Page 2 - ELs Handbook 2020-2021

PURPOSE OF THIS HANDBOOK
The Plum Borough School District​ ​is dedicated to providing every member of the teaching and support staff with sufficient information about the English Learners Program. This handbook contains policies and procedures as well as copies of forms used in the process of identifying, assessing, placing, and monitoring English Language Learners.
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the EL Department in the Plum Borough School District is to promote and enhance academic excellence for Limited English Proficient students through a variety of learning experiences and opportunities designed to ensure successful learning for all EL students.
GOALS
The Plum Borough School District​ ​provides a research-based EL program for its students who are identified and assessed as English Learners (ELs). This program will enable ELs:
- For each student to read, write, and speak in English in order to comprehend all subject matter.
- For each student to become an active and contributing member of our community.
OBJECTIVES
- Implement and maintain a consistent procedure for the EL identification process.
- Implement an EL program to allow every EL to become proficient in English and
successful in all other academic areas.
- Provide continuous professional development opportunities for all professional staff on
EL expectations and programming.
- Provide appropriately aligned ESL literacy curriculum aligned with state EL standards.
- Annual assessment of all EL students.
- Provide for parent/family involvement in the education of their EL(s).
- Establish and administer consistently appropriate criteria for exiting the EL program.
- Provide EL’s equitable access to all district services including special education, gifted
education.
- Monitor the progress and success of all EL’s during and for the two years after exiting
from the program.
- Maintain accurate EL student records.
- Evaluate the success of the EL program and make necessary modifications.