Multilingual / English Learners

Multilingual Parent Advisory Committee

We are actively recruiting parents or legal guardians of English Learners enrolled at Warren Township High School to participate and become active members of District #121 Bilingual/Multilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC).

What is BPAC/MPAC?

School districts that have a Bilingual Education Program must establish a Bilingual /Multilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC) or Multilingual Parent Advisory Committee (MPAC).

According to ISBE 23 Article 228.30 of the Illinois School Code, “Each district shall establish a parent advisory committee (BPAC) consisting of bilingual/multilingual program parents, legal guardians of ELs, TBE/TPI teachers, counselors or other school personnel and EL community leaders. 

Two-thirds of the participants of the MPAC/BPAC must be parents of students in the multilingual or bilingual education program. All parents of the multilingual/bilingual education program are invited to become members of the MPAC. Membership is representative of the languages served by  District #121.

The BPAC/MPAC meets four times per year and participates in the planning, operation, and evaluation of the multilingual/ bilingual education program. The MPAC/BPAC also offers opportunities for parents to meet to learn about how they can become involved in and support their student’s education.

The purpose of MPAC/BPAC is:

• Advocate for students in the bilingual and EL programs;

• To maintain communication between parents of students in the program and the school district;

• To provide parents of students in the program with opportunities to learn about and comment on the program;

• To inform parents about the goals and benefits of bilingualism, bilingual education, and English as a Second Language (ESL); 

• Support the academic achievement of EL student(s) by attending workshops, conferences and other events for bilingual parents.

The Warren Township  BPAC/MPAC activities include the following: 

• Review the district's Annual Bilingual Service Plan.

• Receive training from the District to make informed decisions.

• Provide information regarding the Bilingual and/or English Learner Program for the Warren Township High school community.

• Participate in the planning, operation and evaluation of bilingual and EL programs.

After forming the BPAC/MPAC, the committee operates autonomously, including the election of officers and the establishment of internal rules and procedures. They must meet at least 4 times a year.

 2023-2024 Meeting Schedule (Coming Soon)

October ?, 2023

December ?, 2023

February   ?,2024

April ?, 2024 

May ?, 2024 

June ?, 2024

Contact Information

Please contact Dr. Sandra Moran, Director of Multilingual Services and Family Engagement For additional information about BPAC/MPAC or if you are interested in becoming an active member. You can reach her at 847-548-6155 or SMORAN@WTHS.net

WHO IS A MULTILINGUAL LEARNER

Multilingual Learners (MLLs) are students whose primary or first language is other than English or who live in a home where a second language is spoken.  Federal and state regulations mandate that local school districts provide appropriate services as well as equitable and effective learning opportunities for all multilingual learners to ensure that MLLs have the language support they need to succeed in a school setting.

VISION

Warren Township High School is an inclusive community that celebrates all cultural, racial, and linguistic identities, where exemplary multilingual instructional programs provide high-quality teaching and learning so that all students excel and graduate prepared for active engagement in a global, multicultural society. We believe that this opportunity promotes the development of empathy and a better understanding of human experience.

MISSION

Our mission is to assist Multilingual learnerners acquire English proficiency needed in order to succeed academically and within their communities. We support English Language Learners as they acquire English by:

• Utilizing best practices to support Ells in accessing content.
• Addressing the linguistic, cognitive, and affective needs of multilingual learners.
• Providing additional monitoring and support for proficient and recently reclassified ELs students and eligible students under Title 111.

What is the law pertaining to Multilingual Learners?

The laws of Illinois and the United States guarantee all students in Illinois access to a quality education. This requires every district to guarantee all students equal access to the full range of programs and resources. By law, immigrant students are entitled to the same education as non-immigrant students. They are entitled to a free public education from kindergarten through grade twelve up until the age of twenty-one, regardless of immigrant status. Additionally, the U.S Supreme Court ruled that undocumented children have the same right as U.S citizens and permanent residents to receive a free public education.

How are students identified to receive EL services?

At the time of registration, all new families to the district complete the Home Language Survey. If the parents, or legal guardians, of any student answer "yes" to either of the two questions in the Home Language Survey, the students will be screened to determine if he/she qualifies for services in the ML/EL Program.

WIDA Screener and ACCESS

Warren Township High School D121 uses the scores obtained from the WIDA Screener or ACCESS test as it basis for determining student eligibility (Illinois Administrative Code 228.15). These screenings are required by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). The results of the prescribed screening will also determine if the student has mastered English Proficiency based on ISBE regulations.  The recommendation for the placement and the services to be provided will be made by taking into consideration the results of the test, educational background, and the student's native language.

A Notice of Enrollment and the EL Program Description is provided to parents/guardians whose students qualify for services in the EL program. Parents have the right to accept or refuse placement recommendations. If the parents decide to refuse ML/EL support services, a handwritten signed letter must be provided to the school district with a rationale for their decision.

If the student did not qualify for El services according to the criteria established by the state and Warren Township HS District 121, parents have the right to appeal the decision by writing to:

Lake County Regional Office of education

300 Center Drive, Suite 100

Vernon Hills, IL   60061

(847) 543-7833

Program Options

Transitional Bilingual Education

The Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) program is for non-native English speaking eligible students of the same high-incidence language. The program provides instruction in the students' native language with transition into English instruction.

Transitional Program of Instruction

The Transitional Program of Instruction (tPI) or ESL (English as a Second Language) is a mandated program which serves eligible students from low-incidence language backgrounds. Some examples of language groups represented in this program are Polish, Urdu, Russian, and Arabic.

The program provides support to help students succeed in academic subjects and learn English. Academic Instruction is provided in English using sheltered English Instruction. These classes count towards graduation.

Warren offers several Sheltered ESL content Course and we continue to add more courses as needed for our Multilingua Learners. Below are examples of some of the courses offered:

• ELL Literacy & ELL English (Newcomers), Sheltered English 1-IV
• AP Spanish Language and Culture, Spanish Language Arts and Culture 1 & 2
• Sheltered Algebra 1 and 2, Sheltered Geometry, Sheltered Algebra Trigonometry
• Sheltered Health, Sheltered World History, Government and Civics, Contemporary Economics, and United States History
• Sheltered Biology, Sheltered Chemistry, and Environmental Science

All classes in the EL Program count towards graduation requirements.