Howard Gardner Community School  adopted reclassification criteria to enable students identified as an English learner to exit the EL program and participate without English Language Development Instruction. When an English learner meets each of the four criteria, the school is assuring that the student can achieve academically at a level equivalent to students of the same age or grade level whose primary language is English.

HGCS’s Reclassification Criteria:

Each student must meet all of the following in order to reclassify:

     1. Most recent ELPAC score of Overall Level 4 (per state requirement).

     2. Teacher Evaluation: Student Achievement Report card C grade or proficiency in reading for English Language Arts (issues of modification shall not preclude a student from reclassifying). Teacher is defined as a    certificated staff member with instructional or placement decisions for that child.

     3. Parent Consultation.

     4. Basic Skills in Grades K-8: as demonstrated by grade level iReady reading score on benchmark assessment or CAASPP score of 3 or better in Language Arts

If the EL student is also identified as a Student with Disabilities, then the reclassification process is completed through an IEP. The site has a consistent protocol in place to help the IEP team determine if the student has achieved English proficiency through an overall score of 4 on the English Learner Proficiency Assessment for California (ELPAC) or alternative assessments per the IEP, attainment of Basic Skills, consultation with parents has been completed, and obtained teacher recommendation. This protocol is designed to carry the IEP team through the reclassification decision-making process to determine if any academic deficits are due to a language acquisition issue or are consistent with the identified disability. If the team determines the academic deficits are not based on a language acquisition issue, the team may consider reclassification as long as all four criteria for reclassification are met and it is documented in the IEP notes.

Once a student is reclassified as fluent English proficient, or RFEP, then the school is required to monitor the student for four years. During this time, if the student appears to be struggling, then appropriate interventions are identified and provided to help them experience success. English Learners on the HGCS campus can be assured they will always receive the support they need to be academically successful.