English Language Learner

We would like to welcome back all of our returning students and families, as well as those of you who are new to us this year! Our EL department is looking forward to a great school year!

Yosemite Valley Charter and Monarch River Academy (together = Central Valley Charter Schools) English Language Development (ELD) teachers provide support to students that are new to learning English, as well as students whose first language is not English and are bilingual or multilingual. We have a caring team of teachers who support our students and families.

We are pleased to invite your EL student to our ELD classes! These federally and state mandated classes are a right and benefit to your student!

Classes will help your student grow in the four areas of English Language Development:

1) Reading

2) Speaking

3) Listening

4) Writing

ELD teachers are emailing the welcome emails that list class days, times, and Zoom links. We love this time with your student! Please make sure your student attends on time and is ready to learn.

Classes will start the week of August 31st.

Please see the ELD calendar for important dates.

You may be wondering how your student was identified as EL. Great question!

In accordance with federal law, at registration, school districts use the home language usage survey results to identify students with languages other than English.

Some of our students transfer in from other California Public Schools. When this happens, the student comes with an EL designation already and the home language survey, while helpful, is not the determining factor.

Next Steps

We notify parents of English learner identification and services. If a student is identified as an English learner, the school will notify the parents/guardians. If you are receiving this message, your child has been identified as an English Learner.

After our school has identified a child as in need of EL services we must determine and implement the language instruction educational program the student will receive - our ELD classes!

All ELs are assessed annually in March. In California, this is the ELPAC test (English Language Proficiency Assessments for California). Students’ English skills are assessed in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Reclassification Requirements

Under the State’s reclassification criteria established in 2014-15, English Learners must test:

Reclassification Policy, Criteria, and Process:

• The EL Coordinator, in conjunction with teacher input, will specifically evaluate students who are potentially qualified for reclassification. This will occur upon release of ELPAC scores by the state.
• Per California Department of Education recommendations and requirements, EL Reclassification will be based on the following four criteria:

1. English Language Proficiency Assessment for California (ELPAC):
   The student must achieve an Overall Performance Level (PL) 4 on the Summative ELPAC for grades K-12. Or achieve an Overall Performance Level (PL) 3 on the Summative Alternate ELPAC.
2. Teacher Evaluation
   The student must receive English Language Arts progress report card mark of Meets Expectations or higher or English grade of C or higher. The teacher may provide additional data including student work or Educational Plan completion in ELA to support reclassification recommendation.
3. Parent Opinion and Consultation:
   Parent is consulted via the Parent Notification Letter of Reclassification.
4. Grade-level Basic Skills Assessment:
   EL student’s performance level in basic skills assessment will be compared with that of English Proficient peers. The Star Reading (K-12) or Star Early Literacy (grades K-1 only) or the ELA Smarter Balanced Assessment (3-8, 11) will be used to determine whether EL students meet academic measures and are ready to be reclassified.

English Learner Advisory Committee

Do you want a say in how your student's EL services occur? If so, please join our English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) meetings! Currently, Yosemite Valley Charter is our only Charter with an ELAC meeting. Our next meeting will be October 1 @ 2pm. It will be a virtual meeting held via Zoom. Zoom link HERE. The agenda can be seen HERE. An email has gone out from the el@centralvcs.org account with more information. Those families that are a part of Monarch River Academy are welcome to attend. Your EL student will receive a prize from the EL department if you attend. We can't wait to see you!

Did your student participate in the ELPAC test last Spring? Results can be accessed in the Parent Portal by following the steps below.

Yosemite Valley Charter Parent Portal

Monarch River Academy Parent Portal

Click Student Name> Reports> Test Results> View PDF

Students are still in the process of being reclassified, based on this past Spring's Summative Test.

Please email with any questions or comments: el@centralvcs.org