1. Impact of Changes to NYSED Part 154 of Commissioner’s Regulations
Annalisa Allegro, Coordinator
Mid-West RBERN at Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES

2. Acronyms RBERN – Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network
ELL – English language learners (not LEP)
ESOL or ESL – English to speakers of other languages or English as a second language
SIFE – Students with interrupted formal education
NYSITELL – NYS Identification Test for English Language Learners
NYSESLAT – NYS English as a Second Language Achievement Test

3. Blueprint for ELL Success
Guidance
CR Part 154

4. Purpose of CR Part 154 To ensure that ELLs are provided with appropriate and equitable educational programs and services so they may attain the highest level of academic success and English language proficiency.
Statutory Provision
EL 3204 and 3602; Parts 80.9, 80.10, 100, 117, 200 and 154 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education; Chapter of the Laws of 1982.

5. CR 154 Amended Sections Identification Process Initial and reentry
SIFE status
Instructional Program
Parental Notification and Information
Retention of Identification and Review Records
Graduation Requirements
Support and Transition Services
Professional Development
Exit Criteria
District Planning/Reporting/Responsibilities
CR 154 Amended Sections

6. Timeline Jul 9 Amendments published in NYS Register
Public comment period for 45 days
Sept Amendments to Board of Regents for approval
Oct 1 Amended Part 154 regulations go into effect
Planning and optional implementation
FAQ’s and Guidance on implementation
Sept 2015 Full Implementation

7. Identification Process
Additional step in process pg 5
For ELL SWD, determine whether disability is the determinant factor affecting ability to demonstrate proficiency in English
Qualified staff required to implement process
Identification of SIFE pg 5

8. Parental Notification & Information
Meetings with parents of ELLs
in addition to generally required meetings, meetings in preferred language of parents on their child’s academic content progress and needs pg 6

9. Challenge: Qualified translators or interpreters
Identification process for ELLs
Language proficiency team (LPT) for identification of ELLs with disabilities
Orientation meetings
Parent-teacher conferences
Quarterly progress meetings

10. Professional Development
Administrators and teachers
For both, 15% of professional development hours specific to needs of ELLs, language acquisition, cultural competency pg 9
Bilingual and ESL teachers
50% of professional development hours specific to needs of ELLs pg 9

11. Instructional Program
Program delivery
Integrated and stand-alone ESL pg 7
Co-teaching or dual certification pg 7
Maximum grade span for instructional grouping is two contiguous grades pg 8

12. Challenge: Professional development on needs of ELLs
Administrators
ELL programs, regulations, culture
Classroom and content teachers
Research-based instruction for ELLs, culture, second language development, co-teaching
Bilingual and ESL teachers
Literacy development, content knowledge, co-teaching

13. Instructional Program
Program delivery
Integrated and stand-alone ESL pg 7
Co-teaching or dual certification pg 7
Maximum grade span for instructional grouping is two contiguous grades pg 8

14. Challenge: Staffing and scheduling
Co-teaching of ESL and content teachers
Limited grade span for instructional grouping

15. Exit and Transition Services
Exit criteria options pg 8
Transitional supports
for at least two years after exit pg 9

16. District Planning and Reporting
Documentation & Record Keeping
ELL parent meetings pg 6
Identification and placement process in student’s cum folder pg 6
Annual estimates in spring of ELL enrollment and languages of the students pg 7
Information provided to parents pg 9
Reports on measurements and tracking academic progress of ELLs as a sub group pg 9
Reports on programs for subpopulations of ELLs pg 10

17. Office of Bilingual Education and Foreign Language Studies (OBE-FLS)