EL Guidance and Resources

North Dakota Identification and Exit Criteria and Procedures for ELs

North Dakota has established entrance and exit criteria and procedures by reviewing what was previously in place and revising it to meet the needs of all schools in the state. The review was completed by the English Language Program Advisory Committee (ELPAC) which is made up of LEA representatives from across the state, as well as other professionals related to English learner education. The entrance and exit criteria created and approved by the ELPAC was also recommended for approval by the Accountability and Standards Subcommittee and approved by the State ESSA Planning Committee. These two committees include professionals from across the state and represent a wide variety of agencies and LEAs.

Identification

North Dakota has established identification criteria and procedures as follows:

• A statewide Home Language Survey (HLS) is required. The first page of the survey includes the required elements. The second page contains items the school will be encouraged to use, but not required. Districts have the option to add items or addenda as they wish, beyond the required elements.
• Districts must conduct a screener assessment if another language is present unless there is overwhelming evidence of academic success at the time of registration.
• The required screeners are WIDA Screener (online or paper) for grades 1-12 or the WIDA Screener for Kindergarten.
• The statewide entrance criteria are consistent with the exit criteria. Students must receive a 3.5 proficiency level for each of the four domains and a 5.0 composite proficiency level to be considered proficient. The WIDA Screener only reports domains in integer values (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0). Therefore, a student receiving a 3.0 in any one domain would qualify for the program. If a student received a 4.0 in each domain, they would not qualify. The composite scores are reported in 0.5 increments (4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 5.5, 6.0).
• All potential EL students must be assessed for admission to the EL program and parents notified within 30 days of the first day of enrollment to any school.
• Districts may allow teacher referral for students who were not screened due to the information on the Home Language Survey. The referral may be investigated by EL staff to determine whether the Home Language Survey is correct or needs to be revised by the parents.

Reclassification

North Dakota has established reclassification options and procedures as follows:

The reclassification criteria are primarily based on reaching English language proficiency as measured by the annual ND English language proficiency assessment (ACCESS for ELLs).

The NDDPI will automatically reclassify all ELs who met the reclassification criteria based on a 5.0 composite proficiency level and 3.5 in each domain.

As a reminder, students reaching attainment (exiting) will no longer qualify for English language development (ELD) programming and must be monitored for a minimum of two years to ensure success in the classes where the language of instruction is English. Be sure to document the monitoring by using the EL Monitoring for Exited Students Worksheet or something similar. Also, remember to notify parents of reclassified students using the Parent Notification of Eligibility.

MIS01 Fall Report Guidance - English Learner (EL) Program

All districts must complete this section.

For questions regarding the EL program section, please contact the EL Programs Office.

Federal Civil Rights Law and North Dakota Century Code (NDCC Chapter 15.1-38) have specific requirements regarding the education of ELs. The EL Program section of the MIS01 Fall Report in the STARS is where ALL districts submit information to meet some of the requirements.

Reporting Requirements for All Districts (including those with no EL Students)

1. District EL Policy - Each district in North Dakota must verify they have a current EL policy in place meeting the provisions of NDAC and NDCC and approved by the school board. The North Dakota School Boards Association (NDSBA) has a sample EL Policy (GABAA) used by many districts in North Dakota. Districts are encouraged to review the policy at least every five years. Districts must:

   • Check the box assuring the district has an EL policy approved by the school board.

     • Validation Error will occur if the box is not checked.

   • Enter the date the policy was approved by the school board. This date should align with the board meeting date and minutes in which it was approved.

     • Validation Error will occur if not date is reported.

2. EL Program Director - All districts must designate an EL Program Director who provides administrative oversight of the EL program in compliance with Federal civil rights laws and ND state laws. The Program Director must hold an administrative credential and have the authority to allocate district resources to support the program. When EL students are enrolled in the school district, the director must show evidence of resources committed to the language instruction educational program (LIEP) for ELs. This person will be included in the EL distribution list and will receive EL-related correspondence from the NDDPI. The report requires:

   • Contact information of the EL Director

     • Validation Error will occur if this field is not completed.

