Administrative Procedure 5111.3 - Multilingual Learners

I. Purpose

To provide guidelines for the identification, assessment, and instruction of Multilingual Learners (MLs).

II. Policy

The Prince George's County Board of Education (Board) vows to close achievement gaps and raise achievement for all students in Prince George’s County by ensuring “equitable access” to a high quality education that guarantees that every child graduating from Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) is college and work ready. Equitable access is a fundamental right to every child regardless of race or ethnicity, gender, economic status, culture, language, special needs or faith. (Policy 0118)

III. Background

Consistent with requirements of both federal and state regulations, all students who were born outside of the United States or who come from a home in which the language spoken is other than English must be identified upon enrollment in PGCPS and must have their English language skills assessed. Those students who are identified as MLs must be offered English Language Development (ELD) instruction and their English language skills must be assessed annually by a trained, certified teacher.

IV. Definitions

English Language Development Program (ELD) - provides the English language instruction required of local educational agencies for Multilingual Learners (MLs) in Kindergarten through Grade 12. Students, who are determined to be in sufficient need through language proficiency testing, receive language support from a certified teacher who has extensive knowledge of second language acquisition using effective strategies for meeting their needs.
Home Language Survey (HLS) - One or more questions for parents, guardians, or students upon entering a local school system used to determine the language(s) spoken in the home and by the student. This appears on the PGCPS student registration form, PA-14, and the online PGCPS registration form.
International Students -
1. Students who were born outside of the United States, have current school records from outside the United States, and/or whose language is not English(regardless of place of birth).
2. A student who indicates a language other than English on two or more of the three questions indicated on the home language survey:
  1. What language does the student use most often to communicate?
  2. What language(s) did the student first learn to speak?
  3. What language(s) are spoken in your home?
Literate in the native language - A student who has learned to read or write in their native language(s).
Multilingual Learner (ML) - Is a student:
1. who communicates in a language other than English; or comes from an environment where a language other than English is dominant; or
2. whose family uses a primary language other than English in the home; and
3. whose English language proficiency falls within the range established by the state for an English language development program.
Multilingual Learners (ML) Committee – A committee consisting of an English Language Development (ELD)
Student with interrupted formal schooling (SIFE) – A student who enrolls in PGCPS with an interruption of six or more months of schooling.

Definitions B, C, D and F are consistent with federal and/or state definitions.

V. Procedures

Registration and Enrollment
1. All international students in Grades 1-12, whether United States citizens or not, must begin the registration process in PGCPS at the International Student Admissions and Enrollment Office (ISAEO). No individual school may register an international student, Grades 1-12, without prior registration at ISAEO, with the exception of the following students who may register directly at the school:
  1. Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students: The schools will register and enroll these students ensuring that the responses to the three HLS questions and the country of birth are correctly entered into the Student Information System (SIS). If the student is born outside of the United States, schools will add a United States School Start Date to the (SIS). Registrars may use the Office of Interpreting and Translating Birth Certificate Verification form for foreign birth certificates (see Appendix A).
  2. Students in middle and high school who have attended schools in the United States continuously for five or more years, and who have not been most recently enrolled in English Language Development, formerly ESOL program.
2. At ISAEO, the parents/guardians (hereinafter “parents”) of international students must complete the Student Registration form, PA-14. This includes the HLS questions, which allow parents to specify the primary language, native language, and household language(s) of the student. Students who have experienced interrupted formal schooling or who are illiterate in their native language will be identified at this time, as required by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). PGCPS registration forms will be initiated by ISAEO staff. A packet of all required registration forms will be given to the parents to bring to each student’s school. If the parents have completed an online application, the ISAEO registration forms will be uploaded to the family’s application.
3. During the registration process, ISAEO will request English language proficiency testing by an ELD professional. The test results will be used by the ELD diagnostician to make a recommendation of appropriate ELD or English class placement. ISAEO and ELD teacher forms will reflect the testing results and will be included in the registration packet taken to the assigned school by the parents for completion of the enrollment process.
4. Students will be assigned to a school based on their home address. Parents will receive test results and sign a notification of placement in an ELD Program.
5. High school students should take the PGCPS mathematics placement test for international students upon enrollment at their school. Results of this test should be used to determine the appropriate mathematics class placement and should be filed in the student’s cumulative folder.
ELD Instruction, Curriculum and Graduation Requirements
1. All MLs must meet the same credit, service-learning, and statemandated testing requirements for graduation as non-MLs. High school MLs earn English and/or elective credit toward graduation from their ELD classes.
2. MLs enrolled in their first year of schooling in the United States may be exempt from the state-mandated English Language Arts (ELA) assessment in Grades 3-10 These students must participate in the assessments for mathematics and science but will not be included in the school’s accountability measures for ELA, mathematics, or science.
3. Direct ELD instruction is provided to identified MLs by ELD teachers on a daily or other regularly scheduled basis. Cancellation of such instruction for non-instructional purposes should be kept to an absolute minimum, i.e., substitution in classrooms, supervision of non-ELD student activities, translation at unscheduled IEP meetings, and/or other parent conferences.
4. MLs receive ELD instruction until they demonstrate through the program’s test battery that they have sufficient listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in English to function in grade level classes. ELD teachers, mainstream classroom teachers and specialists, such as reading teachers, share the responsibility of educating MLs.
5. MLs should not receive failing grades nor be retained solely on the basis of their proficiency in English. Secondary level MLs receive English grades from their ELD teachers. Content teachers are encouraged to communicate with ELD teachers throughout the quarter and prior to assigning grades.

VI. Monitoring and Compliance

It shall be the responsibility of the school principal/designee to ensure that first through twelfth grade international students who meet the requirements are sent to ISEAO for registration prior to enrollment at the school.
It shall be the responsibility of the school principal/designee to ensure that all MLs are assigned to the appropriate ELD courses and to monitor instruction, grading, assessment, promotion and retention of MLs.
It shall be the responsibility of the ELD and ISAEO offices to ensure that all international students have completed all necessary registration documents and been administered language placement exams.

VII. Related Policies and Procedures

Administrative Procedure 5111 – Registration and Withdrawal of Students

VIII. Legal Reference

COMAR 13A.05 .07.03

IX. Maintenance and Update of These Procedures

This administrative procedure originate with the ELD Office within the Division of Academics, with assistance from ISAEO – within the Department of Student Services, Division of School Support and Leadership and will be updated as needed.

X. Cancellations and Supersedures

This administrative procedure supersedes Administrative Procedure 5111.3, dated July 30, 2019.