Basic Eligibility for ELL Service in SPPS
The intent of this section is to provide a basic overview of eligibility for ELL service in SPPS. More detailed coverage of this topic is covered in the Eligibility section of the staff handbook section where the types of ELL programming and other document such as the ELL elementary and secondary guidelines, the ELL secondary model, secondary curriculum, secondary graduation pathways and possibly most importantly for this section, the ELL Eligibility Chart are provided. Element 1: Home Language Questionnaire
When a student enrolls initially in the school district, it is important to identify the primary language of the student. This is true for each and every student. Obviously, the appearance of the student should not determine whether or not he or she is screened for primary language. Likewise, how the student sounds in English should not determine whether or not he or she is screened for primary language. In order to ensure that each and every non-native speaker of English is correctly identified, the district must ascertain the primary language of every student (in SPPS, this occurs at the Student Placement Center).
The questionnaire determines if a student:
The home language questionnaire should be placed in each student's cumulative folder.
In general, the home language does not change. However, if an error occurred upon initial enrollment, every effort should be made to ascertain the correct home language background of the student. Further coverage of this topic is provided in the Staff Handbook section.
The questionnaire determines if a student:
- First learned a language other than English;
- Comes from a home where the language usually spoken is other than English; or
- Usually speaks a language other than English.
The home language questionnaire should be placed in each student's cumulative folder.
In general, the home language does not change. However, if an error occurred upon initial enrollment, every effort should be made to ascertain the correct home language background of the student. Further coverage of this topic is provided in the Staff Handbook section.