LEP & ESL

The New York State Board of Regents Policy states that LEP students are held to the same high standards and expectations as all students. Curriculum, instruction, and assessment in all classrooms serving LEP students are to be aligned with the New York State standards in the core areas.

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All incoming students whose native language is other than English will be evaluated for English proficiency and if necessary, tested with the English Language Assessment Battery (LAB). The LAB assesses a student’s level of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. According to the teacher evaluation and raw test score (number of correct items), it will be determined if a student needs ESL instruction. If ESL instruction is found to be needed, further testing by the teacher will be done to determine the level of instruction.

According to state guidelines, students must score at or below the designated scores in order to be eligible for ESL instruction:

Grade                                                           Test Level                                                             Raw Score

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K                                                                            I                                                                        47

1st                                                                          I                                                                        49

2nd                                                                       I                                                                        54

3rd                                                                        II                                                                        73

4th                                                                        II                                                                        78

5th                                                                        II                                                                        80

6th                                                                        III                                                                       95

7th                                                                        III                                                                        101

8th                                                                       III                                                                        103

9th                                                                       IV                                                                        96

10th                                                                      IV                                                                        99

11th                                                                       IV                                                                        101

12th                                                                      IV                                                                       102

In accordance to state regulations, these students will be placed in ESL, an intensive English course with the goal being to bring a student’s communicative, functional, and academic language proficiency to a level where full time enrollment in all mainstream classes is possible. In ESL, vocabulary and mathematics and science terminology will be stressed to enable a student to understand these classes faster. Students will be gradually placed in all academic classes as soon as they are ready.

ESL Progress Reports are sent to parents at the end of each trimester.
Following the requirements of the New York State Board of Regents, students will receive a minimum of the following daily English classes according to their proficiency level:

Elementary and Junior High Students

ESL                             English                                          Language Arts                                      Total

Beginning                         2                                                       0                                                      2

Intermediate                    2                                                       0                                                      2

Advanced                         1                                                        1                                                       2

High School Students

ESL                              English                                     Language Arts                                          Total

Beginning                         3                                                      0                                                        3

Intermediate                    2                                                      0                                                        2

Advanced                         1                                                       1                                                         2

Students will be evaluated at the beginning of the school year, and at the end of each trimester.

ESL Promotion Policy                                                                                                         

Razi School stands by the State’s policy that LEP students are to be held to the same standards and expectations as all students, therefore, in order for an elementary or junior high ESL student to be promoted at the end of the school year, he/she must receive passing grades in the mainstream English Language Arts and Mathematics classes and pass all state required exams. A high school student must pass all major courses: English, science, social studies, and math according to New York State Board of Regents requirements.

Students who do not meet the course standards may take Summer School classes at an accredited summer school to make up the failed grade