When parents register children for school, one of the documents they fill out is a Home Language Survey (HLS).
The purpose of the HLS is to determine if any other
language in addition to English is spoken at home. The questions on the
HLS help determine the English language experience and
language needs of the student, informing us as to whom to test for
English language proficiency.
If additional languages are spoken
by parents, caregivers or children at home, our LIEP teacher(s) will
assess the English language proficiency of the student using the state
required language screening assessment, K-W-APT/ACCESS Screener. The guidance provided by
the screening results will determine whether the student is or is not an
EL (English Learner).
Some students who are tested,
however, will not be eligible for EL services. Students may be dominant
in English, fully bi-lingual or multi-lingual. Nonetheless, we test
students to protect their rights, and to ensure that we provided the
necessary supports to students as needed.
Our Program
Occasionally
parents express anxiety over the need for the Home Language Survey.
They worry that their child will be segregated or stigmatized for their
cultural background, or because of the languages their parents or
grandparents speak. In the Dallastown Area School District, children are
integrated in their classrooms. All of our schools operate under the
same curriculum and assessment expectations. We pride ourselves in
developing programs and instruction that are consistent, no matter the
building, no matter the student.
Our Staff
Pennsylvania
is home to more than 45,500 students whose primary language is something
other than English. The LIEP teacher plays an important role in bridging
the gap between a lack of English proficiency among students and their
academic performance, which supports the district vision of inspiring and creating pathways for student success.
Pennsylvania
schools are bound by law to provide Language Instruction Educational Programs (LIEP) for students whose
primary language is something other than English. The Pennsylvania
Department of Education ensures that all LIEP teachers are qualified and
competent to teach students.
All of our district LIEP
teachers are certified teachers who are required to have and maintain an
LIEP certification above and beyond the regular educator certification.
Likewise, all of our paraprofessionals are highly qualified and trained
to support EL students. Being able to get extra instruction in English
when a child needs it can be a critical advantage for ELs.
All
of our LIEP teachers actively participate in district staff development,
attend professional development in the field each year, and help to
train and support the regular education teachers on a regular basis.