   • ESPB license number and Administrative Credential

     • Validation Error will occur if this field is not completed.

     • Validation Warning will occur if the license holder does not have a valid North Dakota Administrative Credential (AD, SP, EP).

3. EL Coordinator/Teacher/Test Administrator - All districts must assign an EL Coordinator, EL Teacher, or EL Test Administrator. This person must hold a North Dakota teaching license including the EL or bilingual endorsement or have a plan of study on file to complete the endorsement within two years. Be sure the person you are listing in this section is in agreement with the role and responsibilities, as the NDDPI will send out an approval of assignment. To fulfill this requirement, some districts have an agreement with nearby districts or other service providers such as an REA to ensure, in the event a potential EL student registers for school, the district knows who to call for help in administering the EL screener assessments (MODEL, WIDA Screener). The EL Coordinator/Teacher/Test Administrator must complete online training and quiz requirements for the WIDA assessments they administer. Once the teacher license number is entered, STARS will verify that the teacher has an EL or Bilingual Endorsement or a current plan on file. This person will be included in the EL distribution list and will receive EL-related correspondence from the NDDPI. The report requires:

   • Contact information of EL Coordinator/Teacher/Test Administrator

     • Validation Error will occur if this field is not completed.

   • ESPB license number (a ND teaching license with an EL endorsement is required)

     • Validation Error will occur if this field is not completed.

     • Validation Warning will occur if no EL or Bilingual Endorsement or plan of study is found.

4. Additional EL Contact(s) - The additional EL contact(s) is an optional field. This is for staff who would like to receive EL-related correspondence. Anyone can be listed (EL teacher, administrator, para-professional, individual contracting with a district) in this field. Many districts enter their additional EL teachers or principals in this area to ensure EL-related communications are sent directly to key EL staff. The report requests: 

   • Contact information of additional staff

     • Validation Warning will occur if no additional contact is listed - this is just a reminder.

5. EL Student Identification Plan - All districts must submit a plan (steps the district takes and staff responsible) to identify potential English Learners. The procedures cannot be used only for students who look or speak differently. It must be equitably implemented for ALL students as to not discriminate. The plan must be documented annually in the MIS01 Fall Report in STARS and must incorporate the North Dakota ESSA statewide identification criteria and procedures including: 

   • The process for collecting the North Dakota Home Language Survey (HLS) completed by a parent for each student enrolled (the Office of Civil Rights has determined this cannot be one question on the district enrollment form),

   • The process (including staff responsible) for reviewing the HLS for a language other than English,

   • The process (including staff responsible) for reviewing the student's academic performance (if available) to determine difficulty with academic content in English,

   • The process (including staff responsible) of administering the North Dakota English language proficiency (ELP) screener (currently WIDA Screener for grades K-12) and the criteria for eligibility, and

   • The process (including staff responsible) to identify the student as an EL in PowerSchool and STARS if the student qualifies.

     • Validation Error will occur if no identification plan is written.

   • EXAMPLE: The following is an example EL Student Identification Plan. If the district uses this plan, be sure to change the parentheses items to district-specific information.

     • Students will be eligible for EL services based on the federal definition. Students will be identified for eligibility within 30 days of the first day of school or within 2 weeks throughout the year. The district will require the ND Home Language Survey for all students as part of the registration process.

       • The (school secretary) will receive all registration packets and review the HLS for a language other than English. All HLS forms will be maintained in the students' cumulative file.

       • If another language is present, (the secretary) will gather historical academic information and forward to the EL Teacher/Coordinator.

       • The EL Teacher/Coordinator will review the HLS and academic information to determine if the ELP screener assessment will be administered. 

       • If applicable, the ELP screener is administered by the EL Teacher/Coordinator.

       • The EL Teacher/Coordinator will complete and send the Parent Notification of Eligibility for each student who participated in the screener.

