Secondary Newcomer Programs in the U.S.

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Language Academy, Springdale Public Schools
Program Address:
300 Jones Road
Springdale, AR 72764
Phone: (479) 750-8777
Fax: (479) 750-8791
aharris@sdale.org
www.springdaleschools.org
Contact Person:
Mary Bridgforth
District ESOL Coordinator
800 East Emma, Springdale, AR, 72764
(479) 750-8706
mbridgforth@sdale.org

  • Program Information
    • Information provided for school year: 2010-2011
      Year Program Started: 2008
      School/Grade Levels: High school site(s)
      Program Description:
      The Language Academy is an ESOL program designed to meet the instructional needs of high school students who have been in the United States for one year or less. Springdale (Arkansas) School District began this program in the 2008-2009 school year. The program consists of four secondary teachers (English, math, U.S. history and a reading specialist) and two bilingual instructional assistants. The program's primary goal is to create an environment that allows students to quickly acquire English. Students remain in the program for two semesters. Upon exit, they may enter an ESL program with sheltered classes.
      Newcomer Student Definition:
      A newcomer is a student who has been in the U.S. for less than one year and is an ELL level 1.
      Aspects of Program Working Well:
      Collaboration between content area teachers, differentiation of instruction, frequent communication between parents & teachers, block schedule offers flexibility to meet students' needs
      Type of Language Program: ESL
      Type of Community: Suburban
      How Families Learn of Program: Students are first identified through the ESL Intake Office and then complete the Language Academy orientation process on site.
      Students Assigned From:
      • An in-take/assessment center
      Name(s) of the Home School(s): Har-Ber High School
      Funding Sources:
      • Federal: Title III for supplementary resources
      • District: local funds for teacher salaries
      • Other: ALE (Alternative Learning Environment)
       Other District Language Support Programs: Sheltered content courses
  • Program Design Features
    • Program Location:
      • Program-within-a-school
       Length of Day:
      • Full-day Program
       Length of Program:
      • 1-year program
       Average Length of stay: 2 semester(s)
      Maximum Length of stay: 4 semester(s)
      Average Class Size: 20 student(s)
      Entry Criteria: New arrival student and ELL level 1
  • Newcomer Student Demographics
    • Number of Newcomer Students in Program: 47
      Age Range of Students: 14-20
      Number of Countries Represented: 9
      Most Common Countries:
      • Mexico
      • Marshall Islands
      • El Salvador
      • Guatamala
      • Puerto Rico
       Number of Non-English Languages Represented: 4
      Most Common Student Languages:
      • Spanish
      • Marshallese
      • Hindi
      • Bengali
       Percentage of Students with Interrupted Formal Schooling: 55%
      Percentage of Students with Free or Reduced Lunch: 100%
  • Instruction
    • Languages Used for Instruction: English
      Courses Provided by the Newcomer Program:
      • Sheltered content in English
        • math
        • social studies
        • language arts
        • other: Reading (System 44 Lab)
      • ESL or English language development
      • Native language literacy
      • Cross-cultural/orientation to the United States
      • Career/vocational education/apprenticeships
      • Reading intervention
      • Other courses: art, P.E., computers, construction, agriculture
      Typical Newcomer Student Schedule: A typical Language Academy student schedule: 1st block (80-minute block, Language Academy Algebra); 2nd block (80-minute block, Language Academy English) 4th period (on regular school schedule) Spanish for Native Speakers 3/P.E./Art 1/Computer Applications; lunch (30 minutes); 3rd block (80-minute block, Language Academy US history); 4th block (80-minute block, Language Academy Reading).
      Literacy Development Practices: Students meet weekly with native-English speakers to practice their oral reading & comprehension skills. Reading & writing across the curriculum.
      Literacy Materials Used: Textbooks, Soar to Success, flashcards, booklets, System 44 reading lab, access to school computer lab, 6 mobile laptop computers for individualized learning programs assigned by the teacher.
      High School Courses Receiving Core Credit: English, U.S. history, algebra, geometry
      High School Courses Receiving Elective Credit: art, Spanish for Native Speakers (FL), structured computer applications, construction, P.E., agriculture, math elective, English elective
      Credit Recovery or Online Learning Courses: Yes, but not for newcomer students. As their level of English improves they have access to district wide credit recovery programs.
      Additional Learning Opportunities: Students are constantly evaluated. When students are excelling in the Language Academy (LA) class and their English reaches a level of proficiency where the student may be successful in a sheltered class, the student may be moved from the LA setting into a specific sheltered class, yet stay in the LA for the remainder of his/her classes.
      Ancillary Services Offered Students:
      • Special Education
      • Health (physical)
      • Health (mental)
      • Career counseling
      • Tutoring
      • Other: migrant
       5- or 6- Year Program Available for High School Newcomer Students: Yes, students can remain in high school until they turn 21.
  • Assessment and Evaluation
    • Placement Measures
      Reading:
      Gates McGinitie, System 44, Read 180, ELDA
      English language proficiency:
      Mac II, LAS, ELDA
      Content:
      EAME (entry-level math assessment)
      Progress Measures
      Reading:
      Gates McGinitie, ELDA
      English language proficiency:
      LAS Links, ELDA
      Content:
      EAME, Help Math (bilingual math computer program), teacher-created assessments per content area
      Achievement Measures
      State standards tests:
      Yes, End of Course Algebra, Literacy Benchmark
      Other assessments:
      Formative assessments on an on-going basis per content area
      Program Evaluation: Student progress is tracked during the school year as well as compared to student progress and overall proficiency of previous years.
  • Student Transition and Monitoring
    • Type of Program Students Exit Into:
      • ESL
       Exit Criteria: Through formative assessment, teacher observations, student achievement, and progress in English language acquisition. Students should reach a level 2 on the LAS exam. Beyond the LAS exam, teachers discuss student proficiency and placement throughout the year. If they agree that a student is ready to exit the program mid-year, the student will be placed in the available sheltered courses.
      Measures to Facilitate Student Transition Out of the Newcomer Program: Constant monitoring, evaluation, and assessments.

