Module 4: Students that are Determined Fluent English Speakers

Students With Educational Records
In order to evaluate, document, and grant equivalency status to students’ prior educational experiences, the school should:

• conduct a comprehensive interview with the parent/guardian and student
• check the academic year of the report card
• check the academic calendar of the student’s prior school
• check that the name of the student corresponds with educational records
• certify whether the student was promoted or retained
• check subjects that the student passed or failed
• determine courses to be transferred and match them to those offered in the
  district to ensure that the student receives the credits earned
• review student records in scheduling courses. Ensure correct placement in the
  core academic areas, such as English, mathematics, science, and social studies.
  Assist the student’s teachers in developing an appropriate instructional program.

Students Without Educational Records

• Interview the parent/guardian and student regarding the student’s previous
  schooling.
• Generate a general profile of the student using target questions such as:
• What grade was the student in during the previous year?
• What courses did the student take?
• How did the student perform in the prior school setting?
• At what age did the student start school?
• What is the total number of years the student has been in school?
• Was the student ever retained?
• Were there excessive absences or special circumstances affecting achievement?
• Check the age of the student to determine approximate grade placement.
• Administer placement tests to assess student’s academic skills.

In addition to the previous information presented, consider a comprehensive parent/guardian/student interviews, teacher-made tests, tests of academic skills administered in English and/or the students’ heritage/native language or other forms of formal or informal assessment should be used in determining the appropriate grade placement of ELLs. All decisions regarding ELLs programmatic assessment and academic placement must be documented in the appropriate section of the student’s ELLSEP Folder (which is usually managed by the school’s ESOL coordinator).