OSSI February Newsletter Supporting Language Learners

OSSI’s monthly newsletter provides accessible resources and connects readers to best practices at the state, regional, and local level that are improving student outcomes.  Portions of the newsletter provided here for your review.

FOCUS: Supporting Language Learners – February 2020

Why Focus on Language Learners?  11.6% of Language Learners – 133,847 students per OSPI data.

OSPI’s vision is that all students are prepared for post-secondary pathways, careers and civic engagement. It is Superintendent Reykdal’s goal to have dual language for all students. Language Learner outcomes and growth are both federal accountability indicators under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Six Stages of Language Acquisition

  1. Pre-production
  2. Early production
  3. Speech emergent
  4. Beginning fluency
  5. Intermediate fluency
  6. Advanced fluency

Language Spoken at Home  from Health Youth Survey (click here)

Q: How can I access the Healthy Youth Survey results? A: Check out this quick guide [lnks.gd], that will show you how to access the data in several different formats. If you have questions about the Healthy Youth Survey, contact Emily Maughan.

What do Graduation Gaps Look Like for Language Learners? by Travis Wentworth, Data Practices Project Manager, OSSI

OSPI is driven to closing opportunity gaps between student groups with a focus on Graduation. OSPI set a target of 90 percent graduation rate for all student groups by the class of 2027. Currently, the Report Card is reporting 62.4 percent graduation rate for English Language Learners.

A study that was done using the original Washington School Improvement Framework (WSIF), showed a strong correlation between Attendance, 9th Grade on track, and Dual Credit to Graduation. Click here [lnks.gd]to see the results of that study. The Study showed that students who regularly attend school, participate in dual credit enrollment, and are on track to graduation in 9th grade, have over a 90 percent graduation rate.

Though this study focused on Race/Ethnicity, let’s look at our English Learners…

Based on 2019 Report Card data, there is there is a 2.9 percentage point gap between English Language Learners and Non-English Language Learners in Regular Attendance (80.1 percent ELL; 83.2 percent Non-ELL). When we look at 9th Grade on track numbers statewide, we see nearly a 25 percent point gap with English Language Learners at 50.9 percent compared to Non-English Language Learners at 75.1 percent on track to graduate in 9th grade. Further, Dual Credit participation rates showed nearly a 17 percent point gap with English Learners at 44.7 percent and Non-English Learners at 61.5 percent.

With an eye on closing the disproportionate graduation gap between English Language Learners and all other students, we must ask what changes do we need to make to our system to better prepare English Language Learners to be on track in 9th grade and support their inclusion within dual credit opportunities?

 MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Attendance Works Webinar: Breakfast After the Bell, Feb 24 Register Now

Webinar: Bringing Equity Alive in the Classroom: A Guide to the Cultural Competency Modules February 27, 10:30am PST You are invited to a  webinar on the Cultural & Linguistic Competency Training Program, which is available to all LEAs at no cost. The webinar will be hosted by OSPI, PCG and curriculum author Gary Howard, and will include an introduction to culturally responsive teaching, an overview of the course platform and a chance to ask questions. register here 

OSPI’s Webinar- Student Discipline Data Dashboard: How to Access it and Use it Effectively, March 3, 2pm no registration, click here to join 

GATE Equity Webinars, March 11, 2020, Supporting Students With Disabilities
101 10 am register here 
201 3 pm register here [

WABE Annual Conference, Bellevue, April 23-25

MTSS Fest, SeaTac,  May 4-5