1 Oakland Unified School District
English Language Learner & Multilingual Achievement
Summary of Progress & Three Y ear Strategic Plan
2021-2024
Roadmap to ELL
Achievement
Executive Summary
2 Dear Oakland Community,
As ELLMA looks forward to the next three years and enters our second decade as a department, we are eager to refocus and recenter work in support of Multilingual Learners and their families across OUSD. The last three years have been a time of tremendous upheaval in OUSD, with a strike, wildfire interruptions to school, and most importantly the multiple pandemics of COVID, anti- immigration policy and racial injustice. As a result, we have shifted some of our work to respond to the rising needs of the moment. This has led to new opportunities in our work for language equity, but also many challenges.
As we return to full in-person schooling, we look forward to reestablishing baselines and working aggressively to deepen our implementation of supportive structures and empowering instruction.
The work ahead is monumental and will require collective effort and ownership across our system and throughout the community. I look forward to continuing this struggle together with all of you.
In partnership,
Nicole Knight
Executive Director
English Language Learner and Multilingual Achievement Office 3 4
AT A GLANCE:
OUSD ELLs
2020-21 END-OF- YEAR
ELLS ARE A THIRD OF
OUSD’S ENROLLMENT
30%
Enrolled
0-3 Y ears
11,508
T otal number of ELLs
enrolled in OUSD schools.
That’s 32% of the student
population.46%
Enrolled
4-6 Y ears
24%
Enrolled
7+ Y ears
(LTEL)
Elementary Schools
37% 0-3 Y ears
58% 4-6 Y ears
5% 7+ Y ears, LTEL
Secondary Schools
20% 0-3 Y ears
29% 4-6 Y ears
52% 7+ Y ears, LTEL
RECLASSIFICATION RATES
PLUMMET DURING PANDEMIC
Enrolled in US schools fewer
than 4 years. This includes
newcomers and US-born
ELLs.
0-3 Y ears
7+ Y ears,
LTEL
ELL Rate
13%
6%
2%
LTEL Rate
ELPAC SCORES
DISTRIBUTION
COVID-19
Impact:
COVID-19
pandemic
disruptions
to state and
local testing
resulted in far
fewer students
having access
to reclassify.
4-6 Y ears
2018-192019-202020-212018-192019-202020-21
14%
6%
2%
Enrolled in US schools for 4
to 6 years. We expect most
ELLs to reclassify during this
time period.
Long T erm English Learner
(LTEL). Enrolled more than 6
years in US schools. Special
attention to LTELs is needed
to ensure these students
reach reclassification criteria
as soon as possible.
2018-19 2019-20 2020-21
11%
12%
18%
18%
13%
27%
11%
12%
18%
16%
14%
29%
10%
11%
18%
17%
15%
30%
10,615
Tested
6,150
Tested
6,429
Tested
■ 1 ■ 2L ■ 2H ■ 3L ■ 3H ■ 4
5 TOP 10 BIRTH COUNTRIES OF STUDENTS WITH A HOME
LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH
549 Mexico
103 Afghanistan
361 China
386 Y emen
232 Vietnam
12,428 The United States
of America
712 El Salvador
410 Honduras
2,180 Guatemala
NEWCOMERS ENROLLMENT
DECLINE IN 2020-21
11,770
1,359
1,264
899
713
187
151
131
109
106
Spanish
Cantonese
Mam
Arabic
Vietnamese
Khmer (Cambodian)
Tigrinya
Mandarin (Putonghua)
Filipino
T ongan
TOP 10 HOME LANGUAGES
(NOT INCLUDING ENGLISH)
93 countries are represented by
students with a home language other than
English.
At least 57 languages are spoken in
Oakland Unified School District.
84 Eritrea
3,029
2017-182018-192019-202016-17 2020-212014-152015-162016-17 3,299
3,593
3,750
3,120
1,900
2,448
1,642
Immigration declined
sharply before and during
the COVID-19 pandemic,
due in large part to
federal policy.
Newcomers: Students born outside the US
with a home language other than English
who have been here for 3 years or less.
6 A BRIEF HISTORY
ABOUT
ELLMA
ELLMA was founded in 2013 to foster collective
responsibility for excellent and equity-based
instruction and services for our multilingual
learners. In our first year, we took stock of the
OUSD supports for ELLs and commissioned
Stanford University’s Understanding Language to
review services and provide an evidence base
for our strategic plans.
The Stanford Review and roadmap reports to
date can be found online.
