ESEA: Title III

Implement language instruction educational programs that help LEP students develop and reach English proficiency and increase their core subject knowledge. The programs must address and assess reading, writing, speaking, listening, and comprehension skills and may use both English and the student’s native language to allow all students to become English language proficient.

LEAs and their schools use a combination of federal, state, and local funding to fund education programs under “supplement not supplant” federal rules. Allowable uses of Title III funding include:

• Administering formative and benchmark assessments to determine how well ELL students are mastering subject content
• Providing enrichment and challenging supplemental instructional and other materials and products as long as the supplement not supplant provisions are not violated

There are 5.3 million LEP students in U.S. schools today, or 9.5% of the total estimated 55.8 million preK–12 students, and the number is increasing. Of all LEP students, approximately 80% report Spanish as their native language. (Source: National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition)

As classroom populations have become more culturally and ethnically diverse, the need for quality language proficiency assessments and instruction increases.

The research-based LAS Links suite strengthens Title III programs with an integrated system of English literacy assessments and instructional tools.

• K–12 Assessments (Forms A and B) are assessments that effectively evaluate and measure progress on the five areas identified in Title III, Part A reading, writing, speaking, listening, and comprehension skills.
• LAS Links Español is a diagnostic assessment that effectively evaluates speaking, listening, reading, writing, and comprehension skills of Spanishspeaking students.
• The K–12 Placement Test identifies proficiency levels for initial program entry of LEP students. Initial placement tests are normally funded through LEA discretionary funds.
• Benchmark Assessments monitor progress toward English proficiency standards throughout the school year.
• The preLAS® Assessment System is an early childhood assessment of English and Spanish language proficiency and pre-literacy skills for children ages 3 to 6.
• Instructional Guidance consists of standards-based lesson plans tailored to proficiency level and skill area.
• Online reporting and data management are provided through the CTB Online Reporting System.

Provide high quality programs based on scientifically-based research.

The LAS Links suite is grounded in CTB/McGraw-Hill’s 85 years of industryleading research and psychometric excellence. CTB’s leadership in language proficiency assessment began over 30 years ago with Language Assessment Scales (LAS®), the first language proficiency assessment. LAS Links represents the next generation of LAS and accountability standards. (For background information on the research-based development of the LAS Links suite, link to English Language Development: Progress Monitoring Assessment using LAS Links on CTB.com/LASLinks.)

The English and Spanish versions of preLAS were developed in parallel formats with the same rigor and use the same subtests. In accordance with quality testing standards, preLAS Spanish is not simply a translation. It was developed with native-speaking children. In this way, the two tests are psychometrically and linguistically equivalent.

The new preLAS Observational Assessment™ for 3 year olds, which expands the preLAS Assessment System, measures the English and Spanish language proficiency and pre-literacy skills of early learners. The Observational Assessment provides the ability to use the leading early childhood language proficiency assessment at a younger age, allowing for earlier identification and targeted language support where needed.

Address English proficiency and academic achievement of students served by Title III:

• Report the annual increases in the number or percentage of students attaining English proficiency by the end of each school year, as determined by a valid and reliable assessment of English proficiency
• Determine Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) and help students meet the same challenging state standards required of all students
• Meet state Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAOs), a unique requirement not found in other ESEA Titles

CTB developed the LAS Links suite to increase the level of English proficiency for LEP students, help them meet the same challenging state standards required of all students, and help them attain mastery of social and academic English to be successful throughout their lives.

LAS Links suite

• K–12 Assessments provide a comprehensive test score that links to preLAS and Language Assessment Scales (LAS). This allows districts to maintain district baseline data.
• The Placement Test provides data to accurately place Grades K–12 LEP students into appropriate programs. It covers reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Results show three proficiency levels: Not Proficient, Approaching Proficiency, and Proficient.
• Benchmark Assessments provide three formative assessments per grade span to measure student progress on social and academic skills throughout the year, essential in fulfilling AMAOs. The benchmark tests link to the LAS Links Instructional guidance component and can be used to complement any test of language proficiency.
• Test items in LAS Links K–12 Assessments and in the Benchmark Assessments align to Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and to state English language proficiency standards.
• LAS Links Español helps identify language difficulties a student may have in Spanish. It also tracks and monitors progress toward obtaining Spanish language proficiency. The assessment offers common scale scores and proficiency levels for Grades K–12. When combined with LAS Links in English, LAS Links Español provides a complete linguistic profile and helps speed progress toward language proficiency.

