Parents can opt students out of receiving EL services. They will still be annually assessed, but will not receive services.

In 25 years as a classroom and EL teacher, I’ve never thought or heard anyone else talk about a child in terms of funding. We are too busy trying to help the large caseloads we have.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think if you write on the intake form whether ‘any other languages are spoken at home’ then they evaluate the child for esl.

This is the answer.

OP - Yes evaluate is fine, but if he passed the test then why the pullouts all year?

Pullouts are a GOOD thing. He's getting help with reading.

To quote a great movie,
"What's your damage, Heather?"

Pullouts are BAD if the child doesn’t need them (and sometimes bad even if the child is behind in the subject).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In our district, once you mention any other language other than English spoken at home (even if it’s one a year when granny comes to visit from Korea), you are on the hook for those tests. However parents know when kids reclassify (and they get info about their levels once the kids do their initial testing). So it’s strange.

Correct. If a child speaks a language other than English at home, schools are legally obligated to assess their need for English learner services, to meet their 14th amendment rights to an equal education. Unfortunately, as some people note, exiting services requires proving English language proficiency, which can be a high standard for some kindergarten students.

The 14th amendment doesn't say you have to assess every child whose parents list English alongside another language spoken at home. That is a choice by school districts to maximize their funding at the expense of students of color.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Language is Not the Problem, Racism is the Problem – Demystifying Language Project https://share.google/0W0HRXGZd6yQ3IXIO

I would like to read this link but it doesn't work for me. Can you link to a paywalled version so the source can be identified?

By the way I personally know multiple Latino families that have had to BEG to get their English speaking kids removed from ESL.

https://demystifyinglanguage.fordham.edu/articles/language-is-not-the-problem-racism-is-the-problem/

Anonymous wrote:In our district, once you mention any other language other than English spoken at home (even if it’s one a year when granny comes to visit from Korea), you are on the hook for those tests. However parents know when kids reclassify (and they get info about their levels once the kids do their initial testing). So it’s strange.

Correct. If a child speaks a language other than English at home, schools are legally obligated to assess their need for English learner services, to meet their 14th amendment rights to an equal education. Unfortunately, as some people note, exiting services requires proving English language proficiency, which can be a high standard for some kindergarten students.

To add, as an ESL tester, I’ve seen a bunch of really smart K students who speak great English, but who got into this program just by their parents being honest, and sometimes it’s a bit tricky to get out of it because you need to have writing skills for example that not even all native speakers have in K.
So if your child knows at least basic English I suggest you don’t mark any other languages on home language surveys. Yes kids from educated families do test out by 3rd grade generally but sometimes there are other things that hinder their performance on tests, like anxiety or SN. And they keep going thru these meaningless tests losing on class time. It’s twice a year for an hour or so though, so maybe not too bad.

In our district, once you mention any other language other than English spoken at home (even if it’s one a year when granny comes to visit from Korea), you are on the hook for those tests. However parents know when kids reclassify (and they get info about their levels once the kids do their initial testing). So it’s strange.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your child was pulled out all year and you didn't ever hear about it?

DP. I believe it. Schools feel they have the right to do this and don’t really worry about the loss of class time.

NP. They aren't missing class time! The rest of the class just sits around playing on computers during that time block. Ask me how I know. Dh has been upset about it for years (extra computer use and nothing planned). Why aren't they at least just having kids read?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is wild. As an Asian-Am parent, this makes me so angry!

It should. I was livid. My son needed no help with reading. They were just racist. I chose a different school after I found out, one with more diversity and higher percentage of Asians.

Anonymous wrote:This thread is wild. As an Asian-Am parent, this makes me so angry!

It should. I was livid. My son needed no help with reading. They were just racist. I chose a different school after I found out, one with more diversity and higher percentage of Asians.

We need an update, OP!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think if you write on the intake form whether ‘any other languages are spoken at home’ then they evaluate the child for esl.

This is the answer.

OP - Yes evaluate is fine, but if he passed the test then why the pullouts all year?

Pullouts are a GOOD thing. He's getting help with reading.

To quote a great movie,
"What's your damage, Heather?"

He passed the ESL component. If he needs reading help, the classroom teacher should have communicated that with the parents. And the ESL teacher should have explained that she is doing literacy pull-outs, not just that she does ESL and has been working with OP's son.

This thread is wild. As an Asian-Am parent, this makes me so angry!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think if you write on the intake form whether ‘any other languages are spoken at home’ then they evaluate the child for esl.

This is the answer.

OP - Yes evaluate is fine, but if he passed the test then why the pullouts all year?

Pullouts are a GOOD thing. He's getting help with reading.

To quote a great movie,
"What's your damage, Heather?"

Anonymous wrote:Language is Not the Problem, Racism is the Problem – Demystifying Language Project https://share.google/0W0HRXGZd6yQ3IXIO

I would like to read this link but it doesn't work for me. Can you link to a paywalled version so the source can be identified?