OUR 3
GUIDING
BELIEFS
1. English Language Learners can achieve at
high levels with the right supports.
2. The language and cultural resources that
students bring are tremendous assets to their
learning and that of the community.
3. All educators are responsible for the
language development of ELLs, therefore all
teachers are teachers of language.
7 THEORY OF ACTION
OUR 5
ESSENTIAL
PRACTICES
The five evidence-based practices are important for
all students and critical for ELLs to thrive. T ogether, they reflect our theory of action for how to ensure
excellent and equity-based instruction for our
multilingual learners.
1. ACCESS AND RIGOR
Ensure all ELLs have full access to and
engagement in the academic demands of
Common Core State Standards, Next Generation
Science Standards, the History-Social Science
Framework and California's 2012 English Language
Development Standards.
2. INTEGRATED AND
DESIGNATED ELD
Ensure ELLs receive daily Designated ELD
and Integrated ELD in every content area.
3. DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS
Make programmatic, placement, and
instructional decisions for English Language
Learners that are grounded in regular analysis of
evidence.
4. ASSET-BASED APPROACH
Leverage the linguistic and cultural assets of
our students and ensure that they are active
contributors to their own learning and that of their
community.
5. THE WHOLE CHILD
Leverage family and community supports.
Activate resources to address the unmet, non-
academic needs that hinder ELLs' ability to thrive.
8 OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT'S
LCAP GOALS
ALL STUDENTS GRADUATE COLLEGE, CAREER, AND COMMUNITY READY.
LCAP Goal #1 sets metrics for all students in OUSD, with specific goals for English Language Learners and other student groups reflected in Goal #2 below.
• Move from Red (from 2019) to Y ellow on California Dashboard in ELA for ELL group. • Move from Orange (from 2019) to Y ellow on California Dashboard in Math for ELL Subgroup. • Double the number of graduating seniors earning the Seal of Biliteracy from 101 to 200.
GOAL 1
FOCAL STUDENT GROUPS DEMONSTRATE ACCELERATED GROWTH TO CLOSE OUR EQUITY GAP.
TARGETED STRATEGIES ARE IMPLEMENTED FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN, ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS AND UNHOUSED STUDENTS.
• Increase the A-G completion rate with a grade of C or better for ELLs from 42.9% to 48.9% and for newcomers from 48.8% to 54.8%.
• Increase the 4 year cohort graduation rate for ELLs from 56.8% to 62.8%. • Increase the EL reclassification rate from 5.6% to 14.6% and the LTEL reclassification rate from 5.9% to
20.9%.
• Increase the percentage of ELLs who make progress towards English proficiency as measured by the state English Learner Progress Indicator from 45.8% to 54.8%.
GOAL 2
STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ARE WELCOMED, SAFE, HEALTHY, AND ENGAGED. • Reduce chronic absenteeism rates for ELLs from 17.3% to 15.8%. • Increase the percentage of students who feel safe at school from 60% to 66%. • Increase the number of schools with at least 70% of parents who feel connected to their child's school.
GOAL 3
ALL STAFF ARE HIGH QUALITY, PROVIDING OPTIMAL SERVICE TO OUR STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND STAFF.
• Increase the percentage of all staff who have participated in foundational professional learning for ELLs and Multilingual Learners (Baseline to be set in 2021-22). • Increase staff satisfaction on ELLMA-hosted professional development as measured by post-PD surveys on experience and impact on their practice (Baseline to be established in 2021-22).
GOAL 4
9 10
PRIORITY 1
EMPOWERING
INSTRUCTION
FOR ELLS
PRIORITY 2
QUALITY
LANGUAGE
PROGRAMS
11 PRIORITY 3
THE
WHOLE
CHILD
PRIORITY 4
CENTRAL
SYSTEMS &
PRACTICES
12 CURRICULUM
& PROGRAM
EL Education Designated ELD Units:
Key to transforming outcomes for our ELLs
is to center their language needs through
powerful and meaningful language development
embedded in content area instruction. With the
support of teacher leaders from across OUSD,
this work is underway for grades K-8 and will yield
Designated ELD materials by Oakland teachers
for Oakland teachers that fulfill the vision of the
California ELA/ELD framework for aligned ELA and
ELD materials. In partnership with EL Education,
these units will be made available to districts across
the country.
