IMPORTANT: The student MUST pass required academic and behavioral screening.

The following table best describes the current Admissions Guidelines. Please read Grade 8 Level 1* carefully.
 

MAC Score	Grade	Semester	Cut-Off Dates	ESL Level
89 or below	6 and 7	1 and 2	None (anytime during the year)	1
49 or below (1st semester)	8*	1 only	Only within first ten days of first semester(approx)	1
50 – 89 (1st semester)	8*	1 only	Anytime during the first semester	1
50 – 89	8*	2 only	Only within first ten days of second semester	1
90-112	6,7 and 8	1 and 2	None (any time during the year)	2
113-135	6,7 and 8	1 and 2	None (any time during the year)	3
136-178	6,7, and 8	1 and 2	None (any time during the year)	Humanities Support

Currently the major portion of Middle School ESL entrance testing is done by Sumathy Kandiah, a secretary in the Middle School office. Sumathy was trained by Mary Gallagher, an ESL teacher. She administers the Listening (Part2), the reading (Part3) and Writing Ability (Part 4) of the Maculaitis test. She grades all sections that she has given except Writing Parts B and C which entails evaluatng a writing sample.

If no ESL teacher is present to grade Writing Parts B and C and the Oral Proficiency (Part 1) such as during the summer vacation or winter holidays, Sumathy gives the student an initial ESL placement based on the parts she grades. She consults the following scale to make this initial ESL placement.
 

49 or below	Level 1
50 to 61	Level 2
62 to 72	Level 3
73 and above	Humanities Support

NOTE: Even if a student scores very high, he is placed in Humanities Support for his initial placement.

When the ESL teacher returns, she gives the student the Oral Proficiency (Part 1) and grades the Writing (Parts 4 B and C) during the first week or so of the semester. The score is recalculated and the first placement guide is consulted. The student's ESL level is then adjusted if necessary. (This may mean that a Humanities Support student is exited from the program at that time.)

There are four levels of ESL in Middle School. Generally, Levels 1 and 2 are combined because our class sizes have been so small recently. Also, Grades 6 and 7 are combined in all levels.

ESL PROGRAM SUMMARY
 

Level	Core Class Periods	Class Titles
1	2	ESL Language
	1	ESL Reading by ESL or Hum teacher
	1	Mainstream math
2	2	ESL Language
	1	ESL Science or team-taught mainstream Science
	1	Mainstream math
3	2	ESL Language
	1	Mainstream science
	1	Mainstream math
Humanities Support	2	Mainstream Humanities
	1	Mainstream science
	1	Mainstream math
	Exploratory	ESL Humanities Support by Hum teacher

ESL LANGUAGE CLASSES: Usually we have two sections of Levels 1 and 2 combined: one for grades 6/7 and one for grade 8. We have two sections of Level 3: one for grades 6/7 and one for grade 8. We have two sections of Humanities Support: one for grades 6/7 and one for grade 8.

ESL Science(Level 2)/Mainstream Science/ESL Reading (Level 1): Level 2 students take ESL Science. This can be a "pull-out" class that is taught with a Science teacher and only ESL students in attendance. This can also be a mainstream science class where an ESL teacher is present to support students during the mainstream class and continue this support during the ESL class time. Level 1 students have also attended this ESL Science class if their numbers are too low to support a separate reading class that is required by the program outline.

Generally a student moves to the next ESL level after a semester. A critical look is taken after Level 3 with an examination of the student’s success in ESL class, success in Math and science classes and SLEP score. If one or more of these areas is sufficiently low, the student will be asked to continue in Level 3 for an additional semester. (Again, the students are NOT told their SLEP score.)

Although there is no specific SLEP score required after Level 3, the student should receive a score that makes it realistically possible to exit ESL the following semester or so, depending on the student’s grade level. It has been noted that students make more consistent gains on the SLEP while in ESL Level 3 class than compared to gains while in Humanities Support class. The possible reasons for this are beyond the scope of this document.

In the last three years, Level 3 students who have scored below 60 on the SLEP (all grade levels) are asked to continue in Level 3 a second semester. This has helped us assure that the students will receive the required SLEP score after one or two semester in the Hum Sup class. The MS students are NOT informed of their scores. Very occasionally students exit the MS ESL program after Level 3.

Students do NOT continue in a single ESL level for Levels 1, 2 and 3 for more than two semesters. If this appears to be indicated, the family is advised and extra help, tutoring or other assistance plans are made for this student. Students occasionally continue in Humanities Support for more than two semesters, especially in cases where the Humanities teacher makes special plans with the Humanities Support teacher to assist this student. This will also give the student the extra time he needs to increase his SLEP score.

From Gr. 5 to Gr. 6 Skills checklists for all levels and writing sample for Level 3. Placement is recommended by the grade 5 ESL teacher.

From Gr. 8 to Gr. 9 SLEP score for Level 3 and Humanities Support

Maculaitis test for Levels 1 and 2 (only if absolutely needed)

Exit: 90 and above
ESL Resource: 85 to 89
Level 6: 76 to 84
Between 75 and 60: ESL teacher decision (Level 4 or 6)
Level 4: below 60 and ESL teacher decision

The SLEP is given after Level 3 (for additional information for teachers - see above) and after Humanities Support to determine exit.

The following scores are in percentiles:

Grade 6
80 Exit ESL program
75-79 Decision by ESL & Humanities teachers with review of portfolio*
74 and below Continue in Humanities Support

 Grade 7
85 Exit ESL program
80-84 Decision by ESL & Humanities teachers with review of portfolio*
79 and below Continue in Humanities Support

Grade 8
90 Exit ESL program
85-89 Decision by ESL & Humanities teacher with review of portfolio*
84 or below Continue in Humanities Support

Students are required to compile a portfolio during the course of their semester of Humanities Support with the assistance of their Humanities Support teacher. The portfolio contains 1) a science writing of the student’s choice (e.g. lab report), 2) a Humanities first draft writing, 3 and 4) TWO writings of the student’s choice from any content area, 5) a Humanities entire writing process documents.

Also brought to this review by the Humanities Support teacher is a first draft TIMED writing on a given topic and the student’s score(s) on the SLEP test. The Humanities teacher brings the students’ final (or most current) grades in English and Social Studies along with observations about the student. A letter is written to the student’s cum file if it is decided that the student will move out of the ESL program at that time.
 

Celeste M. Scholz

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