INGRESOS. RESUMEN DE SUBCONCEPTOS POR SECCIONES

Federal and state laws require districts to provide Bilingual/ESL programs to students whose first language is not English. These programs provide additional strategies and help for Limited- English-Proficient (LEP) students to become competent in comprehending, speaking, reading and composing the English language.

EISD employs 10 bilingual teachers who serve 208 students in bilingual education classes in Pre-K through fifth grade. The Bilingual/ESL program assists students who have limited English proficiency (LEP) transition gradually from speaking Spanish to proficiency in English. Districts implement bilingual programs in pre-K through third grade or K through fifth grade, when districts transition students into an ESL

program.

EISD implements a bilingual program at Elgin Primary at School and Elgin Elementary School. A bilingual teacher delivers instruction in English and Spanish based on the academic needs of each student enrolled in the program. The classes are self-contained, mixed-age classes. Exhibit 2-44 details EISD's model of instruction for Bilingual Education.

Exhibit 2-44

EISD Bilingual/ESL Model of Instruction 1999-2000 Grade Level Spanish Instruction English Instruction Pre-K-first grade

Oral language acquisition of concepts and skills shall be 75 percent in Spanish

Oral language acquisition of concepts and skills shall be 25 percent in English

Second grade Oral language acquisition of concepts and skills shall be 50 percent in Spanish

Oral language acquisition of concepts and skills shall be 50 percent in English

Third grade Oral language acquisition of concepts and skills shall be 25 percent in Spanish

Oral language acquisition of concepts and skills shall be 75 percent in English

Fourth through fifth

Oral language acquisition of concepts and skills shall be 20

Oral language acquisition of concepts and skills shall be 80

grade percent Spanish percent in English

Source: EISD Bilingual/ESL specialist, April 2000.

In EISD two ESL-certified teachers serve 88 students in the ESL program at Washington Middle School and Elgin High School (Exhibit 2-45). The high school ESL teacher also serves as the district specialist of

Bilingual/ESL Education. Students in the ESL program do not receive services all day as students in the bilingual program, because the ESL students are in a transition to English. As a result, the ESL program needs fewer teachers.

ESL students at Washington Middle School enroll in an ESL class in lieu of their regular language arts class. Some high school students are enrolled in an ESL class and others receive assistance from the ESL teacher during their other course class times.

Exhibit 2-45

EISD Bilingual and ESL Students by Grade Level 1999-2000

Grade Level

Number of Students Primary and elementary school (grades K-5) 208

Middle school (grades 6-8) 59

High school (grades 9-12) 29

Total 296

Source: EISD Bilingual/ESL Education specialist.

The percentage of Bilingual/ESL students is higher in EISD than all but one of its peer districts and the regional average. Del Valle and the state have higher percentages of Bilingual/ESL students than EISD (Exhibit 2- 46).

Exhibit 2-46

EISD, Peer District, Region 13 and State Students in Bilingual/ESL Program

as a Percentage of Total Enrollment 1998-99

/ESL Del Valle 14.8% State 12.1% Elgin 11.7% Manor 10.0% Region 13 7.2% Taylor 6.9% Bastrop 3.5% Leander 2.2%

Source: TEA AEIS 1998-99.

Expenditures for the Bilingual/ESL program increased from 1995-96 through 1997-98. EISD's director of business said in 1998-99 that EISD changed reporting procedures to report only the bilingual stipends and supplies. He said the increase from 1998-99 to 1999-2000 was due to an increase in the stipends, technology and an increase in insurance. The number of Bilingual/ESL students increased 16 percent from 1995-96 to 1999-2000 (Exhibit 2-47).

Exhibit 2-47

EISD Bilingual/ESL Education Expe nditures 1995-96 through 1999-2000 Category 1995-96 Actual 1996-97 Actual 1997-98 Actual 1998- 99 Actual 1999- 20000 Budget Bilingual/ESL expenditures $257,641 $371,639 $634,616 $43,467 $88,569 Bilingual/ESL students served 256 274 270 309 296 Bilingual/ESL expenditures per student $1,006 $1,356 $2,188 $141 $299

Source: TEA, PEIMS, 1995-96 through 1998-99 and EISD PEIMS coordinator and director of Business.

A small percent of ESL students meet minimum expectations on the TAAS and show improvement on alternative assessments. A greater percentage of students in the Bilingual Program meet minimum expectations on the TAAS compared to students in the ESL program. Eighty-two percent of third grade bilingual students taking Spanish TAAS Reading passed and 100 percent passed third grade English TAAS

reading. Ninety-two percent passed the fifth grade Reading TAAS. One hundred percent of third grade bilingual students taking either the Spanish TAAS math passed and bilingual students taking the English TAAS math passed at a rate of 81 percent at third grade and 100 percent at fifth grade. Region Education Service Center 13, Division of Curriculum, Instruction and Priority Schools performed an Instructional Program Review for EISD. A finding in the report read "Some ESL students were asked to leave class and sit in the hall during class time. These students reported in their interview that this has taken place all year. After the teacher gives instruction to the rest of the class, he brings work for the ESL students to do. He grades it, and they correct it. When asked if they thought the work was hard, they laughed and said, "No." Because they were not fluent in English, they could not keep up with the class. The students indicated that they had learned English on their own and with each other's help."