Creating Conditions for Long Term
English Learner (LTEL) Success: The
2021-22 school year saw an expansion of
LTEL ELD courses across OUSD as a result of new
focus on addressing the language development
needs of LTELs. This work is enabled by the site
administrators and teacher leaders from the vast
majority of OUSD middle and high schools who
have participated in one of the three cohorts of the
Leading for LTELs professional development series
since 2018. These leaders have been prepared
to lead language-equity focused professional
development at their sites, provide additional LTEL
support classes, and leverage data-driven practices
such as ELL Shadowing and LTEL focal students.
Continuous Improvement: ELLMA
has developed a suite of continuous
improvement tools intended to support site
teams to understand the student experience (ELL
Shadowing), identify areas of instructional strength
and growth (ELL Review), and to set programmatic
goals to improve services for ELLs (Stages of ELD
Implementation). These tools are deployed in a
variety of contexts and used independently at school
sites, thereby building capacity and alignment across
OUSD. ELLMA’s tools and processes are highlighted
in the state publication “Improving Education for
Multilingual and English Learner Students.”
PROFESSIONAL
LEARNING
Goals of Professional Development
ELLMA is proud to offer high quality,
differentiated professional learning for
teachers and leaders appropriate to their grade
level, content area, professional experience, and
the needs of our diverse student body. These
professional learning spaces:
Develop and deploy culturally and linguistically
sustaining practices that set the conditions for ELLs
to thrive in the classroom.
Ensure students receive quality, standards-
aligned Integrated and Designated ELD.
Make use of evidence of adult practice and
student data to improve outcomes for ELLs.
Types of Professional Learning
Foundational: These trainings provide
quality learning for all teachers of ELLs in
OUSD. Our two signature foundational trainings
are GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Design)
for elementary teachers and ALLAS (Academic
Language and Literacy Acceleration for Secondary)
for middle and high school content area teachers.
Curriculum/Pedagogy: These learning opportunities
provide time to go deep into particular curricular
resources (e.g. Benchmark, EL Education) and
related instructional approaches.
Inquiry-Based: These spaces provide teachers
an opportunity to go deep with practices and
approaches gained from other professional learning
contexts, posing their own questions and taking
ownership of their own learning. T eachers have
engaged in inquiry-based learning on diverse
topics such as supporting first-year newcomers,
foundational biliteracy in dual language programs,
and application of strategies learned in ALLAS or
GLAD.
EMPOWERING INSTRUCTION FOR
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
Integrates core content & language development to ensure ELLs are progressing towards college, career and community readiness. 13 Teachers provide culturally and
linguistically sustaining practices
that set the conditions for ELLs to
thrive in the classroom.
1.1.1. Asset-based approaches that leverage
students’ home languages and cultures will be
increasingly evident in curriculum and instruction.
1.1.2. All LTELs will receive content and instruction
that empower them as active agents in their learning
and affirm their multilingual identities.
1.1.3. T eachers will build trust and relationships
through learning partnerships with ELL students.
ELLs receive quality, standards-
aligned Integrated & Designated
ELD.
1.2.1. All teachers at high ELL-count sites will
engage in foundational and sustaining professional
development on ELL instruction.
1.2.2. Integrated ELD practices will be evident
throughout content-area instruction at all sites.
1.2.3. ELLs will have access to high-quality D-ELD
materials and instruction differentiated to meet the
diversity of ELL needs.
A shared MTSS framework guides
instructional support for ELLs in
addition to Tier I comprehensive
ELD.
1.3.1. Sites will implement clear guidance on
supporting students in need of both literacy and
language development.
1.3.2. ELLs with IEPs will be provided instruction that meets both language development and IEP needs.
GOAL 1
GOAL 2
GOAL 3
GOAL 4
Evidence of adult practice and
student data are effectively used to
improve outcomes for ELLs.
1.4.1. Site leadership will strengthen implementation
of quality comprehensive ELD through continuous
improvement processes.
1.4.2. Site-based staff will regularly analyze ELL
data to monitor progress and to make informed
programmatic and instructional decisions.
1.4.3. LTEL outcomes and experiences will be a
priority of data-based continuous improvement.
| PRIORITY 1 GOALS
EMPOWERING INSTRUCTION
FOR ELLS
14 | PRIORITY 2 GOALS
QUALITY MULTILINGUAL
PROGRAMS
OUSD provides newcomer
programming at all grade levels
that accelerates language
and academic development
in a linguistically diverse
environment.
2.2.1. A sustainable newcomer instructional and
program design at all three tiers of the Multi-
Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) pyramid will
continue to be articulated and implemented.
2.2.2. Targeted instruction and new
programmatic approaches for students with
interrupted formal education (SIFE) will accelerate
development of basic literacy and numeracy
skills.
