English Learner Resources

EL Identification

Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and subsequent federal and state mandates, all districts in New Mexico must screen, identify, and provide services to ELs. Given this responsibility, districts are required to

ask parents/guardians for the information needed to identify potential ELs using the New Mexico Language Usage Survey (LUS); and
assess potential ELs using the department-approved English Language Proficiency (ELP) WIDA screener for Kindergarten to determine EL status.

The LUS is typically administered to parents/guardians at a student’s initial school enrollment and should only be administered once in a student’s school career. It includes a number of differently worded questions that essentially ask parents/guardians for the same information: to indicate whether a language other-than-English is used by the student and by the student’s parents/guardians, in the home.

Screening and Assessment

Within the first 30 calendar days of the start of the school year—or within two weeks of placement, if not identified prior to the beginning of school year (as is required by Title I Section 1112(e)(3)(A) http://www2.ed.gov/documents/essa-act-of-1965.pdf and 6.29.5.11 NMAC) students who are identified as potential ELs through the Language Usage Survey (LUS) must be assessed with a valid and reliable assessment, the WIDA Screener for Kindergarten and the WIDA Screener Online in grades 1-12. If the results of the WIDA Screener for Kindergarten or the WIDA Screener Online determine that the student is an EL, parents or guardians must be notified of services available within those first 30 calendar days.

When a parent answers one or more ‘yes’ on questions 1-6 and/or a language other than English indicated in question 7 of the Language Usage Survey: Screen using the WiDA Screener.

WiDA Screener for Kindergarten Score Table:

GRADE	DOMAINS	WIDA SCREENER FOR KINDERGARTEN SCORE IDENTIFIES STUDENT AS AN EL	WIDA SCREENER FOR KINDERGARTEN SCORE INDICATES STUDENT IS NOT AN EL
Kindergarten Student entering in 1^st Semester	Listening Speaking	Oral Language Composite Score of 4.5 or lower^*	Oral Language Composite Score of 5.0 or higher
Kindergarten Student entering in 2^nd Semester	Listening Speaking Reading Writing	Overall Composite Score of 4.5 or lower^*	Overall Composite Score of 5.0 or higher

WiDA Screener Score Table:

GRADE	DOMAINS	WIDA SCREENER FOR KINDERGARTEN SCORE IDENTIFIES STUDENT AS AN EL	WIDA SCREENER FOR KINDERGARTEN SCORE INDICATES STUDENT IS NOT AN EL
Grades 1-12	Listening Speaking Reading Writing	Overall Composite Score of 4.5 or lower^*	Overall Composite Score of 5.0 or higher

^*The composite scores for the WIDA Screener will be reported as integers and also with 0.5 interval scores (for example, scores of 1, 1.5. 2, 2.5, etc.).