English Language Learners (ELL)

Why Does Our District Need an ELL Policy - Offers three common scenarios with responses regarding the need to create policy surrounding ELL students.

WIDA MDE has adopted language development standards for ELL students. This site has links to the standards, the Can Do descriptors, Model Performance standards, Rubrics, and many more resources.

W-APT Screener Use your district login to download screener materials in the appropriate grade band to screen students for ELL placement.

ACCESS for ELL's This assessment must be administered by a trained, certified test administrator. Use your district login, then request a personal log-in to the training site to become certified. Students identified for ELL services MUST be administered the ACCESS for ELL's each Spring in order to show growth on the language development standards. This includes ALL students who did not receive a score of a 5 in any sub-area (reading, listening, speaking, and/or writing) or as a composite score, even if the parents refused ELL services or the student was an exchange student.

This is the ELL Identification Process:

Are You Following Federal Laws and State Guidelines for Determining Who Receives ELL Services? This is a graphic representation of the ELL identification process with references to the Federal Law behind the process. 

MDE English Learner Program Entrance and Exit Protocol The Office of Field Services updated this guide in 2013 to help districts have a common set of protocols to meet Federal requirements pertaining to ELL students.