OCR PAR Issues Brochure - Program Evaluation

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Districts are required to take affirmative steps to rectify the language deficiencies of national-origin minority students where inability to speak and understand the English language prevents such students from effective participation in the district's program. A district should have procedures in place for identifying LEP students to ensure that all language-minority students who are unable to participate effectively in the regular instructional program are receiving alternative language services. Such procedures should be designed and implemented in a way that ensures that a district will identify all language-minority students who are unable to speak, read, write, or understand the English language. In providing educational services to language-minority students, school districts may use any method or program that has proven successful. Districts are expected to carry out their programs, evaluate the results to make sure the programs are working as anticipated, and modify programs that do not meet expectations.

Districts that have alternative language programs for LEP students must monitor the programs to ensure that they effectively meet the needs of LEP students. A district should maintain data regarding its implementation of an alternative language program, and the progress of students who participate in the program.

• The district should have a procedure in place that ensures periodic evaluation of the alternative program to determine its effectiveness for LEP students.
• The district should record whether former LEP students are keeping up with their non-LEP peers in the regular educational environment.
• The district should record whether former LEP students are able to participate successfully in essentially all aspects of the school's curriculum without the use of simplified English materials.
• The district should record whether former LEP students are being retained in grade or are dropping out at rates similar to those of their non-LEP peers.

Source:

PAR Issues Brochure; Educational Services for Limited-English Proficient Students; issued by the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Region VII, Kansas City, Missouri. Profile, Assessment and Resolution Reviews, a Region VII Pilot Project.

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