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Multilingual Programs

MLL

Welcome / Bienvenidos

Multilingual Programs across Santa Cruz City Schools provide ongoing support to ensure that our students with multilingual backgrounds receive equitable access to a meaningful education, and which prepare multilingual learners at all grade levels for college and career success.

 

Supports include the following:

  • Master Plan for Multilingual Learners

  • Annual ELPAC Placement Notification

  • Designated English Language Development (D-ELD)

  • Integrated English Language Development (I-ELD)

  • Monitoring of Designated English Learners

  • Monitoring of Reclassified Fluent English Proficient Learners

  • District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC)

  • English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) at each school site

  • Professional Development for Teachers and Other Staff

  • Elementary Dual Immersion Program

  • Middle School Spanish Language Arts Program

  • High School Heritage Speakers Program

  • School Community Coordinators

Los Programas Multilingües en las Escuelas de la Ciudad de Santa Cruz proporcionan apoyo continuo para asegurar que nuestros estudiantes con antecedentes multilingües reciban un acceso equitativo a una educación significativa, y que preparen a los estudiantes multilingües en todos los niveles de grado para el éxito universitario y profesional.

 

Entre los apoyos se incluyen los siguientes:

  • Plan maestro para alumnos multilingües

  • Notificación anual de colocación ELPAC

  • Desarrollo designado del idioma inglés (D-ELD)

  • Desarrollo integrado del idioma inglés (I-ELD)

  • Supervisión de los estudiantes de inglés designados

  • Monitoreo de estudiantes reclasificados con dominio fluido del inglés

  • Comité Asesor Distrital para Estudiantes de Inglés (DELAC)

  • Comité Asesor de Estudiantes de Inglés (ELAC) en cada escuela

  • Desarrollo profesional para profesores y demás personal

  • Programa de Inmersión Dual en Primaria

  • Programa de Lengua y Literatura en Español de la Escuela Secundaria

  • Programa Heritage Speakers de la escuela secundaria

  • Coordinadores de la comunidad escolar

SCCS EL Master Plan

ELPAC (English Language Proficiency Assessments for California)

The English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) is the required state test for English language proficiency that must be given to students whose primary language is a language other than English per state and federal law. The ELPAC is aligned with the 2012 California English Language Development Standards.

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The ELPAC consists of two separate assessments:

1) The Initial ELPAC - an assessment for the initial identification of students as English learners (ELs), and

2) The Summative ELPAC - the annual summative assessment to measure a student’s progress in learning English and to identify the student's level of English language proficiency. The Santa Cruz City Schools testing window for the Summative ELPAC is mid-February through early April. Student Score Reports are shared with parents in the summer / fall following test administration.

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PARENT RESOURCES:​

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Reclassification Criteria and Process

The diagram to the right details the criteria for reclassification for English Language Learners in Santa Cruz City Schools.  When school officials determine that a student may be eligible for reclassification, they call a Language Review Team (LRT) meeting to look at the student's data. If the LRT determines the student is eligible for reclassification, then paperwork is sent to the Office of Learning and Achievement for authorization.  Following this, parents are invited to a meeting (in-person, over-the-phone or over Zoom) to determine agreement with the reclassification.  If all parties agree, then the student is reclassified as fluent English proficient (RFEP).

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Students who achieve reclassification status are then monitored for 5 years to ensure they continue to make high academic progress in all content areas.  At LRT meetings, teachers and administrators examine assessment data, grade data, attendance data, etc. to determine if students are continuing to meet learning targets. If a student is not meeting learning targets, then interventions are planned and assigned.

Seal of Biliteracy

The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by the Santa Cruz City Schools in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation. Appearing on the transcript of the graduating senior, the Seal of Biliteracy is a statement of accomplishment for gaining competency in two or more languages, and is viewed as an asset when applying for college admission. 

 

GOALS

In awarding the Seal of Biliteracy to graduating seniors who met the requirements, the Santa Cruz City Schools seeks to

  • Encourage students to develop and maintain biliteracy and multilingual skills

  • Promote world language instruction in our schools

  • Promote the developments of language and cultural appreciation and cross-cultural understanding

  • Encourage the development of dual language immersion programs, and foreign, native, and heritage language programs in schools

  • Provide employers with a method of identifying people with language and biliteracy skills.

 

ELIGIBILITY 
The Seal will be awarded to graduating seniors in Santa Cruz City Schools who have mastered standard academic English and any other language.

 

Students wishing to receive the Seal of Biliteracy must be verified by their home district and complete all four verified parts:
 

  1. Complete all high school graduation requirements with a minimum 2.0 GPA. 

  2. Score of “met” (3) or “exceeds” (4) on SBAC ELA in 11th grade. 

  3. Successful completion of 40 credits in English with a GPA of 2.0 or higher and score of “4” overall on ELPAC.

  4. Provide evidence of one completed target language proficiency:

    • Passing AP World Language Exam with a score of 3 or higher OR

    • Passing the International Baccalaureate/Foreign Language Exam with a proficient +  score OR

    • Passing the 4th year of World Language Course of Study with an overall World Language GPA of 3.0 or higher. 

  5. Complete 20 hours of community service on culturally and/or linguistically related activities. 

  6. Pass an oral interview.

 

PATHWAY AWARDS
While the Seal of Biliteracy is awarded to seniors upon graduation, Santa Cruz City Schools honors eligible students with a Biliteracy Pathway Award at the end of fifth grade and again at the end of eighth grade. Additionally, we participate in our Santa Cruz County Language Ambassadors program that honors biliteracy beginning as early as transitional kindergarten. All these programs recognize and support the study of languages at Santa Cruz City Schools. 
 

