2163 - Transitional Bilingual Instruction Policy

Policy 2163

INSTRUCTION 

Transitional Bilingual Instruction 

The board has the highest commitment toward ensuring an equal educational opportunity for every student.  While English is the basic language of instruction in the district’s schools, the district shall provide a transitional bilingual program for children whose primary language is not English, and whose English skills are sufficiently deficient or absent to impair learning. The district’s Transitional Bilingual Instruction Program is designed to enable students to achieve competency in English.  

The district and its staff shall: 

A. Communicate, whenever feasible, with parent(s) or guardian(s) of students in the bilingual program in a language they can understand;  

B. Assess and determine, by means of a state approved placement test, student eligibility for the program within ten (10) days of enrollment and attendance; 

C. Annually assess, by means of the state approved test, improvement in English language proficiency for each eligible English language learner;  

D. Provide inservice training for teachers, counselors, and other staff who are involved in the district’s transitional bilingual program, including alternative instructional programs, on appropriate instructional strategies for students of culturally different backgrounds and use of curriculum materials and program models and; 

E. Provide for continuous improvement and evaluation of the district’s Program to determine its effectiveness. 

For purposes of providing such services, the superintendent shall establish procedures for  implementing the district’s Transitional Bilingual Instruction Program. 

Legal References:    
RCW28A.180    Transitional bilingual instructional Program 
WAC 392-160    Transitional Bilingual Instruction Program 
WAC 162-28-040    English language limitations and national origin discrimination. 

Adoption Date:  April 10, 2012