       • If a student meets the eligibility criteria, the EL Teacher/Coordinator will complete the EL information in PowerSchool and establish a language support team for the student including at least the principal, classroom/content teacher(s), and EL teacher. 

       • The EL Teacher/Coordinator will collaborate with the language support team to design the language instruction educational program (LIEP) for the student and create the student's Individualized Language Plan (ILP).

6. EL Student Assessment Assurances - All districts must submit assurances indicating the district will screen potential EL students, annually assess English language proficiency of all identified ELs and ensure all ELs participate in the ND State Assessment.

   • Check each of the three boxes indicating district assurance.

     • Validation Error will occur if assurances are not acknowledged by checking the indicator boxes.

7. EL Certificate of Compliance - All districts must certify they will fulfill the requirements listed for the current school year.

   • Check the indicator box to certify.

     • Validation Error will occur if box is not checked.

8. Professional Development - Districts with identified ELs must report the type of EL-related PD offered and the number of participants who participated.

   • Check the box in front of the professional development topics related to EL the district offered to all staff. 

     • If "other" is selected, be sure to explain in the comment box.

     • If someone participates in more than one type of topic, they may be counted more than once.

   • If any PD offerings were paid with Title III funds, check the box "Paid by Title III."

STARS MIS03/PER02 - English Learner (EL) Program

This personnel report in STARS is how the district documents EL support by a certified teacher. The report provides information about staff working within the EL program, the percentage of time devoted to EL, and the course codes associated with the teacher’s classes. The EL director should also input the percentage of time spent on the EL program.

MIS03 Regular School Year Licensed Personnel Record

EL teachers should list a position code of 70 and area of responsibility code of 014. The EL course code varies by grade level and includes 24001, 24005 and 24010. The area of responsibility code for administrators working in the EL program is 263. Please refer to the MIS03 Manual for more detailed information.

PER02 Regular School Year Non-Licensed Personnel Record

Schools and districts with English learners are required to allocate appropriate resources to the language instruction educational program (LIEP) for these students. The following are examples of staff who may support English language development (ELD) programming and the corresponding ELD coding.

Please refer to the PER02 Manual for more detailed information.

STARS Student Enrollment Report – English Learners

Student information on English learners is provided in the enrollment report in the STARS and is used for federal and state data analysis, school aid payments, grant eligibility, and accountability. It is imperative EL data be collected, reviewed by EL personnel, and reported to the state via the STARS. School districts may use PowerSchool to store their local EL information, however in order to have that information uploaded to the STARS the school district must activate the automated file transfer function in the STARS system. This is done by checking the “process” box for EL in the “automated file transfer” option, similar to other uploads from PowerSchool to STARS.

English learner enrollment reports are due three times during the school year.

• September 15th - Initial EL Enrollment
  • Used for funding calculations and general data analysis
• December 1st - ELP Assessment Mid-Year EL Report
  • Used for assessment file sent to the test vendor
  • Be sure all data fields for all currently enrolled ELs is completed
• June 30th - Final Year-End EL Report
  • Used for program approval, allocations, accountability, and general data analysis.

To access the STARS enrollment section:

• Select Fill Out Reports in the left blue margin.
• Select “Enrollment”, “Enrollment”, and the district name.
• Select the school year in the dropdown and “Select.”
• Click on student’s name in the STARS enrollment:
• Click on your district name in the list of districts that appear to open the student record.
• Click on “check out” in the left blue margin to add information to the student’s record.
• Check the box in front of “English Learner” under Special Programs.