Texas Educational Consultative Services, Inc. of Austin found in January 2000 LEP students in the high school received less than the required one period per day ESL methodology.

Pre-K through sixth grade students in both the bilingual and ESL programs take the Idea Proficiency Test (IPT) annually in both English and Spanish to determine their growth in oral language. At third through fifth grade, students in both programs take either the TAAS in English or Spanish. Students may exit from Bilingual/ESL programs if they pass the reading portion of the grade-appropriate English TAAS test and the writing portion of the grade-appropriate English TAAS test (at available grades).

ESL students had passing rates in English TAAS Reading ranging from 20 percent at the sixth and tenth grades to 56 percent at the seventh grade. No ESL students in third, fourth and fifth grades took the TAAS. Exhibit 2- 48 illustrates the number of Bilingual/ESL students tested and the percent passing.

Exhibit 2-48

Percentage of EISD Bilingual/ESL Students Passing TAAS 1998-99

/ Subject of Bilingual Students Tested Passing of ESL Students Tested Passing Spanish TAAS Third/Reading 11 82% 0 NA Third/Math 14 100% 0 NA Third/ Reading 0 NA 0 NA Fourth Math 0 NA 0 NA Fourth Writing 0 NA 0 NA English TAAS Third/Reading 14 100% NA NA Third/Math 16 81% NA NA Fourth/ Reading 13 92% NA NA Fourth Math 15 100% NA NA Fourth Writing NA NA NA NA Fourth/Writing NA NA NA NA Fifth/Reading NA NA NA NA Fifth/Math NA NA NA NA Sixth/Reading NA NA 15 20% Sixth/Math NA NA 15 27% Seventh/Reading NA NA 9 56% Seventh/Math NA NA 9 78% Eighth/Reading NA NA 0 50% Eighth/Math NA NA 0 NA Eighth/Writing NA NA 5 NA Tenth/Reading NA NA 5 20% Tenth/Math NA NA 5 20% Tenth/Writing NA NA 2 40% Eleventh/Reading NA NA 2 100% Eleventh/Math NA NA 2 100% Eleventh/Writing NA NA 1 0%

Twelfth/Reading NA NA 1 100%

Twelfth/Math NA NA 1 0%

Twelfth/Writing NA NA 100%

Source: EISD Bilingual/ESL specialist, April 2000.

Bilingual/ESL students can be exempted by the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC), which is located at each school and comprised of at least an administrator, a teacher and a parent of an LEP student. The committee reviews the status of each bilingual and ESL student in the school to determine proficiency. The committee functions similar to the ARD committee for special education. For students who have been enrolled continuously in school beginning at least in the first grade, the LPAC is discouraged from exempting the student and/or administering TAAS in Spanish for more than two years.

Students exempted from taking TAAS must take an alternative assessment chosen from a list of assessments approved by TEA. Released TAAS tests from previous administrations may be used when appropriate. LEP

exemptions are not permitted from the exit level test. EISD administers the IPT Proficiency test and Released TAAS (Exhibit 2-49). Fifty percent of students taking alternative assessments showed improvement.

Exhibit 2-49

Results of Alternative Assessments of EISD Bilingual/ESL Students 1997-98 Grade Type of Student Measure Used Number Tested Number Showing Improvement Reading

3rd Bilingual IPT or Released TAAS

12 IPT 8 Release TAAS

65

4th Bilingual IPT or Released TAAS

24 IPT 20 Release TAAS

611

5th Bilingual IPT or Released TAAS

15 IPT 15 Release TAAS

810

3rd ESL IPT 1 1

6th ESL Release TAAS 2 2

8th ESL Release TAAS 5 4 Math

3rd Bilingual Release TAAS 7 4

4th Bilingual Release TAAS 1 0

5th Bilingual Release TAAS 19 8

3rd ESL Release TAAS 11 10

5th ESL NA NA NA

6th ESL Release TAAS 2 2

7th ESL Release TAAS 8 4

8th ESL Release TAAS 4 3

Source: EISD Bilingual/ESL Education specialist, April 2000.

Mount Pleasant ISD implements a modified dual language model. The model pairs a bilingual teacher, certified as fluent in both English and Spanish, with an ESL teacher, certified in teaching techniques that assist students in gaining proficiency in English. The bilingual teacher provides instruction in Spanish language arts, and the ESL teacher teaches math and oral English. The pupil/teacher ratio in the secondary ESL classes should be evaluated also.

Recommendation 12:

Evaluate the ESL program and make changes to better meet the needs of ESL students.

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINE