English Language Learners Education Plan - Lake George Central School District

This plan outlines Lake George Central School District’s philosophy, programs, services, and procedures for supporting English Language Learners/Multilingual Learners (ELLs/MLLs) in accordance with Part 154 of the New York State Commissioner’s Regulations and the principles laid out in the NYS Blueprint for ELL/MLL Success.

This plan aims to incorporate the principles and guidance from NYSED to support Lake George’s ELL/MLL students in becoming bilingual, biliterate and prepared for college and careers. This plan is not intended to provide every specific detail related to ELL/MLL students and further details can be provided by district representatives.

Click here for the Lake George Central School District Comprehensive English Language Learners Education Plan CR Part 154

ELL Parent Orientation Video

Click here to view this video in other languages.

Administrative Procedures

When a student registers and indicates a home language other than English, the district administers the Home Language Questionnaire in their native language along with the New York State Identification Test for English Language Learners (NYSITELL) to assess the student’s English proficiency level. The assessment and process is facilitated by a certified ESOL teacher. Based on their NYSITELL score, which ranges from Entering (beginner) to Commanding (proficient), the student is placed in the appropriate English as a New Language (ENL) program with services and accommodations matching their proficiency level. ELLs take the NYSESLAT annually to reassess their level and adjust program placement as needed. The certified ESOL/TESOL instructors communicate continuously with classroom teachers to monitor ELLs’ strengths, weaknesses, grades, and upcoming assignments to provide the right support.

Instructional Practices / Programs Options

The Lake George Central School District offers ENL programs at all of its schools for students who are learning English as a new language. Eligibility for the ENL program is based on an interview and state assessment (NYSITELL) to determine the level of English language services that are required. Students in the ENL program are English language learners (ELLs). ELLs receive language instruction through “stand alone” ENL classes and/or “integrated” ENL in their school.

Stand alone ENL

Stand alone ENL is when a student receives instruction in order to acquire the English language needed for success in core content classes (English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social studies). Stand alone ENL often, but not always, takes place in a separate environment where students work in small groups so they feel comfortable taking risks with language. Only students at the first two English proficiency levels (entering and emerging) receive stand alone ENL.

Integrated ENL

Integrated ENL is for all English language learners at all English proficiency levels (entering, emerging, transitioning, expanding, and commanding). During integrated ENL, students receive core content area and English language development instruction simultaneously, often in the regular education classroom setting. Integrated ENL can be delivered by a teacher who is dual-certified in the content area and ENL, or through co-teaching where the classroom teacher and ENL teacher plan, teach, and assess together. This inclusive model also provides appropriate instructional supports to enrich comprehension for ELLs.

Transitional Bilingual Education Program

Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) programs offer students of the same home language the opportunity to learn to speak, understand, read, and write in English while continuing to learn academic content in their home language. The students’ home language is used to help them progress academically in all content areas while they acquire English. The goal of a TBE Program is to provide students with the opportunity to transition to a monolingual English classroom setting without additional supports once they reach proficiency. Even though the amount of English instruction students receive will increase over time, in a TBE program, there will always be home language instruction/supports allowing students the opportunity to develop bilingually.

A student’s English proficiency and grade level determine the minimum number of service hours:

When the ELL population in a given grade level has less than 20 students with the same other than English native language, the District provides a Free Standing English as a Second Language program featuring: Integrated English as a New Language (ENL) units to support content area instruction delivered in a co-teaching model. Stand-alone English as a New Language (ENL) units to support ELA instruction delivered by a teacher certified in English as a Second Language.

Note: The maximum allowable grade span is two contiguous grades for grouping purposes

Parent/Guardian Engagement

School staff members will personalize an approach to meeting with parents/guardians upon registration of their ELL student. Once a student has been identified as an ELL, an orientation meeting will occur with parents/guardians to share information on the ENL Programs and recommendations, student expectations, and to review parental rights. All meetings with parents/guardians of ELL students will be afforded the opportunity to have a qualified interpreter attend meetings to provide translation support. Opportunities for training parents on the strategies to support their children’s language development will be provided throughout the school year.