When English learners are identified through the ND statewide identification procedures and criteria, follow the steps below to enter the student information into the STARS:

English Learner

1. Permanent Record
   • Check the box in front of “English Learner” to indicate the student qualifies for EL services.
   • Native Language - Select the student’s Native Language from the pull-down menu (English is not available).
     • Validation error will occur if no Native Language is chosen.
   • Begin Date - Enter the date the student was first identified as an EL.
     • Validation error will occur if no Begin Date is provided.
   • Exit Date - Leave this blank as it is entered by the NDDPI when the student meets EL proficiency. 
     • Validation error will occur if the date is prior to the current school year (exited students do not qualify for the EL program.
2. Student Detail Record
   • Plan Manager – Enter the license number of the EL teacher responsible for the language instruction educational program (LIEP) for the student.
     • Validation Error will occur if the teacher does not have a current EL/Bilingual Endorsement or plan of study on file with the ND ESPB.
   • Individualized Language Plan (ILP) Date – Enter the date the ILP was created or updated. It must be reviewed/updated annually.
     • Validation Error will occur if ILP Date is blank.
     • Validation Error will occur if the date is not within the past 12 months.
   • Parent Refused EL Services – Check the box if the parents/guardians signed and dated the program refusal form for the current year.
   • Parent Refused EL ACCESS Test – Check the box if the parents/guardians signed and dated the ELP assessment refusal form for the current year.
3. English Language Proficiency (ELP) Assessments
   • Enter the assessment information available for the student. A minimum of WIDA Screener or Out-of-State ACCESS test scores are suggested to alleviate re-screening of students who move within the state.
4. Program Enrollments
   • Check the box of the program model the school is using to provide ELD services for the student.

Immigrant

1. Permanent Record
   • Check the box to indicate student is an immigrant.
     • Defined as a student who: is age 3-21, was not born in any U.S. state, and has not attended one or more schools in the U.S. for more than 3 full academic years.
   • Origin Country – Select the student’s country of origin from the pull-down menu. For refugees, list country of origin, not last. country of residence - for immigrants, list country of birth.
     • Validation Error will occur if immigrant box is checked but origin country is not reported.
   • Entered U.S. Date – Enter the date the student entered the U.S.
     • Validation Error will occur if immigrant box is checked but entered U.S. date is not reported.
     • Validation Error will occur if entered U.S. date is before the student’s date of birth
   • Native Language – Required to be entered for students who are not English learners.

Refugee

1. Permanent Record
   • Check the box to indicate student is a refugee.
     • Immigrant data must also be provided in order to qualify for additional funding opportunities.

Contact Information

For clarification or more information about the ELD Program in North Dakota, please contact the EL Programs Office.

District EL Coordinators are district personnel responsible for the management and documentation of the EL program. The NDDPI provides the following resources specific to district EL Coordinators:

• EL Coordinator Team - The NDDPI has created a Microsoft Team to provide a secure space to share and collaborate. The NDDPI posts updates, guidance, professional development opportunities, and other information regularly.
• The NDDPI offers EL Coordinator Collaboration Time on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 9:00am and 3:45pm through the Teams platform.

If you are an EL Coordinator and would like to be a member of the SharePoint/Team, please contact the EL Programs Office.

EL Educators are educational personnel involved in the instruction of English Learners. The NDDPI has created a Microsoft Team to provide a secure space to share and collaborate. The NDDPI posts updates, guidance, professional development opportunities, and other information regularly.

If you are an EL Educator and would like to be a member of the SharePoint/Team, please contact the EL Programs Office.

ND ELPAC Membership and Term Guidelines

The North Dakota Century Code authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction to establish and appoint members to the English Learner Program Advisory Committee (ELPAC). The goals of the ELPAC are to: 1) advise the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) in matters affecting the education of English learners, and 2) promote educational opportunity and improve the quality of education provided to English learners in North Dakota.

• The committee will be comprised of up to 15 participants who represent at least one of the designated stakeholder groups below.
• Each member will serve a one-year term and, if in good standing, will be invited to continue the following year. Members of ND ELPAC may receive a professional fee and reimbursement for necessary mileage, meals, and lodging as per state guidelines. Members will not be paid or reimbursed if being paid or reimbursed by their employer.  
• New members will be invited upon a current member resignation and selected primarily based on the alignment of their current role and the unfilled representation areas and secondarily based on previous experience.
• We anticipate the committee will meet face-to-face approximately twice throughout the year (if it is safe to do so) and may include virtual meetings at various time throughout the year.