2.2.3. Improve newcomer-responsive systems
and structures in elementary schools through
sustaining and supporting the work of ENTLs and
those in similar roles.
2.2.4. Newcomer students in secondary schools
will be supported to gradually transition to the
mainstream environment beginning no later than
their 2nd year in US schools.
GOAL 2 - NEWCOMER GOALS
OUSD has a PK-12 multilingual
pathway, ensuring every child
in OUSD has the opportunity to
become biliterate and bilingual.
2.1.1. Multilingual opportunities will be expanded
to include additional languages, diverse program
options, and the PK and high school grade levels.
2.1.2. Leaders will engage in ongoing refinement
of program design to meet articulated standards
of quality.
2.1.3. Instructional materials and assessments will
be effectively implemented to support biliteracy
beginning in PK.
2.1.4. Student progress towards and attainment
of multilingual goals will be monitored and
celebrated.
GOAL 1 - MULTILINGUAL GOALS
15 MULTILINGUAL OAKLAND
THE GLOBAL CALIFORNIA 2030
INITIATIVE
The Global California 2030 Initiative calls for
schools to “fully equip students with the world
languages skills to succeed in the global economy
and to fully engage with the diverse mixture of
cultures and languages found in California and the
world.” This ambitious initiative names biliteracy
programs, specifically dual immersion, as key to
meeting the following goals:
WHERE ARE WE IN OUSD?
101 students awarded
In May 2021, OUSD awarded 101 students with the
Seal of Biliteracy in 5 languages (Arabic, Chinese,
French, German, and Spanish) despite disruptions
in testing due to distance learning.
7 home languages
Number of home languages represented by the
Seal awardees
2,833 students
Number of students currently enrolled in Dual
Language programs
T o date, 243 elementary and middle school
students have already met the World Language
criteria to earn the Seal of Biliteracy upon high
school graduation, based on the AVANT Spanish
language test, including 14 from Lockwood
STEAM, 31 from Esperanza, 42 from Global Family,
6 from Greenleaf, 31 from Manzanita SEED, and 96
from MLA.
WHY MULTILINGUALISM:
THE ABC’S
Academic Achievement
Full closure of the achievement gap
for ELLs: Dual language learning has
been found to be the only method
of second language acquisition to close the gap
between ELLs and English-only speakers.
Higher achievement for all students: The mental
discipline of learning a second language
system translates into higher achievement in
all subject areas. The longer the exposure to
the second language, the more significant the
cognitive advantages of the student. (Genesee
and Lindholm-Leary, 2009). This applies to ALL
language groups, including English Only students.
Bilingualism and Biliteracy
Full bilingualism for low-income
English Only students: The Two Way
model provides the full benefits of
biliteracy to our lower-income students without
families having to pay out of pocket for a private
school.
Two languages learned simultaneously: The
“additive bilingual” immersion setting allows all
students to learn two languages simultaneously,
rather than a “subtractive” model in which
students learn English at the potential loss of
home language (Howard, Sugarman, Perdomo
and Adger, 2005).
Cultural Humility and Competence
A heightened level of multicultural
awareness and communication skills
fosters cultural competence and
intergroup contact, appreciation, and empathy
(Cummins, 1986; Adger, 2005).
AA
BB
CC
50%
Half of all California
K-12 students are
enrolled in programs
leading to biliteracy.
3x
Tripling the number
of graduating seniors
earning the California
Seal of Biliteracy
OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
16 17
Newcomer Wellness Initiative
In addition to the many assets newcomer
students bring to our schools, many have
confronted intense obstacles leading to their
journey and on their journey to Oakland. Addressing
these often traumatic experiences, connecting
students and families to community resources,
and supporting school-level systems that support
newcomers and build intentional community is
the work of the 15 site-based social workers that
comprise the Newcomer Wellness Initiative.
Refugee and Asylee Student
Assistance Program
Housed next to the central
enrollment office for OUSD, the
Refugee and Asylee Student
Assistance Program (RASAP)
provide a first point of
entry and screening for
the vast majority of
newcomer students in
OUSD. Initial screening
identifies needs for
legal support, access
to vaccinations and
health insurance,
and referrals to site-
based and community
resources. This team
sustains partnerships
with many agencies that
provide direct support
and enrichment services for
newcomer students.
Sanctuary District
OUSD recommitted to its
Sanctuary Policy in 2017 and the related
education and visibility campaigns are central to
ensuring that our schools look, feel, and function
as welcoming spaces for immigrant students and
families.
