Module 4: Students that are Determined Fluent English Speakers

If a student scores FES (Fluent English Speaker) on the oral/aural IPT placement assessment, he may be administered an additional assessment to determine reading and writing skills for placement into the ESOL program. These achievement test scores in reading and writing (language) must be administered as part of the ESOL program eligibility requirements for Fluent English Speakers (FES) in grades 3-12.

If both reading and writing (language) standardized achievement test scores are at or above the 33rd percentile, the student does not qualify for the ESOL Program. If both reading and writing (language) standardized achievement test scores are at or below the 32nd percentile, the student is placed in the ESOL Program.

If either the reading or writing (language) standardized achievement test score is at or below the 32nd percentile, the student is referred to the ELL Committee for placement recommendation in either the ESOL or basic program. The ELL Committee may determine a student to be ELL or not to be ELL according to consideration of at least two of the following criteria:

• extent and nature of prior educational and social experiences; and/or student interview
• written recommendations and observations by current and previous instructional and supportive services staff
• level of mastery of basic competencies or skills in English and/or home language according to appropriate local, state, and national criterion-referenced standards
• grades from the current or previous years
• test results other than those from the district assessments of listening/speaking/ reading/writing

Reading and Writing Standardized Tests

For students in grades 3-12, the Reading and Writing (Spelling) subtests of the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement II-Brief Form (K-TEA II Brief Form) will be administered by district ESOL Program staff. The K-TEA II Brief Form will be administered according to instructions in the test manual, and percentile ranks will be generated based on grade- referenced norms.

Parents must be notified when a student qualifies for the ESOL program. The Parent Notification of Placement/Continuation of Services in the ESOL Program is used for this purpose. This form has also been translated into Haitian-Creole, Portuguese, and Spanish.