1. Language Proficiency Assessment Commitee (LPAC) 2011-2012
Before the training:
Make copies of the presentation–
To show the process, include the flowchart titled “Limited English Proficient Training Flowchart.”
Welcome parents and tell them that at this meeting they will receive information on the following:
1) The state laws
2) The Bilingual and English as a Second Language Programs, and
3) The very important role that the parent representative of the committee plays by taking part in the decisions made for limited English proficient students.
Make sure to explain in detail each step and do not to include acronyms that are not explained. The parents don’t necessarily have knowledge of what acronyms such as LEP, ELL, LPAC, etc. signify.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

2. Welcome Ice-breaker activity: Choose a paper doll.
On one side, write the characteristics of your son/daughter as a bilingual student.
On the other side, write one or two characteristics of a good bilingual education or English as a Second Language (ESL) program.
Give each participant a paper doll (girl or boy).
Follow the directions on the slide. Make one as a model.
Explain to the parents that the goal of being an LPAC member is to take into account the characteristics of bilingual students as if they were their own.
It is also important to explain that the bilingual or ESL programs must help each student develop their linguistic and academic abilities.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

3. Commissioner’s Rules
All districts must establish a Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC).
All information must be documented:
norms
training certificates
number of members
meetings
decisions
Explain that Bilingual and English as a Second Language progams are required by law and as such, each school must have a Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC).
Emphasize the committee’s responsiblities:
The Commissioner’s Rules concerning the state plan for educating Limited English Proficient (LEP) students indicate that all school districts that are required to provide bilingual education and/or English as a Second Lanugage programs establish and operate a Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC). The district must document the rules and procedures for the group, meeting times, and training certificates for each member of the committee. It is as equally important to include all decisions made by the committee.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

4. Remember that this committee…
Reviews the progress of Limited English Proficient (LEP) students:
that participate in a bilingual or English as a Second Language (ESL) program with parental approval; and
who do not participate in a program due to parent denial.
Remind the participants that this committee is in charge of not only reviewing the progress of those students who participate in the program with parental approval, but also those students whose parents denied permission.
Explain that the students that are evaluated are those who are classified as LEP or limited English proficient, even when they don’t have parental approval to participate in the program.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

5. Bilingual or English as a Second Language (ESL)?
How do we know if a school district needs a bilingual education program or an English as a Second Language (ESL) program?
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

6. Bilingual or English as a Second Language (ESL)?
If the school district has an enrollment of 20 or more LEP students of the same language classification in the same grade level district-wide, the district shall offer a bilingual education program for LEP students in Grades Pre-K through 5.
Grade 6 shall be included when clustered with elementary grades.
All school districts that have an enrollment of 20 or more LEP students of the same language in the same grade level district-wide, shall offer a bilingual program as described by law—grades Pre-K through 5th and 6th grade when it is clustered with elementary grades.
Explain that school districts must offer required programs as indicated by Chapter 89.
If the district is not able to staff a required bilingual program, the district shall request a waiver from Texas Education Agency (TEA) while the teacher receives their certification or until a certified teacher is recruited.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

7. Goal of Bilingual Education
The use of the primary language (Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Mandarin, etc.) is to:
provide reading, writing, and comprehension instruction; and
provide math, science, and social studies instruction, etc.
The use of the second language (English) is to:
provide reading, writing, comprehension, and content area instruction; and
implement the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) across the linguistic domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Explain the following:
The goal of bilingual education programs is to enable LEP students to become competent in comprehension, speaking, reading, writing, and composition of English through the development of literacy and academic skills in the primary language, as well as, in the English language.
These programs must emphasize mastery of English language skills, as well as math, science, and social studies.
Emphasize the importance of implementing the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS).
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

8. Goal of English as Second Language (ESL) Programs
Objectives:
Enable LEP students to become competent in the comprehension, speaking, reading, and composition of English.
Acquire the essential knowledge and skills of academic language in math, science, social studies, and language arts.
These objectives are achieved by:
The implementation of the English Language Proficiency Standard (ELPS) in listening, speaking, reading, and writing across the academic content areas.
The law requires that all LEP students for whom a district is not required to offer a bilingual education program shall be provided an ESL program, regardless of the student’s grade level, home language, or number of LEP of students. 19 TAC § (d)
Explain the difference between the various levels of acquiring English: beginning, intermediate, advanced, and advanced high.
Show the video of the Latvian lesson, the language spoken in Latvia. Use the questions from the video to dialogue with the participants.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

9. Bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs
The programs must:
be an integral part of the total school program
use state-adopted texts
use supplementary materials
use instructional approaches designed to meet the needs of each LEP student
Bilingual and ESL programs must be an integral part of the total school program as required by Chapter 74.
School districts must use state-adopted texts in English and in Spanish, as well as use supplementary materials as tools for the indicated program, with the intent of facilitating the learning process. Furthermore, districts may use other types of existing accommodations for the indicated program.
School districts must also develop a plan that coordinates and collaborates between the Bilingual education programs, the English as a Second Language programs, and other general education programs.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

10. Composition of Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC)
The Bilingual LPAC is composed of a:
campus administrator
professional bilingual educator
professional transitional language educator
parent of a current limited English proficient (LEP) student participating in the required bilingual program
No parent serving on the LPAC shall be an employee of the school district.
A transitional language educator can be an ESL certified teacher or a general education teacher.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

11. Composition of Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC)
The ESL LPAC is composed of:
One or more professional personnel: a campus adminstrator and/or a professional ESL educator
A parent of a Limited English Proficient (LEP) student participating in the program designated by the district
No parent serving on the LPAC shall be an employee of the school district.
It is highly ENCOURAGED that an administrator be a member of the ESL LPAC.
This is for all ESL programs, not just at the secondary level. Some districts offer only ESL programs because they do not have 20 or more students that speak one language at one grade level district wide.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

12. Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC)
Committee members’ responsiblities:
Act on behalf of the school district
Know the laws
Maintain confidentiality
Receive adequate training
Meet when deemed necessary
All LPAC members, including the parent representatives, must represent the school district, be aware of the laws related to limited English proficient students, and also respect the privacy and confidentiality of the students.
The school district is responsible for the orientation and training of the committee members, including the parent representatives of the committee.
All the information shared at the meetings is confidential. The information that is shared and analyzed for all students must be considered with respect to each student and his/her familiy’s right to confidentiality. Please see the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) for further information. The parent representative must not comment on anything discussed at the meeting with other persons who are not on the committee.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

13. Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC)
Committee members’ responsibilities:
Review and discuss all student data and information
Meet upon the student’s initial enrollment—within the first four weeks (20 school days)
Meet in the spring to determine appropriate assessments, immediately prior to state assessments
Meet at the end of the year for annual review and for the following year’s placement, which may include the use of linguistic accomodations appropriate for testing
Meet as needed to discuss student progress
It is important to explain the meaning of linguistic accommodations for students who are in their first three years of U. S. schooling and are eligible for an exemption, by law, from state assessments.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

14. Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC)
Additional responsiblities:
Indicate each student’s English proficiency level
Indicate each student’s academic level
Indicate initial instructional methodologies and/or interventions in each program
Inform parents of the above-mentioned indications, and obtain parental approval.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

15. Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC)
Ensure student participation in other programs or services offered through the district
Classify students as LEP or non-LEP according to the criteria specified in section 19 TAC §
Determine if the student has met the necessary requirements to be considered for reclassification as non-LEP, and no longer participate in a Bilingual or English as a Second Language program
The LPAC is also responsible for facilitating student participation in other special programs offered through the district and where federal or state monies are used, such as: Advanced Academics (G/T), Dyslexia, Special Education, Career and Technical Education (CTE), etc.
The LPAC must classify students according to the criteria specified in section 19 TAC § : LEP, non-LEP, in a bilingual program, in an ESL program, etc.
The LPAC makes the recommendation as to when the student has met the exit criteria and no longer needs bilingual or ESL services.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

16. Identifying Limited English Proficient Students (LEP)
Parents complete a Home Language Survey (HLS).
Consideration of the student’s knowledge of English and academic content is taken into account as mandated by law.
Explain that the identification of a Limited English Proficient student is made when the Home Language Survey indicates a language other than English and testing is initiated to determine English proficiency.
The PK-12 student must take a TEA-approved oral language proficiency test in English to determine the student’s level of English proficiency.
If the student is enrolled in grades 2-12, along with the TEA-approved oral language proficiency test (listening and speaking) in English, he/she must also take the reading and language arts sections of an English norm-referenced standardized achievement test approved by the state.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

17. Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC)
The committee will recommend participation in a bilingual or ESL program if the test results indicate that English proficiency is not at a required level.
The committee will recommend a bilingual or ESL program if:
Pre-Kindergarden to Grade 1
The score indicates the student is not at a proficient English level.
Grades 2-12
The score in the oral language proficiency test indicates the student is not at a proficient English level if:
the scores on the reading and language arts sections of the norm-referenced standardized achievement test indicate a limited level of English
the student’s ability in English is so limited that the administration at his/her grade level is not valid.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

18. Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC)
At the end of the year, the Committee reviews every child
LEP
Being served in a bilingual or ESL program
LEP
In regular education (parent denials)
Students exited during the previous two years that are being monitored
At the end of the year, the committee reviews every student:
in a bilingual or ESL program;
who is a parent denial and is in a general education program; and
in their first or second year of monitoring. These students have been reclassified to non-LEP due to English proficiency in reading, language arts, and writing.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

19. Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC)
Reviews:
oral language profiency test data
the student’s academic proficiency level
grades
classroom tests
English or Spanish Reading state assessment
English Writing state assessment data
It is important to inform participants that oral Spanish language proficiency is also required when the student is in a bilingual program.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

20. Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC)
The student can be reclassified when he/she has met the exit criteria
A student may only be considered for reclassification at the end of the year
Satisfactory performance on TEA-approved criterion-referenced reading and writing tests when available, such as a state assessment.
Score at or above the 40th percentile on both the English reading and English language arts sections of a TEA-approved norm-referenced assessment instrument
In recommending reclassification, the school district must also take into consideration other indicators of student progress, including scores on standardized tests when available and the results of a subjective teacher evaluation.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

21. Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC)
Students in a pre-kindergarten and kindergarten may not be exited from a bilingual education or English as a second language program (ESL).
A student may not be exited from the bilingual education or English as a second language program in prekindergarten or kindergarten.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

22. Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC)
Once the LPAC reclassifies a student as non-LEP, parents must be notified that the student has met the state critieria for exit.
The LPAC must monitor the exited student’s progress for two years.
The LPAC must notify the parents when the student, based on the exit critieria, has shown proficiency in English and the committee agrees that the student has met the requirements for reclassification.
The LPAC shall review the student’s performance regularly through the school year for two years.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

23. In summary: LPAC members must:
Know the laws concerning Limited English Proficient (LEP) students
Maintain confidentiality
Advocate for the Limited English Proficient (LEP) student
Contribute to the meeting so that members can make the best decisions for the student
To the parents:
As you can conclude, you are very important members of this committee. Your responsibility is not only to know the laws and maintain confidentiality of the information shared, but also to advocate for the students who are learning English, as if he/she was your own child. This will make it possible for the committee to work together and decide what is best for the student.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit

24. Thank you for your participation.
Thank you for accepting to be part of the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee.
Texas Education Agency Bilingual/ESL Unit