September 2016 Committee of the Full Board Wednesday Item 9
Discussion of English Language Proficiency Standards
September 14, 2016
COMMITTEE OF THE FULL BOARD: DISCUSSION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: NO ACTION
SUMMARY: This item provides the opportunity for the committee to discuss a timeline for reviewing, revising, and updating the English language proficiency standards (ELPS) in accordance with the requirements of the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requirements.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §7.102(c)(4) and §28.002.
TEC, §7.102(c)(4), requires the State Board of Education (SBOE) to establish curriculum and graduation requirements. TEC, §28.002, identifies the subjects of the required curriculum and requires the SBOE by rule to identify the essential knowledge and skills of each subject in the required curriculum that all students should be able to demonstrate and that will be used in evaluating instructional materials and addressed on the state assessment instruments.
BOARD RESPONSE: This item is presented for review and comment.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: The SBOE originally adopted English language proficiency standards in 19 TAC Chapter 128, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Spanish Language Arts and Reading and English as a Second Language, effective September 1, 1998. In 2007, the SBOE adopted revisions to the ELPS to comply with No Child Left Behind Act, Title III, requirements.
FUTURE ACTION EXPECTED: At the request of the SBOE, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) will convene an ELPS review and revision committee and prepare proposed revisions to the ELPS for discussion at a future meeting.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: The second language acquisition standards for students in Kindergarten-Grade 12 were originally adopted as part of 19 TAC Chapter 128, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Spanish Language Arts and Reading and English as a Second Language, in 1998. In 2007, the SBOE adopted revisions to the English language proficiency standards to align with requirements in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as reauthorized under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. At that time, the ELPS were relocated to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Subchapter A, Required Curriculum, §74.4, English Language Proficiency Standards, in order to clarify that the ELPS were aligned with and apply to all academic content areas.
In late 2015, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was reauthorized as the ESSA. Most major provisions of the legislation will be implemented beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. One of the requirements in ESSA is the establishment, with robust stakeholder input, of a state plan for the implementation of certain provisions of the legislation. TEA is in the process of soliciting stakeholder input for the development of the state plan.
Title III of ESSA addresses English language acquisition for English learners. The program is focused on assisting English language learners (ELLs) and immigrant students to attain proficiency of the English language and meet the same challenging state academic achievement standards that all students are expected to meet. Among the state's responsibilities under the Title III program is the requirement that the state establish English language proficiency standards that are aligned with the state's academic content standards. To address this requirement, the SBOE has adopted the ELPS, which outline the instruction school districts must provide to ELLs in order for them to have the full opportunity to learn English and to succeed academically. The ELPS are required to be implemented as an integral part of the instruction in each foundation and enrichment subject of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills.
FISCAL IMPACT: None.
PUBLIC AND STUDENT BENEFIT: Benefits include better alignment of the ELPS with recently updated academic content standards.
PROCEDURAL AND REPORTING IMPLICATIONS: None.
LOCALLY MAINTAINED PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS: None.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: The official public comment period will begin when the rule action is published as proposed in the Texas Register.
OTHER COMMENTS AND RELATED ISSUE: None.
Staff Members Responsible:
Monica Martinez, Associate Commissioner
Standards and Support Services
Shelly Ramos, Senior Director
Curriculum Standards and Student Support
Attachments:
I. Statutory Citations (PDF, 15KB)
II. Text of 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter A, Required Curriculum, §74.4, English Language Proficiency Standards (PDF, 91KB)