LANGUAGE POLICY OF RUFUS KING IB HIGH SCHOOL

Philosophy

We view the on-going language development for Rufus King High School students as the shared responsibility of all teachers, parents, and students, understanding that all students progress at different paces. These vested parties are responsible for supporting language acquisition and ensuring that all students use the English responsibly.  We teach language through context and relate new information to existing knowledge.  English is the language of instruction at Rufus King and admissions requirements and assessments are conducted to ensure that the student can access the curriculum delivered in English.  To that end all students in the IB Diploma Program are required to take English A1 Higher Level as their Language A.

 Further, we believe that all students should have the opportunity to experience learning a second language, which provides significant experience in international education, enabling students to understand the thinking and culture of another people.  Through effective communication in another language, students are sensitized to cultural diversity and better able to understand the global world in which they live, preparing them to be active participants in multilingual communities at home and around the world.  To that end, all RKHS requires IB Diploma candidates to take four years of a Language B.

Language Profile

·      English only background students with no Language B proficiency

·      English only background students with minimal Language B exposure through limited middle school experience

·      English background students with significant Language B proficiency as a result of attendance at a language immersion school (French, German, Spanish)

·      Bi-lingual Hispanic, Asian, Muslim & African students who have acquired both languages simultaneously since birth

·      Bi-lingual Hispanic, Asian, Muslim & African students whose parents speak no English but are English proficient as a result of attending school

Language B

Every IB Diploma student must take one subject from Group2, where we offer Language B Standard Level or Higher Level in French, German, Italian (SL only), Latin, or Spanish.

Mother Tongue Support

We acknowledge the importance of a student’s Mother Tongue in promoting personal identity and maintaining cultural heritage.  Although we have no formal support for the preservation and development of a person’s mother tongue (other than in our Language B program), we offer support in our Language B target languages through after school tutoring sessions on a drop-in basis.  We provide culture-specific identity support in after school clubs such as Asian Club, Friends of Islam, Latinos Unidos, French Club, German Club and the Black Student Union.  Families are encouraged to arrange for mother tongue support through outside cultural organizations offered in our community.  Further support for non-English proficient students is offered by the Milwaukee Public School District as outlined below:

MILWAUKEE PUBLIC SCHOOL POLICY

1.     ENTRY CRITERIA

            STATE STATUTE

According to Wisconsin State Statute Chapter 115, Subchapter VII, limited English proficient students (English language learner) means “a student whose ability to use the English language is limited because of the use of a non-English language in his or her family or in his or her daily, non-school surroundings, and who has difficulty, as defined by rule by the state superintendent (Chapter PI – 13, Wisconsin Administrative Code), in performing ordinary class work in English as a result of such limited English language ability.”

IDENTIFICATION OF BILINGUAL/ESL PROGRAM ELIGIBLE STUDENTS

Milwaukee Public Schools has a procedure in place for identifying limited English proficient and/or Spanish dominant students to assure that they receive effective and appropriate instructional services to comply with Chapter PI- 13.06.  The Office of Lau Compliance, as part of the Division of Bilingual Multicultural Education, coordinates Milwaukee Public Schools’ efforts to comply with the Office for Civil Rights, all principals must identify potentially limited English proficient students to the Lau Compliance Office.

HOME LANGUAGE SURVEY/SCREENING

Once identified, the student and parents or guardians complete a survey to determine language background, place of birth, previous education, etc.  If there is a language other than English in the student’s background, consideration is given as to whether a testing instrument is appropriate and/or as to whether a Bilingual or ESL placement is appropriate (PI – 13.06).  The Division Director and/or Curriculum Specialists of the Division are available to assist the Lau Compliance staff with placement and assessment issues.  In the absence of either the Division Director and/or Curriculum Specialists, the Bilingual/ESL Supervisor may also assist with this process.

Beginning in the fall of the 2006-2007 school year, Milwaukee Public Schools’ Lau Compliance Office will utilize the W-APT (WIDA ACCESS Placement Test) as a screener tool for appropriate language level and placement.  The student is then placed in a Bilingual Education and/or English as a Second Language (ESL) Program based on the limited English proficiency status

      *Sample questions for purposes of a Spanish oral interview is available and will be provided upon request.

2.            CLASSIFICATION OF LEP (ELL) STATUS AND PROGRAM PLACEMENT

   Initial Designation of LEP Status

I.            All students who are suspected as being an ELL, shall be given the W-APT regardless of

      linguistic ability (i.e. students who do not understand or speak English would score and

      be designated as a level 1).  The W-APT is an adaptive test of language proficiency.

LEP designations will be assigned at an informal level utilizing the W-APT until the formal annual English proficiency assessment is administered.

The definitions of the five limited-English language proficiency levels, as well as a level 6, one of two fully-English language proficiency levels, are from PI 13.08(3)(1)-(6), Wisconsin Administrative Rule.  Level 7, the other fully-English language proficiency level, is used for purposes of state reporting/state testing.

These levels and the definitions are as follows:

Level 1 – Entering:

            Knows and uses minimal social language and minimal academic language with visual             support.

Level 2 – Beginning:

            Knows and uses some social English and general academic language with visual support.

Level 3 – Developing:

            Knows and uses social English and some specific academic language with visual support.

Level 4 – Expanding:

            Knows and uses social English and some technical academic language.

Level 5 – Bridging:

            Knows and uses social and academic language working with modified grade level             material.

Level 6 – Reaching:

            Knows and uses social and academic language at the highest level measured by this test.              (This pupil, who was formerly limited-English proficient (English language learner-ELL)             will now be considered fully English proficient).

Level 7 – Fully-English Proficient/Never Limited-English Proficient:

            The student was never classified as limited-English proficient (ELL) and does not fit the

            definition of a limited-English proficient (ELL) student outlined in either state or federal             law.

3.       MONITORING STUDENT PROGRESS:

School staff monitors a newly designated non-LEP student’s performance for at least two years from the time of reclassification.  A student can also receive first language assistance in content areas as is needed and available.

4.      ANNUAL PARENTAL NOTIFICATION:

            As a requirement of the Title III English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement Act of the federal Law of No Child Left Behind, each year no later than 30 days after the beginning of the school year, ELL Parental Notification Letters will be mailed out to parents.

These letters will provide much information to parents such: (1) the reasons for identification of their child as LEP (ELL) and placement, (2) the child’s level of English proficiency, (3) the method of instruction used and other methods available including differences in goals, content, and languages used, (4) how the program will meet the educational needs and strengths of the child, (5) how the language program will help in acquiring English and meeting academic standards, (6) parental rights detailing the right to remove child upon request or the option to decline enrollment, program/method of instruction, etc.

5.     LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY INFORMATION:

            Records are kept of each student’s language proficiency test information, program, reading level,

            date of transition for reading in the first language to reading in the second, grades, attendance, and personal data.  There is also a screen on the district’s mainframe computer that indicates pertinent data for any student classified as LEP or English language learner (ELL).  School staff can obtain this information from their school’s mainframe computers on the ESIS Program.  Additional information specific to each LEP or ELL student is maintained at the school level and at the districtwide warehouse computer system.

IC/August 2007