English Language Learner Program

Parents complete a Home Language Survey when enrolling their child in California schools. If a child moves school districts, the school will contact the previous district to obtain the original home language survey.

• If the survey indicates that the child speaks a language other than English or is spoken to most often in a language other than English, the student will be given the Initial English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC).
• The Initial ELPAC Assessment is given during the school day and within 30 days of school enrollment to students meeting the above criteria in transitional kindergarten through grade twelve.
• The ELPAC is given by trained school personnel and measures the student's ability to listen, speak, read and write in English.
• More about the ELPAC can be found at the following website: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ep/

Identifying students who need help learning in English is important so that these students can get the extra help they need to do well in school and access the full curriculum. 

• The Initial ELPAC will identify a student as Novice, Intermediate, or Initial Fluent English Proficient (IFEP). The school sends results home to parents within the first 30 days of school.
• If the student is identified as having Novice or Intermediate level proficiency, the teacher will use the Initial ELPAC results along with classroom assessments and student work to place each student in a learning group that will best support his/her progress in learning English.
• English learners will take the Summative ELPAC every spring, between February and May, to measure their progress in learning English, until they meet reclassification criteria below.
• The District sends Summative English language proficiency results to parents within 30 days of receiving them from the state scoring service.
• Sample test questions can be found at: https://www.elpac.org/resources/practicetests/

• English Language Development (ELD) is a structured method of teaching in English that builds vocabulary, comprehension and fluency skills. ELD Specialists, ELD Instructional Assistants, and classroom teachers work with groups of students who are learning English to improve their level of proficiency until students are reclassified.
• Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE) is a specific method of teaching grade-level content that helps English learners master content skills as they improve their English proficiency.

Reclassification is the process whereby an English Learner is reclassified as a Fluent English Proficient (RFEP) student after meeting various linguistic and academic criteria set by the state and district. California Education Code Section 313[f] identifies four required criteria for reclassification, but also allows for other measures to be included. The ELD Specialist regularly monitors student assessments and progress toward meeting reclassification criteria. 

The four required criteria are:

1.   Assessment of language proficiency, using an objective assessment instrument, including but not limited to, theEnglish Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC)

2.   Teacher evaluation, including but not limited to, a review of the student’s curriculum mastery

3.   Parent opinion and consultation

4.   Comparison of student performance in basic skills against an empirically established range of performance in basic skills based on the performance of English proficient students of the same age. Burbank Unified School District has developed student reclassification policy and procedures based on criteria set forth by California Department of Education (CDE) guidelines.

Students in BUSD who enter at a Beginning/Emerging proficiency level can expect to exit the program (be reclassified) within 5-7 years, although many exit before that. Please speak with our school’s ELD Specialist regarding your child’s grade level reclassification criteria.