Identification of EL students

The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) requires that school districts identify limited English proficient (LEP) students in order to provide appropriate language instructional programs for them. Pennsylvania has selected the Home Language Survey as the method for the identification.

Schools have a responsibility under federal law to serve students who are limited English proficient and need ELL or bilingual instruction in order to be successful in academic subjects. Given this responsibility, school districts have the right to ask for the information they need to identify these students. The HLS must be given to all students enrolled in the school district. The HLS is given one time and remains in the student’s permanent record file through the student’s graduation.

The HLS recommended by Pennsylvania is appropriate for all students as an initial identification tool. After completion of the HLS and identification of a student as a PHLOTE, additional questions that relate to language proficiency may be asked by the school district.

Based on the responses to the HLS, students will be assessed at their neighborhood K-8 building by an EL pull-out teacher. New students who responded to the HLS in a language other than English must be referred to the EL pull-out teacher for further review, analysis of background information and administering of the W-APT language proficiency assessment.

The EL pull-out teacher sends out a parent notification letter of EL services to the student’s parents. A copy of the parent notification letter must be maintained in the student’s EL folder. Under Title I and Title III, parent notification of student assessment results and placement is required.