The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has set ambitious goals to ensure that every child—in every school and every neighborhood—has access to a world-class learning experience from birth, resulting in graduation from high school college- and career-ready. Receiving meaningful access to the Instructional Core through appropriate EL instruction is a key component of Services for English Learners. The ELPT is a leader in the school who supports the administration in strengthening components of those services and guides teachers through continuous practice of improvement of core instruction for ELs.
The ELPT provides native language instruction and support for EL students up to 50% of their schedule.
Overview
The Office of Language and Cultural Education (OLCE) annually asks principals to nominate an English Learner Program Teacher (ELPT). The ELPT should be a teacher leader who supports school leadership in the administration of the EL program. Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) for schools with 20 or more ELs who speak the same home language. Transitional Program of Instruction (TPI) for schools with 19 or fewer ELs who speak the same home language. The ELPT leads professional development of teachers regarding English Language Development (ELD) and instruction for English Learners (ELs), and engages parents of ELs to participate in the education of their children.
ELPT Commitments
INSTRUCTIONAL
Work with administration to support all teachers of ELs. ELPTs must participate in the school ILT representing ELs. Supports may include but are not limited to:
Participate in grade level meetings
Participate in the MTSS team to plan curriculum/instructional supports and differentiation for ELs and support documentation in Branching Minds
Collaborate with bilingual/ESL teachers in aligning instruction with CCSS and WIDA ELD and share current research and best practices around EL instruction with faculty
Coach teachers to implement high quality instruction and identify assessment best practices
Engage in EL data analysis to inform instruction
EL instructional priorities include:
Provide access to a high-quality curriculum that meets the needs of ELs, including native language instruction across all content areas that is language-proficiency appropriate, grade-level appropriate and standards-aligned (English language development standards: ELD), meaningful, and responsive to their communities and identities.
Schools implement a balanced assessment system that includes alignment of the language of instruction with the language of assessments, differentiation and supports for ELs when tested in English, as well as informed decision-making that understands the limitations and information that can be interpreted from assessments given to students who are not yet proficient in English and unable to demonstrate their mastery of content in that language
Administer assessments in the native language when available and appropriate
Teachers facilitate instruction that honors students’ identities and linguistic needs including native language instruction.
English learners are supported in engaging with and meeting grade-level standards through practices that recognize their strengths and build on those through just-in-time support.
Having been provided with appropriate Tier 1 instruction, English learners can access tiered academic and social-emotional interventions that align to their linguistic needs and supplement core instruction when needed to facilitate their success with grade-level standards.
Provides differentiated instructional support by working directly with teachers in the classroom to model effective, research-based instructional practices.
Collaborate with dual language coordinator (if it is the case) to foster high quality education for multilingual learners
ADVISORY
Provide EL placement recommendations to the principal
Support family engagement and parent engagement efforts at the school to be fully inclusive of parents/guardians of ELs. The ELPT can support the administration with vetting interpretation vendors or updating the posted list of interpreters representing the home languages in the school, but the ELPT is not required to provide interpretation or translation services themselves.
Facilitate establishment and operation of Bilingual Advisory Committee (BAC)
Ensure required EL Program instruction is presented to parents at initial BAC meeting
Hold BAC position elections and submit to OLCE
Ensure timely submission of documents (See BAC Advisory Handbook for details)
Ensure that BAC officers approve a spending plan for BAC funds
Ensure timely reimbursements and expense submissions for BAC funds
Provide guidance to teachers and principals regarding program implementation
Collaborate with school administration in all areas related to ELs
PROGRAM COORDINATION
Coordinate administration of mandated State-prescribed Screener (e.g., WIDA Screener, MODEL K, Pre-IPT) within 30 days of enrollment at the start of the school year and 14 days of enrollment thereafter
Enter data in ASPEN such as state-prescribed screener results and EL profiles.
Review EL rosters and ACCESS reports to: 1) ensure ELs are appropriately placed/transitioned 2) Coordinate ACCESS testing in accordance with assessment guidelines
Coordinate distribution of CPS Parent Notification Letters generated from Aspen along with translated versions on the OLCE Employee Intranet
Collaborate with special education staff to ensure ELs with IEPs are serviced appropriately and service delivery model numbers are entered accurately in SSM
Maintain annual documentation of bilingual/ESL staff participation of two State-mandated EL PD sessions
Coordinate EL Program Reviews and collaborate with administration and Network specialist to create an action plan that addresses technical requirement and instructional needs
Assist school administration in submission of all required OLCE forms in a timely manner (e.g. EL summer program enrollment, etc.)
Attend required ELPT trainings and disseminate information to administrators, teachers of ELs, and general program staff
Monitor progress for Transition (T1-T4) students, students with a parent refusals, and current ELs to ensure additional supports and interventions can be provided if needed
Collaborate with testing coordinator regarding District assessments in which ELs participate, particularly around using appropriate EL testing accommodations