      Postsecondary Options for High School Newcomers:
      • GED
      • Community College
      • 4-yr college or university
  • Program Staffing and Professional Development
    • Total Number of Program Administrators: 1
      Full Time in Newcomer Program:
      Total Number of Teachers: 4
      Full Time in Newcomer Program: 4
      Criteria to Teach in Newcomer Program: Certified in content area and ESL endorsement
      Total Number of Paraprofessionals: 2
      Total Number of Resource Teachers: 1, Special Education teacher
      Total Number of Guidance Counselors for School: 4
      Social Worker/Family Liaison: Yes. Communication link with parents and students as necessary
      Guidance Counselors for Program: No
      Total Number of Staff Who Speak in One of the Student Native Languages: 2
      Languages that Staff Speak in Addition to English: Spanish, Marshallese
      Professional Development Topics for Teachers and Staff: Second Language Acquisition and Methodology, ESL strategies, ELDT, Specialized training through the Springdale School District.
  • Connecting Families and Social Capital Networks
    • School Services Offered to Parents and Families:
      • Orientation to USA
      • Native language literacy courses
      • Adult basic education
      • GED
      • Information sharing with community organizations
      Newcomer Program Partnerships:
      We are in the process of forming a partnership with Partners in Education in order to purchase technology equipment.
      Social Services for Families:
      The Jones Center for Families, Catholic Immigration Services, St. Francis Clinic, Northwest Technical Institute, Marshallese Embassy
      Methods to Inform Families of Services Available:
      Parent-teacher conferences, district-sponsored Spanish radio and television programs, local newspaper articles.
      Methods to Inform Service Agencies of Newcomer Program:
      N/A