Secondary Newcomer Programs in the U.S.

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Newcomer Center
Program Address:
1201 S. Marengo Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91106
Phone: (626) 441-2201
Fax: (626) 441-6148
jmorris@pusd.us
www.pusd.us
Contact Person:
Joan Morris
Coordinator, English Learner Programs
351 S. Hudson, Pasadena, CA 91109
(626) 396-3600

  • Program Information
    • Information provided for school year: 2010-2011
      Year Program Started: 2008
      School/Grade Levels: Combination middle and high school site
      Program Description:
      The district’s Newcomer Center is a full-day program-within-a-school that serves both middle and high school students from a total of seven schools. The Newcomer Center goals for students and their families include (1) an orientation to U.S. schools, the community, and the district, (2) meaningful social and academic integration with the larger school community, (3) preparation for making the transition to their comprehensive middle school or high school within four semesters, and (4) providing a program that addresses the academic, social, and health needs of the students. The Newcomer Center also offers after-school tutoring and a summer school program. Students generally remain in the program for two semesters plus summer. However, students with low literacy skills may remain for two additional semesters.
      Newcomer Student Definition:
      A newcomer is a student who has been in the U.S. 12 months or less and is at Level 1 (Beginning) in learning English as measured on the California English Language Development Test (CELDT).
      Aspects of Program Working Well:
      Aspects of our Newcomer Center that work well include the following:
      (1) students have the benefit of being with teachers who have training, interest and expertise in meeting their needs, (2) students develop friendships with one another and feel part of a community, and (3) students receive curriculum at their level.
      Type of Language Program: ESL
      Type of Community: Urban/metropolitan
      How Families Learn of Program: Families bring their students to the District Language Assessment and Development Department upon initial enrollment to take the CELDT exam. Upon scoring the exam, parents of eligible students are informed about the Newcomer Center. If parents would like their child to participate, they then sign a waiver allowing their child to be enrolled in this program.
      Students Assigned From:
      • An in-take/assessment center
      Name(s) of the Home School(s): Eliot Middle School, Washington Middle School, Wilson Middle School, Blair International Baccalaureate School (where the Newcomer Center resides), Marshall Fundamental School, Muir High School, and Pasadena High School.
      Funding Sources:
      • Federal: Title III Immigrant, Title III LEP
      • State: EIA/LEP
      • District: General Funds
       Other District Language Support Programs: Students not participating in the Newcomer program are enrolled in ELD classes at their school site.
  • Program Design Features
    • Program Location:
      • Program-within-a-school
       Length of Day:
      • Full-day Program
      • After-school program
       Length of Program:
      • Summer program: 6 week(s)
      • 1-year plus summer program
       Average Length of stay: 2 semester(s)
      Maximum Length of stay: 4 semester(s)
      Average Class Size: 25 student(s)
      Entry Criteria: The Newcomer Center is designed for students who have been in the U.S. for twelve months or less and who are at Level 1 (Beginning) on the California English Language Development Test (CELDT).
  • Newcomer Student Demographics
    • Number of Newcomer Students in Program: 50
      Age Range of Students: 12-18
      Number of Countries Represented: 7
      Most Common Countries:
      • Mexico
      • El Salvador
      • Guatemala
      • China
      • Korea
       Number of Non-English Languages Represented: 5
      Most Common Student Languages:
      • Spanish
      • Mandarin
      • Korean
      • Portuguese
      • Vietnamese
       Percentage of Students with Interrupted Formal Schooling: 25%
      Percentage of Students with Free or Reduced Lunch: 100%
  • Instruction
    • Languages Used for Instruction: English and Spanish (for comprehension)
      Courses Provided by the Newcomer Program:
      • Sheltered content in English
        • math
        • science
        • social studies
        • language arts
        • health
      • ESL or English language development
      • Cross-cultural/orientation to the United States
      • Reading intervention
      • Native language arts
      • School/study skills
      Typical Newcomer Student Schedule: Block schedule: Per 1 - ELD; Per 2 - ELD Math; Per 3 - Science (2 days), PE (2 days); Per 4 - U.S. History (2 days), Elective (2 days)
      Literacy Development Practices: Students learn English and literacy through the Inside (Middle School) and Edge (High School) books- phonics based approach to reading. Writing across the curriculum is also a very important aspect of the program.