preLAS Assessment System

• Assesses early childhood oral language skills (ages 3–6) and pre-literacy skills (ages 5–6) for program entry and exit, instructional placement, identifying academic strengths, and monitoring progress.
• Engages young students with playful, game-like tests for stress-free testing.
Compares students’ language skills with those of fluent native speakers and identifies those who would benefit from special instruction in order to succeed in a mainstream English-speaking classroom.

Demonstrate improved classroom practices.

Once English proficiency levels have been identified through LAS Links or preLAS assessments, that information can be translated into learning strategies with LAS Links Instructional Guidance.

• Content and activities in standards-based lesson plans target specific core academic subjects, such as language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.
• Teaching activities and strategies are grade appropriate with five English proficiency levels from beginning through advanced and prepare students for test-taking and succeeding in mainstream classrooms and everyday life.
• An Observational Checklist and Writing Rubrics help educators monitor student progress.
• The materials are conveniently organized into binders correlating to the five LAS Links grade spans (K–1, 2–3, 4–5, 6–8, and 9–12) and can be used to complement any test of language proficiency.
• These instructional aids meet state and national standards and strategies for teaching LEP students.

Hold its schools accountable for meeting AMAOs, making AYP, and annually measuring the English proficiency of all LEP students.

The LEA must also provide the SEA with an evaluation at the end of every second fiscal year with an evaluation, that includes:

• A description of the programs and activities conducted with the subgrant
• A description of the progress made by LEP students in learning the English language and meeting state academic content and student academic achievement standards
• The number and percentage of students in the programs and activities attaining English proficiency by the end of each school year
• A description of the progress made by students in meeting state academic content and student academic achievement standards for each of the 2 years after such students are no longer receiving services

CTB’s products are developed to assess, monitor, and report on the progress of LEP students at the individual, class, school, and district level.

LAS Links Reports

• The Group List Report provides a permanent record of test results for students in a class or other specific group.
• The Roster Report summarizes individual results for a group of students. Students are classified into one of five performance levels: Above Proficiency, Proficient, Intermediate, Early Intermediate, and Beginning.
• The K–12 Student Proficiency Report, available in both English and Spanish, helps identify a student’s strengths and areas that need improvement and can be used for parent/teacher conferences.
• The K–12 Skill Area and Strand Report provides a comprehensive overview of each student’s proficiency level by skill area.

CTB Online Reporting System

With the intuitive CTB Online Reporting System, educators can easily analyze LAS Links Forms A and B assessment data to gain a complete picture of performance, identify which students and schools need help, support Title III requirements and enable educators to:

• Aggregate and disaggregate data to identify pressing needs and view and share individual student, classroom, building, and sub-group data by student demographics or special programs, such as ELL
• Drill down with dynamic hyperlinks from summary to student level information by creating Roster Reports by demographic groups or range of scores to target students who need help

May enter into a consortium if their subgrant is less than $10,000. States may also join a consortium.

The English Language Proficiency Collaboration & Research Consortium (ELPCRC) is comprised of Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, and Nevada, which use LAS Links to reach their AMAOs. The consortium was founded in October 2007 and is working on developing common research and English Language Development (ELD) frameworks and using the LAS Links platform to ensure a greater level of consistency, uniformity, and quality in their programs.

Provide high quality professional development for classroom teachers, principals, and administrators.

LAS Links Professional Development enables educators to gain new skills to improve the instruction and assessment of LEP students and enhance teachers’ ability to understand and use assessment measures and results and link them to instructional strategies.

• Interpretation Guides describe how to interpret LAS Links test results and help educators understand test content, LEP standards assessed, research basis of the tests, and scoring tables.
• Staff Development DVDs and Audio CDs can be used in individual or group sessions and support classroom instruction with sample LAS Links test items, score reports, and student responses. They also provide instruction and practice in administering, scoring, and interpreting test results.
• Customized on-site professional development, available on request, provides hands-on training in test administration and interpretation of LAS Links results.