CR Part 154:
Implications for
School Leaders
NYU ELL Think Tank
May 20, 2015
Ron Woo
NYS Language RBERN at NYU
Identification
…commence no later than the date of
the student’s initial enrollment or
reentry in a New York State school
district
[CR Part 154-2.3(a)(7)]
Identification
Step 1 – Administration of Home
Language Questionnaire by qualified
personnel as defined in 154-2.2(u)
[CR Part 154-2.3(a)(1)]
Identification
Step 2 – An individual interview with
student by qualified personnel in:
 English and student’s home language
 Review of student’s abilities or work
samples in reading and writing in
English and home language
 Math
[CR Part 154-2.3(a)(2)]
Identification
…reentering the New York State public
school system, a review of prior
experience in home language and/or
English instruction, to determine if the
student shall be administered the
statewide English language proficiency
identification assessment and to
determine the student’s grade level of
literacy in their home language and grade
level in math.
[CR Part 154-2.3(a)(2)]
Qualified Personnel for
Identification [154-2.3(a) and (b)]
a bilingual or English to Speakers of Other
Languages teacher, certified pursuant to
Part 80 of this Title, who is fluent in the
home language of the student and parent or
person in parental relation, or uses a
qualified interpreter/translator of the
language or mode of communication the
student or parent or person in parental
relation best understands, or
[CR Part 154-2.3(u)(1)]
Qualified Personnel for
Identification [154-2.3(a) and (b)]
a teacher who is certified pursuant to Part 80 of
this Title, and has been trained in cultural
competency, language development and the
needs of English Language Learners, and who
is proficient in the home language of the
student or parent or person in parental relation
or uses a qualified interpreter/translator of the
language or mode of communication the
student or parent or person in parental relation
best understands.
[CR Part 154-2.3(u)(2)]
Parent Orientation
(pre-placement)
The parent or other person in parental
relation of a student designated as an shall
be provided a high quality orientation
session on the state standards, assessments,
and school expectations for English
Language Learners, as well as the program
goals and requirements for Bilingual
Education and English as a New Language
programs…prior to a student’s enrollment in
a program.
[CR Part 154-2.3(f)(1)]
Parent Notification
(pre-placement)
Parents shall be notified that:
 Bilingual Education shall be the default
program
 Parent may direct that his or her child
be placed in an English as a New
Language program if the parent does
not want his or her child to be
enrolled in a Bilingual Education
program.
[CR Part 154-2.3(f)(2)]
Parent Notification
(pre-placement)
Parents notification shall:
 include goals and purpose of Bilingual Education
and English as a New Language programs
 state that the student will receive all required
core content in all programs offered, and that
participation in a Bilingual Education or English
as a New Language program will not restrict the
student’s access to extracurricular activities
 inform parents of the option of transferring their
children to a school with a bilingual program
within the district if one doesn’t exist at the
school.
[CR Part 154-2.3(f)(2) (i-iii)]
Parent Notification
(pre-placement)
Parents shall five (5) school days to sign
and return … a statement that the parent
… is either in agreement with the child
being placed in a Bilingual Education
program or directs the district to place the
child in an English as a New Language
program.
[CR Part 154-2.3(f)(3)]
Parent Notification
(pre-placement)
If a parent … not return the signed
notification form within five (5) school days
of receiving the notice, the student shall be
placed in a Bilingual Education program if
there is one in the school that serves the
grade and home language spoken by the
student or in an English as a New
Language program if the school is not
required to provide a Bilingual Education
program.
[CR Part 154-2.3(f)(3)]
Parent Notification
(pre-placement)
If a parent … does not return the
signed notification form within five
(5) school days, the parent … shall
retain the right to make a final
decision regarding the placement of
their child in a Bilingual Education or
English as a New Language program.
[CR Part 154-2.3(f)(3)]
Placement
…completed such that a student is
placed in either a Bilingual Education
or an English as a New Language
program within ten (10) school days
after the student’s initial enrollment or
reentry in the school district
[CR Part 154-2.3(g)(1)]
Placement
School districts are required to
complete the identification process
before an ELL student receives a final
school placement. A student is to be
provisionally placed in a school until
the identification process is
completed.
[154-2.3(a)(8)]
Review of Determination
A review of a determination made in the
initial or reentry identification process
shall be initiated upon receipt of a
written request within the first forty-five
(45) school days of a student’s initial or
reentry determination by:



parent
student’s teacher with parent consent
student if s/he is age 18 years or over
[CR Part 154-2.3(b)(1)]
Parent Information
Schools shall individually meet with the parents
… of English Language Learners at least once a
year, in addition to parent-teacher conferences,
quarterly progress meetings or other such
scheduled meetings provided for parents or
persons in parental relation of all students, to
discuss the goals of the program, their child’s
language development progress, their child’s
English language proficiency assessment
results, and language development needs in all
content areas.
[154-2.3(f)(5)]
Retention of Records
School districts are required to collect
and maintain:
 Records indicating parent’s preferred
language or mode of communication;
and
 Records of notices and forms
generated during the identification
and placement process in ELL
student’s cumulative record.
[CR Part 154-2.3(c)(1&2)]
Retention of Records
Signed notices of parents and persons
in parental relation that indicate
program selection shall be included in
the student’s cumulative record.
[154-2.3(f)(6)]
Program Requirement and
Provision of Programs
English as a New Language instruction is required
to be offered through two settings:
1. Integrated ENL/ESL (ESL methodologies in
content area instruction co-taught or
individually taught by a dually certified
teacher);
and
2. Stand-Alone ENL/ESL (ESL instruction with an
ESOL teacher to develop the English language
needed for academic success).
[152.2(m)and(x)]
Grade Span
The maximum allowable grade span
is two contiguous grades for grouping
instruction in ENL/ESL and Bilingual
Education programs.
[154-2.3(i)]
Exit Criteria
Exit criteria has expanded to allow
qualified students to exit ELL status
by:
OPTION 1 –
Scoring at the Proficient/Commanding
level on the NYSESLAT
[154-2.3(m)(1)(i)]
Exit Criteria
OPTION 2 –
Scoring at the Advanced/Expanding
level on the NYSESLAT,
-and3+ on a grade 3-8 ELA Assessment,
-or65 + on the Regents Exam in
English
[154-2.3(m)(1)(ii)]
Former ELLs
School districts are required to provide at least
two years of Former ELL services to support
students who exit out of ELL status including:
 A half unit of study of Integrated ENL/ESL
in ELA, Math, Science or Social Studies,
~and/or~
With OBEFLS approval, other services that
monitor and support each Former ELL’s
language development and academic
progress.

[154-2.3(h)(1)(v)]
Professional Development
School districts are required to ensure that a
prescribed percentage of Professional Development
hours be specific to the needs of ELLs, co-teaching
strategies, and integrating language and content
instruction:
 15% total hours ELL-specific PD for All Teachers
~and~
 50% total hours ELL-specific PD for Bilingual
Education and ENL/ESL teachers.
[154-2.3(k)]
Reflections?
Questions?
Resources
CR Part 154 – NYSED - Information and Documents