English Learner Identification Process
- A Home Language Survey (HLS) is administered to all newly enrolling students.
- If a language other than English is indicated on the HLS the district may do one of the following:
- Contact the student’s former school for information on language proficiency assessment results and/or the student’s status as an EL or Former English Learner (FEL).
- If the student has never been assessed or is new to Massachusetts schools, the district will assess the student’s English proficiency using the Pre-LAS for PreK students, the W-APT for students in Kindergarten, or the WIDA Screener for students in grades 1-12.
- Based on the results of the screening, the district will determine if the student will be placed in the EL Program and how many minutes of ESL instruction are recommended.
- The parent or legal guardian will be notified, in a language they can understand, of the screening results and that the child will be placed in the SEI program. Parents/Legal guardians will also be notified of their right to “opt-out” of the language program.