      Literacy Materials Used: Inside (Middle School), Edge (High School, and Step Up to Writing used in all classes across the curriculum; supplemental reading with true stories from newspaper articles; Accelerated Reading used school-wide; computerized ESL Reading Smart
      High School Courses Receiving Core Credit: Math, U.S. History, English (A-G)
      High School Courses Receiving Elective Credit: Science
      Credit Recovery or Online Learning Courses: To be developed.
      Additional Learning Opportunities: We have 6 weeks, 4 days per week of summer school (5.5 hours per day), and one period of after school tutoring.
      Ancillary Services Offered Students:
      • Special Education
      • Gifted and talented
      • Health (physical)
      • Health (mental)
      • Day care
      • Career counseling
      • Tutoring
       5- or 6- Year Program Available for High School Newcomer Students: To be developed.
  • Assessment and Evaluation
    • Placement Measures
      Reading:
      California English Language Development Test (CELDT), LAS (primary skills in Spanish)
      English language proficiency:
      California English Language Development Test (CELDT)
      Content:
      "Do the Math" Algebra Pretest
      Progress Measures
      Reading:
      Inside (Middle School) and Edge (High School) unit assessments
      English language proficiency:
      LAS Links, CELDT
      Content:
      Curriculum-embedded assessments from the publishers, quarterly assessments
      Achievement Measures
      State standards tests:
      California Standards Test, Spanish California Standards Test (for Spanish-speaking students who have been in the US less than 12 months), CELDT (initial and annual), CAHSEE (California High School Exit Examination)
      Other assessments:
      Students' academic and emotional growth is monitored anecdotally through teacher observation. Each student has a portfolio with writing samples, assessments, and class work.
      Program Evaluation: End-of-the-year report to be developed.
  • Student Transition and Monitoring
    • Type of Program Students Exit Into:
      • ESL
       Exit Criteria: Exit criteria includes: strong literacy skills in home language, 12 months in program, Levels 2 or above on LAS Links end of year exam.
      Measures to Facilitate Student Transition Out of the Newcomer Program: Students exiting the Newcomer Center have elected to remain at Blair. They will be grouped or clustered together in content courses so that they can receive primary language support if necessary. Their English class is either an Inside (Middle School) or Edge (High School) ELA/ELD classroom so they continue to receive ELD daily. They enroll in an after school program where interventions are taught by the Newcomer Center teachers. The Language Resource Teacher assists the students in scheduling their classes when they transition out of the newcomer program.
      The Language Development Resource Teacher helps with this.
  • Program Staffing and Professional Development
    • Total Number of Program Administrators: 1
      Full Time in Newcomer Program: 0
      Total Number of Teachers: 2
      Full Time in Newcomer Program: 2
      Criteria to Teach in Newcomer Program: Teachers are required to have a certificate with EL authorization and to be fluent in Spanish.
      Total Number of Paraprofessionals: 0
      Total Number of Resource Teachers: 1
      Total Number of Guidance Counselors for School: 1
      Social Worker/Family Liaison: Yes. The school has a Community Assistant who works with the students and their parents.
      Guidance Counselors for Program: No
      Total Number of Staff Who Speak in One of the Student Native Languages: 3
      Languages that Staff Speak in Addition to English: Spanish
      Professional Development Topics for Teachers and Staff: Teachers trained in the use of Inside (Middle School) and Edge (High School); CORE training; Action learning engagement strategies, Insight; Math Pipeline
  • Connecting Families and Social Capital Networks
    • School Services Offered to Parents and Families:
      • Orientation to USA
      • Orientation to US schools
      • Native language literacy courses
      • Adult basic education
      • Adult ESL courses
      • GED
      • Information sharing with community organizations
      Newcomer Program Partnerships:
      To be developed
      Social Services for Families:
      Families were referred to school district programs such as the Families in Transition program (for economic need, domestic issues) as well as the school psychologist (post traumatic stress syndrome).
      Methods to Inform Families of Services Available:
      Through the Language Development Resource Teacher
      Methods to Inform Service Agencies of Newcomer Program:
      To be developed