The Board believes in the importance of providing English language instruction to students in the District who are Limited English Proficient (LEP), including immigrant children and youth. The Board's Limited English Proficiency Program ("LEP Program") shall be provided to enable LEP students to become competent in the areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing of the English language and effectively participate in the District's educational program. In order to provide that LEP students are properly identified, regularly assessed, provided with high quality language and academic instruction, achieve English language proficiency, and meet the same challenging State academic content and student achievement standards as all students in the District are expected to meet, the Board will adhere to the procedures set forth in these guidelines.

The LEP Program shall be an essential component of the District's educational program and shall use language instruction curricula that is tied to scientifically based research and designed to effectively meet the special and diverse needs of LEP students. The overall instruction and curriculum content of the LEP Program shall be based on State instructional objectives, goals, and proficiency standards.

Each student enrolling in the District for the first time will be required to complete a Home Language Survey (see Form 2225 F1) in order to identify whether the student's primary or home language is other than English. Additionally, current students will be required to fill out a Home Language Survey. Each completed survey will be included as a part of the permanent record of each student in the District. Each student who identifies that his/her primary or home language is other than English will be assessed in order to determine whether s/he is LEP and needs special language assistance in order to effectively participate in the District's educational program. Such assessment will be administered in accordance with the age and educational level of the student. Based on the assessment results, the District will determine whether the student is eligible to participate in the LEP Program.

If a student is identified and assessed as LEP and determined to be eligible for services, the District will send written notice to the student's parent. Such notice shall be provided within thirty (30) days of the start of the school year or within two (2) weeks of assessment (if the student is not identified prior to the beginning of the school year) and include information regarding:

No student will be placed in the LEP Program without having received consent from the student's parents. Additionally, the student's parent(s) will be given a meaningful opportunity to participate and provide input into the student's program and will be regularly informed of the student's progress. If the student fails to make progress on measurable objectives, the Board shall provide the parent with notice of such failure within thirty (30) days after the failure occurs.

Each student who is eligible to participate in the LEP Program will be placed in a setting that is appropriate for his/her age, grade level, and language and educational needs.

Each student is to be placed in a classroom with instructors who individually or in combination, are fluent/proficient in English, with respect to written, as well as oral communication skills.

In addition to placing a student in a setting that will help him/her learn English and attain State academic content and achievement standards for grade promotion and graduation, the Board will provide additional services (based on the needs of individual students) including, but not limited to individual language instruction.

Each student shall be tested on an annual basis and monitored to determine how well s/he is learning English and becoming more proficient in the areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing of the English language. Students will also be tested in the academic content areas of reading/language arts, math, and other core academic subjects. The District will provide each student's parent(s) with the results of the tests so that s/he will know how the student is progressing.

Limited English Proficiency students may be given accommodation on the State Testing in accordance with the Regulations and Rules governing this testing.

Once a student has been placed in the LEP Program, s/he will be provided with services and evaluated on an annual basis until it is determined that the student is proficient enough to meaningfully participate in the District's regular educational program. Teacher recommendation will initiate the process for the student to exit the LEP Program. Once a student has been identified for exit, s/he will be reassessed.

In determining whether a student is able to participate in the regular educational program, the District will evaluate factors including, but not limited to:

Additionally, the overall retention in-grade and dropout rates of LEP students may be evaluated to determine whether such rates are similar to the student's non-LEP peers.

Upon exit from the LEP Program, a student will be monitored for a period of up to two (2) years in order to determine whether s/he is achieving academically and continuing to achieve English language proficiency.

The District shall maintain records on all LEP students indicating the annual increases the number or percentage of students:

Also, the Board shall include in its annual report card, data that is sufficient to yield statistically reliable information, as determined by the State, and does not reveal personally identifiable information about an individual student.

A.C. 390.1521 et seq.
Resolution of Michigan Merit Award Board, 2001-02