access to content area instruction to ELs. The LPAC must also determine the appropriate classroom and assessment accommodations to be provided to the student due to their EL needs, if any.
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Webinars: See "Related Links" to access the ESOL Training Hub
For personalized support or additional information, please contact:
Maria Touchstone, ESOL Program Director/Title III Co-Coordinator
english.learners@ade.arkansas.gov or contact an ESOL Specialist
Arkansas Department of Education
Division of Elementary and Secondary Education
Learning Services
Related Files
- eSchool Cheat Sheet
- Language Instruction Education Program (LIEP) Codes
- COGNOS Reports Information
- Helping Newcomer Immigrant and Refugee Students Register for Secondary School
- English Learner Entrance and Exit Procedures Manual
- Home Language Usage Survey (HLUS) Forms
- Home Language Usage Survey Verification Form
- LPAC Sample Forms
- Back to School Checklist for LMS/EL Data Entry
- EL Data Entry Flowchart
Related Links
- DESE ESOL Team Contacts
- ESOL Training Hub
- Supporting Evidence Rubric-Exit Criteria
- ParentNotices
- Commissioner’s Memo LS-18-083 - Required Home Language Usage Survey, Entry/Exit Procedures, ELPA21 Screener, Summer Training
- Commissioner’s Memo LS-18-093 - Arkansas Professional Judgment Rubric/Exit Criteria Guidance