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Vashon Island School District 402

Every student is welcomed, known, and treasured, and graduates confident and competent to thrive in a future they imagine.

Services for Multilingual Learners

Philosophy

The primary priority for our multilingual learners is to improve English language acquisition and thus academic performance through a system of support from preschool through grade 12 while honoring their own heritage language(s). Our ultimate success will be measured by all of our multilingual students graduating from high school college and career ready with a Seal of Biliteracy as well.

The Vashon Island School District uses WIDA English Proficiency Standards (ELPS) to provide learning targets for teachers as they assist students in learning English. Approximately 100 students receive English language development services in our district, representing several different cultures and language groups.

Our district uses a Supportive Mainstream Model. Students are in mainstream English-speaking classrooms most of the day. Teachers provide supplemental language inside and/or outside of the classroom and within literacy intervention and homework support programs. Supplemental English instruction is conducted using specific language acquisition strategies and models, including Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) and Guided Language Acquisition Protocol (GLAD). Additionally, each school building is assigned a designated teacher to provide individualized and group services, advocate for students and work with classroom teachers to facilitate improved learning. The type and frequency of support depends upon each student's individual needs.

How are students identified for English language development services?

All students enrolled in our district are required to complete a Home Language Survey, a standard form issued by the State of Washington. If the responses on the Home Language Survey identify the student as a potential English language learner, the student will be given an English language screening test, to see if the student qualifies for ML services per state and federal regulations. We are not able to waive the screener--it is a state and federal requirement.
How do students continue to receive English language development services?
Continued eligibility will be determined by the WIDA ACCESS. There are six levels of English language development: entering, emerging, developing, expanding, bridging and reaching. Families will receive a letter reporting the results of this test usually around the end of June. If a student is entering, emerging, or developing, they will continue to be eligible for ML services.
- Entering: The student will be eligible for English language development services.
- Emerging: The student will be eligible for English language development services.
- Developing: The student will be eligible for English language development services.
- Expanding: The student in K or 1st will no longer be eligible for ML services, but will continue to be monitored as a transitional student with sheltered instruction for two years. A student in grades 2 through 12 may no longer be eligible if their overall score is 4.7 or higher.
- Bridging: The student will no longer be eligible for ML services, but will continue to be monitored as a transitional student with sheltered instruction for two years.
- Reaching: The student will no longer be eligible for ML services, but will continue to be monitored as a transitional student with sheltered instruction for two years.
Personalized Education Plans

Once a student is identified and qualified as a multilingual learner, an ML lead teacher will oversee the services for the student. These lead teachers will observe the student engaging in listening and speaking tasks as they relate to these five language areas: comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar. This observation will inform the development of a personal education plan for each ML student to be shared with the student's classroom teacher(s).
Interpretation and Translation Services
Resources
Colorin' Colorado (in both English and Spanish)

Contacts
- Julia Gray, K-8 Multilingual Learner Lead Teacher
- Program supervisors at the building level: Karen James, CES Assistant Principal; Greg Allison, McM Principal
- Lenka Becvar, Vashon Island High School Multilingual Learner Lead Teacher
- Program supervisor at the building level: Sabrina Kovacs, VHS Assistant Principal
Test Refusal
We strongly discourage parents/guardians from excluding their child(ren) from state assessments. Some critical consequences when our students do not take the WIDA Access include:
- Teachers and other instructional staff lack full information about the instructional needs of students who do not take the WIDA Access, which could lead to some students not receiving all the instructional support they might need to be successful later in school;
- Our school district is deprived the opportunity to fully analyze district performance for our English language learners
- Students do not have the opportunity to exit from services without demonstrating mastery of standards on the test
If you still desire to exclude your child from testing, please complete our WIDA Access Refusal Form (Spanish) and return it to your child's school office. Refusing to test does not exit your child from services nor does it excuse them from testing in the future years. A test refusal form will need to be submitted each year in which the student has not exited the program.
Waiver for English language development services

You have the right to decline services or to remove your student from services at any time; however, it is the preference of our school district that students who qualify for services, receive the services in order to fully support our students. If you choose to waive services for your child(ren), you may complete the waiver form and return it to:

Director of Teaching and Learning

Vashon Island School District

P.O. Box 547

Vashon, WA 98070

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