Elementary Newcomer Teacher Leaders
Following OEA advocacy, the Elementary
Newcomer T eacher Leader position was
created to support supplemental small group
instruction, teacher professional development, and
capacity building at elementary schools with 50 or
more newcomer students. In 2021-22, 14 elementary
and K-8 school sites have an ENTL.
Professional Development and
Curriculum Support
ELLMA Language Specialists provide an
array of professional learning opportunities, both
for teachers new to working with newcomers
as well as to those looking to deepen
their practice and build connections
with colleagues across OUSD.
Language specialists also
partner with school sites to
provide intensive support
for school-wide or PLC-
level learning support
of recent immigrant
students.
Secondary Program
Development
The growth
in newcomer
student
population in OUSD
has required a rapid
and ongoing expansion
of programs across OUSD.
ELLMA works with the middle
and high school networks,
school principals, and other central
departments to plan for and resource
new programs and create conditions for
newcomer students to succeed.
Early Literacy Support
The grant-supported Newcomer Early
Literacy project provided newcomer
assistant staffing in ELD 1 classrooms across
OUSD high schools from 2018-2021 and is expected
to continue following a grant renewal. The project
centers the needs of students with limited formal
education (SIFE) especially those without literacy
skills in any language, and has grown to include
supports for teacher PD as well as direct support for
students.
OUSD
STRATEGIES
TO SUPPORT
NEWCOMERS
Recent immigrant students who are learning
English are known as newcomers in OUSD
and made up nearly 10% of OUSD enrollment
before the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020-21
2019-20
2018-19
2017-18
2016-17
2015-16
2014-15
2013-14
3,029
3,750
3,593
3,299
3,120
2,448
1,900
1,642
End-of-Y ear
NEWCOMER
TOTALS
WHOLE CHILD INSTRUCTIONAL
18 Families and youth are engaged
as authentic partners with
teachers, school and district
leadership in improving
outcomes and experiences for
ELLs.
3.2.1. ELL and immigrant student perspectives
will shape and inform programming and policy
that affects them directly.
3.2.2. Families will have the resources,
information and materials needed to become
informed and engaged partners in their children's
education.
3.2.3. An ELL parent “Bill of Rights” drives
increased family engagement in SELLS and
DELLS, and other school governance bodies.
GOAL 2
GOAL 3
OUSD is an inclusive, safe, and
welcoming place for all ELLs and
immigrant families.
3.1.1. School sites will purposefully cultivate and
sustain inclusive school communities that build
upon and value differences in immigration status,
language, and/or religion.
3.1.2. The needs and rights of newcomer students
will be protected through a responsive and
equitable enrollment process, both when entering
OUSD and transitioning between schools.
GOAL 1
Newcomer students benefit from
a range of targeted services that
enable them to thrive.
3.3.1. Newcomer students and families' health,
wellness, and access to school and community
support resources are supported through the
work of the Newcomer Wellness Initiative and
other providers.
3.1.2. Community partnerships to address needs
of recent immigrant students and families will be
sustained and expanded.
| PRIORITY 3 GOALS
THE WHOLE
CHILD
19 Enrollment and fiscal policies
support high quality and equitable
language programs.
4.1.1. Families will be fully informed and provide input on language program options in alignment with Prop
58 requirements.
4.1.2. Dual language enrollment policy will ensure
equitable enrollment and appropriate balance of
languages according to program specifications.
4.1.3. Projections and aligned fiscal policies for
newcomer programs will support program stability
and adequate capacity for newcomers arriving
throughout the school year.
Central Office provides clear
communication and strong systems
to implement and monitor ELL
programs and services.
4.2.1. Central Office will implement effective and
efficient systems for reclassification and other
required activities.
4.2.2. Central Office will effectively monitor ELL
programs according to the state and federal
requirements.
4.2.3. ELLMA will further develop communication
tools to lift up the assets in our community and to
share key information and resources.
High-quality staff are recruited,
developed, and retained to serve
ELLs and multilingual learner
students and their families.
4.3.1. OUSD will increase the number of quality
bilingual teachers to serve in multilingual programs
through teacher pipelines and visiting programs.
4.3.2. Newcomer programs will be staffed with
experienced, highly qualified educators.
| PRIORITY 4 GOALS
CENTRAL SYSTEMS &
PRACTICES
GOAL 1
GOAL 2
GOAL 3
20 EVERY STUDENT
THRIVES!
Visit www.ousd.org/ELLMA Last updated on 2022-02-01