Professional Learning

The District’s professional development options include offerings specific to the topics of vocabulary development, evidence based literacy practices, co-teaching strategies, and integrating literacy and content area instruction, all of which support the needs of ELL students. Said ELL-specific workshops comprise at least 15% of the total hours offered to all staff including faculty, administrators and teaching assistants. The school district contracts with the local BOCES for ESOL teaching services and ESOL teachers are required to devote 50% of her professional development clock hours to the pursuit of workshops on the following topics: second language acquisition content area integration best practices in co-teaching

Parent Bill of Rights for New York State’s English Language Learners

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) Commissioner Regulations Part 154 provides you – the parents/guardians of English Language Learners (ELLs) – with:

The right for your children to receive a free public education in the school district where you live, regardless of your or your children’s immigration status (e.g., whether your family members are citizens, immigrants, or undocumented) and the language that you or your children speak.
The right to enroll your children in school without being asked to provide information or paperwork which may reveal your or your children’s immigration status. You cannot be asked to provide a social security card or number, an immigration visa or visa status, or citizenship documents or citizenship status.
The right under federal law to have a qualified interpreter/translator in your preferred language for critical interactions with the school district.
The right to have your children in a Bilingual Education (BE) program when there are 20 or more grade-level students that speak the same home/primary language. [1]
The right to written notice in English and your preferred language that your children have been identified as ELLs and will be placed in a Bilingual Education or English as a New Language (formerly called English as a Second Language) program. [2]
The right to a high quality orientation session, provided by your school district, that focuses on state standards, tests, and school expectations for ELLs, as well as the program goals and requirements for Bilingual Education and English as a New Language. This orientation must occur before final school program placement, and must be in your preferred language.
The right to receive information about your children’s English language development, and also about their home language development if they are in a Bilingual Education program.
The right to meet with school staff at least once a year, in addition to other generally required meetings, to discuss your children’s overall learning and language development progress.
The right for your children to be placed in a Bilingual Education or English as a New Language program within 10 days of enrollment, and the right to opt out of a Bilingual Education program. At a minimum, your children must receive English as a New Language instruction.
The right for your children to transfer to another school in your district that offers Bilingual Education in your language, if your children’s original school does not offer such a program.
The right for your children to have equal access to all programming and services offered by the school district, appropriate to age and grade level including those required for graduation, and to all school pro- grams available to other students.
The right for your children to receive all core content instruction, and to learn English and other subjects such as Reading/Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies at the same academic level as all other children. Being entitled to ELL services does not limit the ability to get core content instruction.
The right for your children to have full access to extracurricular activities (afterschool clubs, sports, etc.). Being entitled to ELL services does not limit the ability to take part in extracurricular activities.
The right for your children to get support services (e.g., Academic Intervention Services) aligned with any intervention plans that the school/district provides to all students.
The right to have your children tested yearly to determine their English language progress, and to obtain information about your children’s performance on academic tests, including New York State tests.
The right to have your children continuously enrolled year to year in a Bilingual Education or English as a New Language program while they remain ELLs.
The right to contact the New York State Education Department’s Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages if any of the above rights have been violated.

Please call the ELL Parent Hotline at 1-800-469-8224, or email: nysparenthotline@nyu.edu(link sends e-mail)

For more information write to:

New York State Education Department

Office of Bilingual Education & World Languages 55 Hanson Place, Room 594

Brooklyn, NY 11217

[1] In New York City, per the Aspira Consent Decree, a BE program is required in grades K-8 if 15 or more grade-level students speak the same language in two contiguous grades. If there is not a sufficient number of qualifying students in a school, but there are within its district, the district must provide a BE program.

[2] All ELLs develop their English skills through “English as a New Language” courses. In addition, those in a Bilingual Education program also take Home Language Arts. Core content area courses (i.e., Math, Science, and Social Studies) are offered in a Bilingual Education program in both English and their home language. Those who are not in a Bilingual Education program take core content area courses in English.