The English Language Learner Program provides services for students who have a language other than English in their home and are not yet fully proficient in English. The goals of the program are to:
English Learner Students at PCSD are a diverse group of students comprising approximately 15% of the total student population.
For more information about our English Learner Program please see our EL Master Plan by clicking the button below.
EL Master PlanEnglish Language Development (ELD) is the language arts curriculum for all currently identified English language learners. The curriculum is based on the State’s English Language Development (ELD) Standards and provides a pathway for English learners of all proficiency levels to eventually meet or exceed the regular grade-level English Language Arts Standards. The state’s ELD standards are available on the California Department of Education website or at the link below.
All identified English Learners must receive level-appropriate ELD from a certificated teacher until they are reclassified out of the English learner program. For students at the beginning stages of English proficiency, the instruction will focus on basic vocabulary development, oral language development, and foundational reading and writing skills. At the higher levels of proficiency, the ELD curriculum provides support for students to meet the regular grade-level English Language Arts Standards. In addition to ELD, English learners will also receive instruction in other content areas (math, social science, electives) with appropriate support.
ELD StandardsStudents who are identified as English Learners take the English Language Proficiency Assessment for California (ELPAC) each year. This test is administered at the start of the school year for newcomer students whose primary language is anything other than English and between February and May for every student classified as an English Learner.
When an identified English Learner reaches level 4 of English proficiency, as determined by results on the ELPAC test, comparison of performance in basic skills, and teacher and parent input, the student is reclassified and exited from the English Learner Program.
These committees give the parents of English Learners the opportunity to learn more about the English Learner program and to give advice on programs for English Learners.
| Committee | Who can be a member? | Meeting Schedules |
|---|---|---|
| English Learners Advisory Committee (ELAC) | All PCSD schools with 21 or more English learners have an English Learners Advisory Committee (ELAC). All parents of English Learners and other interested community members are welcome to be a part of a school's ELAC committee. | ELAC meetings are held at a variety of times. Contact the English Language Facilitator at your child's school to find out when the meetings will be held at the site. |
| District English Language Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC) | Each school is invited to send one or more of the ELAC members to serve on the District English Language Learner Advisory Committee (DELAC). DELAC district representatives are elected from each school's ELAC committee. | DELAC meetings are held at the District Office in the evening four times per year. |
District English Learner Advisory Committee
Understanding the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California
