Welcome to Dual Language & Multilingual Education

  • District 2 offers English language and/or native language instruction to all English Learners (EL) who are eligible to receive these services. Students who speak a language other than English, or live in a home where a language other than English is spoken, are identified through the home language survey. These students are screened to determine their English language proficiency level. This screening assessment takes place no later than 30 days after the beginning of the school year or 14 days after a student's enrollment-based eligibility detailed on the chart below. Screening results are shared with the parents/guardians. EL students are taught in English and their native language according to state requirements based on the number of students that speak the language at each school. (Click here for more information on ACCESS.)

EL Screening Criteria

Illinois ACCESS 2.0 Testing

  • EL students are tested on English language proficiency to determine their eligibility for EL services, and to monitor their English language development.

    A student who scores at or above a 4.8 composite on the Illinois-mandated ACCESS assessment exits language services and will be monitored for four years.

    EL Screening Criteria

    • Kindergarten - First Semester
      • Screener: MODEL
      • Minimum Score for English Proficiency: 5.0 Oral Composite

    • Kindergarten - Second Semester
      • Screener: MODEL
      • Minimum Score for English Proficiency: 5.0 Overall Composite

    • First Grade - First Semester
      • Screener: MODEL
      • Minimum Score for English Proficiency: 4.2 Literacy Composite

    • First Grade - Second Semester (and beyond)
      • Screener: WIDA
      • Minimum Score for English Proficiency: 5.0 Overall Composite

    Exit Criteria

    English Learner (EL) students must meet the State of Illinois English proficiency criteria in order to be transitioned from Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) or the Transitional Program of Instruction (TPI). Students exit from EL program support upon meeting a 4.8 overall composite on ACCESS.

    Parents are sent a letter from the District informing them that their child met the designated 4.8 State of Illinois English proficiency criteria. Parents are given an option to deny their child’s exit from EL program services if the child meets the exit criteria prior to the entitlement of three years in the EL program.

    Parent Notification Letters

    Parent notification letters and program descriptions are mailed to parents/guardians of all English Learner (EL) students at the beginning of each year to share the type of and description of the EL program that is being provided for their child. EL program screener scores or the previous year’s ACCESS scores are also included in this mailing.

    Parents may refuse language support if their child is eligible for services through signing an EL Program Services Refusal Form. However, this does not relinquish the district from its obligation to provide a meaningful education to the student and to continue to annually assess the student’s language proficiency with the ACCESS for ELLs.