Dual Immersion Program

Santa Cruz City Schools is proud to offer "Dos Alas," a language acquisition program also referred to as Two-Way Immersion that provides language learning and academic instruction for native speakers of English and native speakers of Spanish. This program begins in Transitional Kindergarten/Kindergarten (TK/K) and continues to 5th grade at DeLaveaga Elementary School. The goal of the program is acquisition of academic proficiency in two languages:  English and Spanish, together with mastery of academic core content and multicultural proficiency. Instruction is in Spanish and English. This program uses a 90/10 model, where students are taught 90% of the time in Spanish in Kinder and 1st grade, gradually increasing to 50/50 in 4th and 5th grade.
 

Program Components:

  • Separation of instruction in both languages

  • Daily Designated English Language Development (D-ELD) for ELs at the assessed stage of language acquisition.

  • Daily Spanish Language development for all EO students.

  • Full Spanish language arts component for all students, comparable to English language arts.

  • English literacy component for all students, phased in over time.  

  • Differentiated instruction in reading writing, math, science and social science, delivered through Integrated ELD strategies, using state-approved, District-adopted, standards-based materials.

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**For more information about the Dos Alas Dual Immersion Program, please CLICK HERE**

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Or Contact:

 

Soledad Carvajal

email (preferred!): soledadcarvajal@sccs.net 

phone:  831-429-3807 x 56306

Spanish Language Arts & Heritage Speakers Programs

Spanish Language Arts

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The middle school continuation of the learning that students bring with them from the elementary "Dos Alas" Two-Way Immersion program that provides language learning and academic instruction in Spanish with the goals of high academic achievement and cross-cultural understanding. This program begins in grade 6 and continues through 8th grade at Branciforte Middle School. The goals are continued acquisition and refinement of academic proficiency in Spanish, together with multicultural proficiency. Instruction is predominantly in Spanish. 

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Program Components:

  • Full Spanish language arts component for all students, comparable to English language arts.

  • Cultural appreciation component and field trips.

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**For more information about the Spanish Language Arts Program, please CLICK HERE**

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Or Contact:

 

Maestra Wendy Cavadias

email (preferred!): wcavadias@sccs.net 

phone: 831-429-3883 x 52107

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Spanish for Heritage Speakers Programs

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The high school continuation of the learning that students bring with them from the elementary Two-Way Immersion program and the middle school Spanish language arts program that provides language learning and academic instruction in Spanish with the goals of high academic achievement and cross-cultural understanding. This program is a two-year program available at all three of our district’s high schools. The goal of these courses is further acquisition and refinement of academic proficiency in Spanish, together with multicultural proficiency. Instruction is in Spanish.  
 

Program Components:

  • Full Spanish language arts component for all students, comparable to English language arts.

  • Cultural appreciation component and field trips.

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**For more information about the Spanish for Heritage Speakers Programs, please contact the academic counselors at Harbor High School, Santa Cruz High School and Soquel High School.

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DELAC & ELAC

DELAC - District English Learner Advisory Committee

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The purpose of the DELAC is to provide guidance and advice to the Board of Education and the District staff on the needs and services for English Learners. Each California public school district, grades kindergarten through 12, with 51 or more English learners must form a District-level English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC).

 

Parents or guardians of English Learners not employed by the district must constitute a majority of membership (51 percent or more) of the committee. Other school and district staff can be a part of the committee as well.

 

The District English Learner Advisory Committee advises the School Board of Education on the following:

  • Development of a district master plan including policies guiding consistent implementation of English Learner educational programs and services that takes into consideration the School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA).

  • District-wide needs assessment on a school-by-school basis.

  • Establishment of district program, goals, and objectives for programs and services for English Learners.

  • Development of a plan to ensure compliance with any applicable teacher and instructional aide requirements.

  • Review and comment on the local educational agency’s (LEA’s) reclassification procedures. 

  • Review and comment on the written notifications required to be sent to parents and guardians.

  • Provide input for the LCAP and the EL Master Plan.

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ELAC - English Learner Advisory Committee

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The purpose of the ELAC is to ensure that the voices of multilingual learner (MLL) families are heard in the development of site and district plans. California Education Code requires that sites with 21 or more MLL students have a committee to provide parents/guardians of MLLs the opportunity to:

  • Participate in the school’s needs assessments of students, parents and teachers. 

  • Advise the principal and school staff on the school’s program for English Learners. 

  • Provide input on the most effective ways to ensure regular school attendance. 

  • Advise the School Site Council on the development of the Single Plan for Student Achievement. 

 

The percentage of parents on the ELAC must be equal to or more than the percentage of multilingual learner (MLL) students in the school.  The committee should also include other site staff members, including the principal.  Each site's English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) must have parent members elected by parents or guardians of English Learners. Each site also needs to elect a District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) representative.

 

The English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) shall be responsible for:

  • Assisting in the development of the schoolwide needs assessment and ways to make parents aware of the importance of regular school attendance. 

  • Advising the principal and staff in the development of a site plan for ELs and submitting the plan to the school site council for consideration of inclusion in the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA). 

  • Electing a representative to the District English Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC). 

  • Sending and receiving information to/from DELAC and School Site Council.

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**To learn more about your school's ELAC, please contact:

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Resources for Parents & Students

Resources for Teachers

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