Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
(1) The
Department of Education shall provide accommodations for English Language
Learners (ELLs) to enable them to fully participate in the statewide
standardized assessment program as defined in Section
1008.22, F.S.
(2) Each school board shall utilize
appropriate and allowable accommodations for statewide standardized assessments
within the limits prescribed herein. Accommodations are defined as adjustments
to settings for administration of statewide standardized assessments,
adjustments to scheduling for the administration of statewide standardized
assessments to include amount of time for administration, assistance in
heritage language during the administration of statewide standardized
assessments, and the use of an approved translation dictionary or glossary to
facilitate the student's participation in statewide standardized assessments.
Accommodations that negate the validity of statewide standardized assessments
are not allowable.
Accommodations shall include:
(a) Flexible Setting. ELLs may be offered the
opportunity to be tested in a separate room with the English for Speakers of
Other Languages (ESOL) or heritage language teacher serving as test
administrator. Parents must be informed of this option for students not of
legal age and shall be given the opportunity to select the preferred method of
test administration.
(b) Flexible
Scheduling. ELLs may take a test session during several brief periods within
one (1) school day; however, each test session must be completed within one (1)
school day. ELLs may be provided additional time to complete a test session;
however, each test session must be completed within one (1) school
day.
(c) Assistance in the Heritage
Language. ELLs may be provided limited assistance by an ESOL or heritage
language teacher using the student's heritage language for directions, prompts,
items, and answer choices. This should not be interpreted as permission to
provide oral presentation of prompts, items, and answer choices in English or
in the student's heritage language. Assistance may not be provided for passages
in Reading and Writing tests. Assistance in the heritage language shall be
limited to the following:
1. The ESOL or
heritage language teacher or other trained individual familiar with the student
may answer questions about the general test directions in the student's
heritage language. If the test is administered to a group of students, the
teacher may answer questions about directions for the benefit of the group.
Questions of clarification from individual students must be answered on an
individual basis without disturbing other students.
2. The ESOL or heritage language teacher or
other trained individual familiar with the student may answer specific
questions about a word or phrase in a prompt, item, or answer choice that is
confusing the student because of limited English proficiency but is prohibited
from giving assistance that will help the student produce, correct, or edit
responses. Assistance may not be provided for words or phrases in Reading and
Writing passages.
(d)
Approved Dictionary and Glossary. ELLs must have access to English-to-heritage
language/heritage language-to-English dictionaries or glossaries or both, in
print, electronic, or digital format, such as those made available to ELLs in
an instructional setting. The dictionary or glossary must provide word-to-word
translations only and may not contain definitions or other information. A
dictionary or glossary writtten exclusively in the heritage language or in
English shall not be provided. If the dictionary, glossary, or website uses the
Internet, schools must ensure that students have access only to the dictionary,
glossary, or website that meets the same requirements and must not have access
to any other sites. Students in Grades K through 2 may be provided with a
picture translation dictionary or glossary that meets the requirements of this
paragraph.
(3)
(a) The accommodations described in
subsection (2) of this rule, shall be offered to any student who has been
identified as limited English proficient pursuant to Section
1003.56(2)(a),
F.S., and is currently receiving services in a program operated in accordance
with an approved ELL district plan and any student who has exited from the ESOL
program and is in the two-year follow-up period per Rule
6A-6.09031, F.A.C., Post
Reclassification of English Language Learners.
(b) The statewide standardized assessments
may be administered with any one (1) or a combination of the accommodations
authorized herein that are determined to be appropriate for the individual
student.
(4) District
personnel are required to implement the accommodations in a manner that ensures
that the test responses are the independent work of the student. Personnel are
prohibited from assisting a student in determining how the student will respond
or directing or leading the student to a particular response. In no case shall
the accommodations authorized herein be interpreted or construed as an
authorization to provide a student with assistance in determining the answer to
any test item.
(5) Each school
board shall establish procedures whereby training shall be provided to the ESOL
or heritage language teacher who is administering any of the statewide
standardized assessments. The training shall be designed to train the teacher
how to administer the statewide standardized assessments within the limits
prescribed in this rule.
(6) ELLs
who otherwise are classified as students with disabilities as defined by
Section 1003.01(3)(a),
F.S., or who have been determined eligible and have a plan developed in
accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act exceptional education or
handicapped students shall be afforded the additional test accommodations
specified in Rule 6A-1.0943, F.A.C.
(7) Students who are not currently enrolled
in public schools or receiving services through public school programs and
require accommodations in order to participate in the statewide standardized
assessment program shall have access to accommodations identified in subsection
(2) of this rule, if the student was classified as limited English proficient
pursuant to section 1003.56(2)(a),
F.S., at the time of exit from the public school or public school
program.
Rulemaking Authority
1001.02,
1008.22 FS. Law Implemented
1008.22
FS.
New 10-17-00, Amended 5-5-09, 10-26-15, 5-30-17, 12-22-19,
4-25-23.
