Project Information

Primary Goal

• Increase the number and enhance the quality of ESL teachers and general classroom teachers needed to serve the growing number of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the Emporia School District.

Objectives

• Endorse teachers in BLED/ESL education via CLASSIC© ESL/Dual Language Model
• Strengthen the capacity of BE/ESL education endorsees, regular classroom teachers, support staff, school administrators and university faculty by providing extended development training in the SIOP model of sheltered English instruction and Assessment
• Refine and or Implement personnel training and curriculum development with an emphasis on sheltered English instruction through the SIOP model.
• Develop and implement an effective advocacy training program for parents with children who are English language learners.

• Cultural and linguistic diversity are increasingly a reality of social and demographic patterns in public school classrooms in America. In communities where this has not always been the case, the ability to recruit and retain educators with relevant experiences with such diversity can prove both competitive and frustrating. Recent evidence indicates that more than 42% of all teachers have at least one ELL (English Language Learner) in their classroom; yet, only 29% of them have received training on how to meet the needs of this subpopulation (NCES, 1997).
• Kansas also has a significant need. In recent years, Kansas schools have experienced a dramatic shift in demographics--especially as it relates to the number of ELLs in classrooms. Due to these shifting demographics, Kansas educators have witnessed changes for which they have not been adequately prepared to address. Astoundingly, Kansas, during a 10 year period of time, quadrupled in number of identified ELLs to approximately 28, 383 students (NCELA/LIEP, 2003). This dramatic increase in the number of Kansas ELLs has generated both regional and national attention (Bilingual Research Journal (Herrera & Murry, 2001).
• Moreover, demographic student data depicts that the academic needs of Kansas ELLs are not being met. For instance, the preponderance of Kansas ELLS has notable low scores on the Kansas Assessments in reading, writing, mathematics, and other content areas. Current data indicates that the mean composite reading score of ELLSs in Kansas schools tends to be at least 14.6% below the state average (Kansas Assessment Results, 2003). These assessment results are unfortunately very consistent with recent findings at the national level. USCRC (2002) found that ELLs at the national level are: (a) 3 times more likely to be low achievers than high achievers; (b) 2 times more likely to be at least one grade level behind in school: and (c) 4 times more likely to drop out than their native-English-speaking peers.
• These incredible changes in classroom student diversity are replicated in Emporia classrooms as indicated Table 1. Although the district ESL programs have been an integral part in addressing the needs of ELLs over time, the success of ELLs continues to lag substantially behind that of their English-speaking peers. For example, 26.6% of ELLs at the middle school scored proficient or above on the state reading assessment compared to 77.3% of their English-speaking peers. In writing, writing proficiency for ELLs showed 3.2% at the proficient level or above compared to 34.1% of their native-English-speaking peers. It is unmistakably obvious that the academic achievement of ethnic and linguistically minority children, has not kept pace with the native-English-proficient student population within the district.

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Table 1
Summary of Need for Targeted Low Performing Emporia Schools

* Schools: 1) Logan; 2) Riverside; 3) Village; 4) William Allen White; 5) Walnut; 6) Timmerman; 7) Lower South; 8) Lower North; 9) Emporia Middle; 10) Emporia High **Number of ESL/BE endorsed teachers.

• Phase I (2004 - 2005)

  Up to 6 elementary schools (only grades 3 and 4) will begin training in 3 areas:

  1. SIOP
  2. The KSU ESL/Dual Language completion program
  3. Parent training through Keys for Networking

  A 7th and 8th grade team from Emporia Middle School will participate in Phase 1.

  Designated teaching staff will attend a 3-day summer institute on SIOP implementation

• Phase II (2005 - 2006)

  Phase I schools will continue with the implementation of the SIOP model in their schools.

  Emporia High School will be added and their training will also be in the distinct areas mention in Phase 1.

  Administrators will lead efforts in the observation of SIOP and provide the ongoing feedback to teachers and support staff.

  As needed, Dr. Smiley and the Project Coordinator will provide technical assistance to Year 2 participants.

  Formation of SIOP study groups

  Continue the next cycle of KSU’s ESL/Dual Language completion program.

  All Phase II participants attend a 3-day summer institute as described in Phase I.

• Phase III (2006 - 2009)

  Beginning July 2006, Phase I and Phase II schools will continue with the implementation of SIOP in their schools.

  1st and 2nd grade level teams will receive same intensive support as their counterparts during previous years.

  A new group of teachers from Emporia High School will receive the same intensive support as their counterparts during previous years.

  School administrators will lead efforts in the observation of SIOP and provide ongoing feedback to teachers/staff.

  As needed, Dr. Smiley and Project Coordinator will provide technical assistance to Year I and Year II participants.

  Study groups continue.

  A new cycle of KSU’s ESL/Dual Language completion program will begin while the first cycle completes the program. By year 5, participants will complete the second cycle of the ESL/Dual Language completion program.