The U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights requires every school district to identify the primary language of their students. Federal and state funding for ELD programs relies on accurate identification and English language proficiency assessment of English language learners.

Parents complete a Home Language Survey for their child upon registration.  State and federal regulations require that schools identify and report the languages spoken and heard by each child in the home, and determine eligibility for English language development services.  

If parents indicate that a language other than English is spoken by the child and/or in the home, an ELD staff member or cultural liaison will conduct a home language interview with a parent or guardian to determine the needs of the student and if the student needs to take the WIDA ACCESS Placement Test (W-APT) or WIDA Screener, which assesses English development levels and is used to determine eligibility for ELD programs.

EPSD is required to follow procedures to identify students as English learners.

• Enrollment procedures must not require parents or students to disclose any visa or immigration status.
• Procedures must include a home language survey (HLS), W-APT/WIDA Screener, and a body of evidence.
• Identification must happen within the first 30 days of the beginning of the school year or 2 weeks if the student starts after October.

Processes for Identification:

• Registrar collects the Home Language Survey (HLS)
• Registrar communicates with the ELD teacher.
• ELD teacher interviews and consults with the family.
• ELD teacher, or other staff member who has completed the online WIDA screener training, proctors the W-APT/WIDA Screener and consults with the teacher(s) to provide additional evidence.
• ELD teacher consults with building administration, teacher(s), and ELD PLC to determine eligibility.
• If it is determined that the student is eligible for services, the ELD teacher provides a Parent Notification Letter and schedules a meeting with the family, principal, and teacher(s) to discuss ELD placement and services and draft the English Language Development (ELD) Plan.

EPSD adheres to legal requirements including Title III of the ESSA, ELPA, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Equal Education Opportunities Act of 1974 and associated amendments (1978), Title III is a supplemental grant under the ESEA that is designed to improve and enhance the education of English learners (ELs) in becoming proficient in English, as well as meeting the Colorado Academic Content standards. The Title III Immigrant Set-Aside grant resides within this program and provides opportunities for LEAs to enhance the instructional opportunities for immigrant students and their families.

District requirements under English Language Proficiency Act include:

• Follow State guidance to identify English learners
• Report and certify through the Student October Pupil Enrollment collection the numbers and proficiency levels of English learners in the district and the number of ELs who have exited from the program
• Administer and provide evidence-based English language development programs for identified English learner students while also providing access to grade-level content
• Provide professional development to all staff members supporting English learners to enhance their abilities to provide English language development and access to grade-level content

Title VI is designed to ensure that American Indian, Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native students meet challenging state academic content and student academic achievement standards, as well as meet the unique culturally related needs.

Once a student has been identified for ELD services, the ELD teacher meets with the student, parent(s), and teacher(s) to draft an English Language Development (ELD) plan for the student. This plan is reviewed with the student and parents annually.  This plan along with the body of evidence (evidence and artifacts used for determining eligibility) will be kept on file by the ELD teacher.

Elements of an ELD plan include:

• Level of English Language Proficiency
• Assessment Scores 
• Student goals in reading, writing, listening, and/or speaking
• Services provided
• Accommodations or Modifications for general classroom instruction if needed
• Accommodations for assessments if needed
• Progress monitoring Plan
• Body of Evidence for determining ELD program eligibility