San Diego Unified School District offers several programs for students who are English learners. In all of the programs, English learners receive concentrated instruction in the use of the English language that is appropriate for their grade and English language proficiency level. Such instruction must be provided by a teacher with training in special strategies to help students increase their English proficiency and learn academic subjects taught in English.
At Birney Elementary we value all languages. We look for every opportunity to support and celebrate languages and dialects spoken in our students' homes. We encourage families to maintain and continue listening and speaking their home language and whenever possible, support continued studies to read and write as well. It is our hope that all students become multi-lingual as they continue their education and develop their international-mindedness throughout the International Baccalaureate Pathway in the San Diego Cluster.
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Schooling should help students achieve their highest potential.
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The responsibility for learners' literacy and language development is shared.
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ELA/literacy and ELD curricula should be well designed, comprehensive, and integrated.
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Effective teaching is essential to student success.
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Motivation and engagement play crucial roles in learning.
ELPAC (ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY ASSESSMENTS FOR CALIFORNIA)
- Designated State and federal law require that school districts administer a state test of English language proficiency to eligible students in kindergarten through grade twelve upon first enrollment in California. This test is called the English Language Proficiency Assessment for California (ELPAC).
- The ELPAC is aligned to the 2012 California English Language Development Standards. It is comprised of two separate assessments: one for initial identification of students as English learners (ELs), and a second for the annual summative assessment to measure student progress in learning English and to identify students' level of English language proficiency.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
All students who are designated as English Learner receive 30 minutes of Designated English Language Development during their school day. The student's language development level is determined by their score on the Initial ELPAC test.
ELPAC PRACTICE TESTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE, please click here.
ELPAC Practice Test Flyer (http://www.elpac.org/resources/practicetests/)
Reclassification Fluent English Proficiency Reclassification is the process whereby a student is reclassified from English learner status to fluent English proficient (RFEP) status.
Educators use multiple criteria in determining whether to reclassify a pupil as fluent English proficient, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
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Assessment of language proficiency using an objective assessment instrument, including, but not limited to, the English language development test that is developed or acquired pursuant to Section 60810.
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Teacher evaluation, including, but not limited to, a review of the pupil's curriculum mastery.
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Parental opinion and consultation.
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Comparison of the performance of the pupil in basic skills against an empirically established range of performance in basic skills based upon the performance of English proficient pupils of the same age, that demonstrates whether the pupil is sufficiently proficient in English to participate effectively in a curriculum designed for pupils of the same age whose native language is English.
Parent Resources - ELPAC Starting Smarter Website
ELPAC Parent Guide (Arabic)
ELPAC Parent Guide (Vietnamese)
ELPAC Parent Guide (Tagalog)
Parent Guide (Spanish)
Additional translations of Parent Guide to Understanding the ELPAC https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ep/elpacparentguide.asp
Practice Tests