The Structured English Immersion (SEI) Models require a minimum of four (4) hours per day of ELD for every pupil who is classified as an English Language Learner (ELL). (SEI Models 5/14/08).
All ELL students who have not tested proficient on the Arizona English Language Learner Assessment (AZELLA) must be enrolled in four (4) hours of ELD. The exceptions relate to half-day kindergarten students and to Middle/High School intermediate level ELL students in their second year of ELL status.
Elementary School Teacher Qualifications
All teachers in SEI Classrooms must have a valid Arizona teaching certificate (charter school teachers are exempt from this requirement). Teachers in grades K-6 must be highly qualified in elementary content as defined by the Federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
Additionally, all teachers must have a Structured English Immersion (SEI) endorsement (Provisional endorsement or full endorsement) (State Board of Education (SBE) Rules, R7-2-613.J), an English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement (Provisional endorsement or full endorsement) (SBE Rules, R7-2-613.I), or a Bilingual (BLE) endorsement (Provisional endorsement or full endorsement) (SBE Rules, R7-2-613.H).
Middle Grades and High School Teacher Qualifications
All teachers in SEI Classrooms must have a valid Arizona teaching certificate (charter school teachers are exempt from this requirement). Teachers in grades 7-8 must be Highly Qualified in Language Arts or English as defined by the Federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Teachers in grades 9-12 must be Highly Qualified in English as defined by the Federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
Additionally, all teachers must have a Structured English Immersion (SEI) endorsement (Provisional endorsement or full endorsement) (SBE Rules, R7-2-613.J), an English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement (Provisional endorsement or full endorsement) (SBE Rules, R7-2-613.I), or a Bilingual (BLE) endorsement (Provisional endorsement or full endorsement) (SBE Rules, R7-2-613.H).
No, as defined by the Arizona ELL Task Force, “Structured English Immersion Classroom” means a classroom in which all students are limited English proficient as determined by composite AZELLA scores of Pre-Emergent, Emergent, Basic, or Intermediate. The purpose of the classroom is to provide daily ELD instruction.
If the Home Language Survey or school enrollment form identifies a language other than English (PHLOTE) for a new student, the student shall be assessed not later than 30 calendar days after the beginning of the school year or within 2 weeks after the student enrolls during the school year (if the LEA is receiving Title III funding). If the LEA does not receive Title III funding, a new student shall be assessed within 60 calendar days of the beginning of the school year or within 30 calendar days of the student’s enrollment in school
Students in the first year of education in an Arizona school shall be assessed upon initial entry and at the end of the school year.
If the initial entry is after February 1, the second assessment is NOT required.
CONTINUING ELLs:
Students shall be assessed at the end of each school year (sometime after March 1).
WITHDRAWN ELLs:
Students shall be assessed at the end of each school year (sometime after February 1). As per requirements from USDOE, these students will be tested annually until they receive a composite score of proficient.
FEP STUDENTS:
These are the students who are being monitored for two (2) years after reclassification. Students previously reclassified within the last two (2) years shall be assessed at the end of each school year (sometime after February 1).
OPTIONAL ASSESSMENT:
New and Continuing ELLs:
Students at the Intermediate proficiency level may be assessed at mid-point of the academic year; however, NO student shall be assessed more than three (3) times in a school year.
This mid-term assessment provides students, whose individual data indicates sufficient progress to warrant a reassessment, the opportunity to enter a mainstream classroom as soon as possible. Students at the Intermediate level should not be tested mid-year if the LEA has no intention of moving these students to the mainstream classroom upon testing proficient.
This mid-term assessment may allow middle or high school ELL students, in their second or subsequent year, to be excused from the required hour of ELD Reading and/or the required hour of ELD Writing/Grammar. This will be determined by a Proficient score on the AZELLA Reading and/or Total Writing subtest.
This mid-year assessment provision does not allow for random assessment of ELL students. The intent is to reassess individual students who have made sufficient progress to warrant a reassessment that could lead to a student’s placement in a mainstream classroom. If the Arizona Department of Education discovers the inappropriate assessment of ELL students, the LEA may be charged for those testing materials which were inappropriately utilized.
No, the IEP team decides what the appropriate course is to be taken for the student. If it is determined a student cannot meet proficiency due to a disability, then the IEP must state that the AZELLA is not appropriate for the student and determine an alternate assessment.
Also, the IEP team might decide that the impact of the disability is so generalized that participation in the SEI classroom will not meet the specific needs of the student and that all instruction in language development should be delivered through special education and the school would exit the student from the ELL program “Withdrawn due to SPED Criteria” (code 7).
The local education agency (LEA) will send in this assessment. Since the student is enrolled in a private/parochial school, he/she will not have a SAIS number for the demographic page. A bubble will need to be marked for Box 10 “Other School” on the demographic page.
Each governing body of a charter school shall follow the SEI Task Force SEI Models for implementation.(See A.R.S. § 15-756.02)
Kindergarten students shall be grouped separately from students in other grades (SEI Models, 5/14/08). Schools with 20 or fewer ELLs within a three grade span (including kindergarten), may provide instruction through the development of Individual Language Learner Plans (ILLPs) created for each ELL.
For kindergarten classes operating on a half-day basis, the time allocations are proportionately reduced (SEI Models 5/14/08). http://www.azed.gov/wp-content/uploads/PDF/Half-DayKindergartenandELD-OELASandTitleIGuidance.pdf
The law states that pupils who fail to demonstrate English proficiency on the language assessment when retested in the two years following their exit from ELL status, subject to parental consent, shall be re-enrolled in an SEI program pursuant to section A.R.S. § 15-752 and may be provided compensatory instruction as defined in section A.R.S.§ 15-756.11 (A.R.S.§ 15-756.06) However, it is the responsibility of the LEA to offer the parent/guardian the following options:
- Re-enroll in the ELL program
- I do not choose to re-enroll my pupil in the ELL program
- Participate in a compensatory instruction program, if re-enroll in ELL program or if choose not to re-enroll the student in the ELL program. This should be done in a conference, with the parent/guardian, language teacher, and site administrator.
