Chapters
Overview
Fontana Unified School District’s Master Plan for English Learners was developed with the dedicated effort and collaboration of the following teachers, administrators, support staff, and parents. We wish to acknowledge the dedication and commitment of those who volunteered countless hours during the 2007–2008 school year developing this Master Plan for English Learners. In addition, we wish to extend our thanks to those who collaborated and worked on the formatting and revision.
Chapter 1
At the time of enrollment, California public schools are required to determine the language(s) spoken in the home by each student. In order to gather this information, all parents/legal guardians are required to complete, sign, and date a Home Language Survey (HLS) for each of their school-aged children. When a parent or legal guardian enrolls their child in the Fontana Unified School District (FUSD) for the first time, the parent/ legal guardian completes the HLS at the Enrollment Center, as part of the District’s enrollment procedure.
Chapter 2
It is the mission of the Fontana Unified School District to educate and support English Learners in reaching their highest potential each school year. District resources will focus on enabling all students to achieve the following goals (See chapter 6, Evaluation and Accountability, for details)
Chapter 3
EL progress is monitored annually using both district adopted formative and summative assessments. The assessments are used to determine students’ English language proficiency in English as well as academic performance. An English Learner profile is completed and ELD formative and summative assessments administered in order to monitor and to document an English Learner’s growth in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Chapter 4
In an effort to provide our students with teaching personnel who hold appropriate credentials necessary to instruct English Learners, Fontana Unified School District actively recruits and hires teachers who are fully EL Authorized with a BCLAD, CLAD or equivalent. If fully credentialed candidates are not available, teachers in training for BCLAD, CLAD or equivalent can fill the positions as long as they complete all requirements within the required time allotments: 3 years for the CLAD and 5 years for the BCLAD.
Chapter 5
Encouraging Parent and Community Participation. It is the goal of the Fontana Unified School District that parents of English Learners at all schools in Fontana will participate meaningfully in the education of their children. The following types of activities may be carried out at the district or site levels to further this goal.
Chapter 6
Fontana Unified School District is committed to working in concert with administrators, teachers, support staff, district staff, community members, students, and parents to provide effective instructional programs for English Learners. The programs will be evaluated regularly to ensure program effectiveness. Through the evaluation process, school programs and individual students programs will be modified so that deficits incurred by students will be remedied.
Chapter 7
Fontana Unified School District follows funding mandates by the Education Code, state regulations and district policies. Categorical funds are used to supplement the core educational program and not to supplant general fund monies. General fund monies provide the core educational program and an equitable base facilities and materials to all students. Expenditures are audited annually by the district’s Business Services and by both internal and external auditors.
Appendix
The Appendix provides a glossary of key terms, definitions of acronyms used in the plan, legal references and selected references that describe best practices for use with English Learners.