Medford Area Public School District aims to keep open communication with our Spanish-speaking families (inclusive of families with English Learners and families whose children are not English Learners, but still have a need for interpretation services).  As our EL population grows, we continue to provide quality education that meets the individual needs of our students.

To foster language growth and ensure the success of EL students in mainstream classes, Individualized Language Plans (ILPs) are created for each English Learner. ILPs highlight the current language abilities of ELs, their language goals, supports, and accommodations. Language plans are shared with staff and families to promote communication of these needs.

EL students participate in a tiered delivery service of interventions based on language levels. Language levels are determined by performance on the ACCESS 2.0 English language proficiency assessment, as documented in ILPs. This state-required test is administered on an annual basis to measure language growth and any changes in the levels of support needed. Once ELs reach proficiency, they are then monitored for two years before being reclassified as Fully English Proficient.

The EL Department continues to grow and develop to help support the needs of this diverse population. Although the EL population has risen and fallen in recent years, we have been seeing an increase in newcomers and students with low English proficiency levels, who receive more intensive English language services. 

EL services are inclusive of:

• EL Plan of Service and Support
• Statewide Home Language Survey to ensure consistency with a sometimes transient population
• Language proficiency assessments (WIDA Screener/Model and ACCESS 2.0)
• EL Files (digital and hardcopy) documenting each EL’s needs and assuring information is transferred if students relocate. (Incl. Qualification Letters/Parent Permission Letters, Service Evaluations, ACCESS/Screener/Model score reports, Reclassification documentation, Monitor Forms, Multiple Indicator Protocols, etc.)
• EL Professional Learning Community offers professional development and coaching for staff working with English Learners
• Staff resources on culturally responsive practices
• Immigrant resources and community resources for families
• Interpretation and translation services for staff and families (e.g. district announcements and communication in Spanish, interpretation at Parent Teacher Conferences and IEP meetings, letters and class materials in Spanish)
• Integration of Common Core State Standards and WIDA Language Standards
• English Language Development services or ELD classes for newcomers
• Inclusive and structured English immersion services in mainstream content area classrooms
• EL Resource at MASH
• Mentorship and Employment Partnership opportunities through the EL Dept. for high school students interested in learning more about English language acquisition and teaching, interpretation, and translation
• Efforts to include books in Spanish in all libraries to encourage development of biliteracy skills. One School One Book at MAES and SES supports literacy in both English and Spanish, while encouraging families to read together.