The ELPAC will strive to include the following representation:

• Educators of English learners
  • Elementary EL Teacher
  • Secondary EL Teacher
  • Early Childhood Teacher
  • District EL Teacher/Coordinator
  • Native American EL Teacher
  • Adult EL Educator
• General Educators with EL Populations
  • REA EL Specialist
  • Elementary Teacher
  • Secondary Teacher
  • Early Childhood Teacher
  • Special Education Teacher/Coordinator
  • Administrator
• Other
  • Higher Education (preference to EL teacher prep)
  • Refugee Services
  • EL Student (grade 6-12)
  • Parent of an EL
  • Social Services
  • Technology
  • Business/Industry
  • Civic Leader (holds an office)
  • Law Enforcement or SRS

2024-2025 ND English Learner Program Advisory Committee (ELPAC) Members

• Dakota Breen - Secondary EL Teacher/Coordinator, West Fargo Public Schools
• Erin Brurud - EL Coordinator, Williston Basin School District
• Noelle Green - Middle School Principal/EL Coordinator, McKenzie County Public Schools
• Leslie Knutson - Elementary EL Teacher, Minot Public Schools
• Maranda Obradovic - REA EL Specialist, Central Region Education Association
• Chad Radke - Principal, Mandan Public Schools
• Mari Rasmussen - Adjunct Faculty, Valley City State University
• Lisa Symens - EL Coordinator, Bismarck Public Schools
• Ivona Todorovic - EL Coordinator, Grand Forks Public Schools
• Kerri Whipple - REA EL Specialist, Parent, Civic Leader, South East Education Cooperative
• Stacey Wiltse - Middle School EL Teacher, Fargo Public Schools
• Assistant Director, Office of Indian/Multicultural Education, NDDPI
• ACCESS Coordinator, Office of Assessment, NDDPI
• Administrative Staff Officer, Office of Indian/Multicultural Education and Office of Assessment, NDDPI

• NCELA English Learner Family Toolkit
• Parent's Guide to EL Programs Infographic - English
• Parent's Guide to EL Programs Infographic - Spanish

If you would like to request a document that is not available through a link, please contact the EL Programs Office.

ESSA - English Learners

• USED Office of English Language Acquisition
• English Language Learner Toolkit 
• Fast Facts for Information for Limited English Proficient (LEP) Parents and Guardians and for Schools and School Districts that Communicate with Them
• COVID-19 EL Factsheet

Accounts

• District Test Coordinators must manage the WIDA online file of all Test Administrators to ensure permissions and trainings are up-to-date for the current testing year's staffing and trainings.
• District Test Coordinators must submit a verification of accounts to the NDDPI by September 30 of each year.
• To obtain a WIDA AMS or WIDA Secure Portal account, contact your District Test Coordinator or the EL Program Office at NDDPI.

AMS (Assessment Management System)

The secure online system of the administration of the WIDA Screener Online and ACCESS for ELLs suite of assessments. The WIDA AMS User Guide provides assistance in the use of features and functionality within the AMS system.

ELD Standards Framework 2020 Edition

The WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework, 2020 Edition serves as a resource for planning and implementing language curriculum, instruction and assessment for multilingual learners.

Educators can use the 2020 Edition to:

• Promote and guide systematic, explicit, and sustained language development
• Support and frame collaboration among educators to plan for content and language integration in culturally and linguistically sustaining ways
• Monitor multilingual learners’ language growth
• Provide standards-referenced feedback to students and families

North Dakota webpage

Contains state-specific information and resources, including ND’s ACCESS for ELLs Checklist, Identification and Placement Guidance document, and testing requirements. 

Secure Portal

Manage your WIDA account, complete training courses, and gain access to resources only available to WIDA members. 

Test Preparation and Training

• North Dakota requires that all personnel who come into contact with the WIDA assessments must complete ANNUAL training(s) for all tests being administered.
• For specific training requirements, see the ND State Page of the WIDA website.