Program Design
Shining Star Early Childhood Center (SSECC): PreK
Model: Sheltered English Immersion (SEI). The English Learners (ELs) at SSECC are all integrated into inclusion PreK classrooms, taught by Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) teachers. SSECC has one .2 EL Coordinator and 0.8 ESL Teacher.
Push-in: To ensure an inclusive, language-rich environment, SSECC has opted for the Push-In ESL instruction delivery approach, as it is the best-suited model for our community context.
Push-in ESL is taught by a licensed ESL teacher within grade-level SEI content classrooms during designated times in students’ schedules. It provides dedicated, systematic, explicit, and sustained standards-based and language-focused instruction connecting content-area topics and academic practices.
Diagnostic Language Group (DLG): At the preschool level, children are referred for special education testing from Early Intervention, parents, and physicians due to developmental concerns. Sometimes, a preschool screening will identify the need for additional testing in areas where a suspected disability is present. Each round of the DLG runs for approximately 2 weeks during the afternoon session for four days per week. Collecting observational and interactional data over several weeks in a structured inclusion classroom setting, where children have time to acclimate, interact with peers, follow the daily routine, and use language spontaneously has enabled SSECC specialists to tease out whether a child has a true disability or if they are simply acquiring their second language at their developmental level. During this period, children attending the DLG are observed by a multidisciplinary team, which includes the Early Education licensed classroom teacher, a multilingual English Learner (EL) teacher, and a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP). Before the end of the observation period, the EL teacher and the SLP evaluate each student using the DAYC-2 assessment tool to assess cognitive and language Skills. If the child warrants an evaluation in Social Skills, Occupational Therapy (OT), or Physical Therapy (PT), the DAYC-2 also has these evaluation components. The behavior specialist (BCBA) or other classroom or special education teachers may do observations. The DLG classroom teacher uses the Preschool Readiness Checklist to aid their evaluation. All cases, including those in the DLG, are discussed weekly in a multidisciplinary group, including the Director, Special Education Team Chairperson, SLP, EL specialist, BCBA, OT/PT, and school psychologist. The Special Education Team Chairperson oversees the eligibility determination process, from consent to test to the initial team meeting, where special education eligibility is determined. The EL specialist collaborates with the team in writing the Individual Education Plan (IEP) for the ELs identified through the DLG process.
Curriculum: ESL Centers
The ESL Centers are aligned with the Early Years WIDA standards, the MA Curriculum Frameworks for PreK, and the school-based curriculum. The ESL Centers seamlessly integrate English language development (ELD) instruction into PreK SEI inclusion classrooms. These centers were designed for use with both emergent bilingual and monolingual students in SEI classrooms. The dual goals of these ESL Centers are to (1) increase access to the curriculum and (2) promote second language acquisition (SLA) by providing opportunities for English learners (ELs) to learn and practice target vocabulary within sentences in the context of authentic communicative tasks with their native English-speaking peers. To facilitate the implementation of these centers by SEI teachers across the school, the EL teacher developed a script illustrating how to maximize opportunities for oral language practice by supporting ELs’ use of target vocabulary in complete sentences.
SEI Endorsement: All general and special education teachers at the pre-K level are SEI endorsed, as required by state regulations.
Collaboration: The EL staff routinely attend school departmental and curriculum meetings with general education teachers to collaborate with their content area constituents. The ESL centers are being developed in collaboration with PreK teachers. The EL Coordinator participates in team meetings to offer input on evaluations and placement decisions for English Learner students with Disabilities (EL-SWD). The SEI teachers meet with our ESL specialists regularly to mutually inform one another about their students’ progress and discuss strategies that can be used to increase comprehensible input for English learners (ELs). The EL specialist collaborates with a multidisciplinary team in the Diagnostic Language Group to determine eligibility for EL services in special education and to develop IEPs.
Parent Involvement: Newsletters, forms, and fliers (paper-based and electronic) are sent home to families in their home languages to keep them informed about ongoing school activities. Parents are encouraged to join the Multilingual Parent Advisory Council (MPAC) to increase parental engagement and agency with the school and their children’s education. Meetings, phone calls, emails, Talking Points, and Class Dojo are used for two-way communication. A partnership with the Family Resource Center (FRC) translation and interpretation department is also available for SSECC staff and their families. A set of instructional materials is being developed for use in participatory, dialogical meetings with parents to provide culturally responsive guidance on how to work optimally with their children.
Facilities: ELD instruction occurs within the inclusion of SEI classrooms. The EL coordinator/EL specialist has an office. Individual student screenings and testing are conducted in the EL office.
Memorial and Brookside Elementary School: Grades K–2
Model: MES and BES have ten EL specialists in the English Learner Education department who explicitly teach English language development. The English learners (ELs) at Memorial and Brookside Elementary Schools are all integrated into targeted mainstream classrooms taught by Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) teachers. English Language Development (ELD) instruction is provided by English Learner (EL) specialists primarily through ESL/SEI teacher Co-Teaching partnerships. In addition, some students receive ELD services through Embedded ESL instruction (Newcomer/Transitional Classrooms). EL Specialists may also provide instruction using co-teaching or push-in models during ELA (Knowledge, Foundational Skills, and/or Skills Groups), and/or Math. At both schools, our ELs are included in related arts classes and reading intervention programs, as needed, as well as extracurricular activities.
At the Kindergarten level, starting in SY 25-26, MES and BES will share a Kindergarten EL specialist across both schools, who will work with students who scored a "Rescreen" or "Refer" on their ESI, have an IEP, or are brought to the MTSS team. This teacher will provide push-in support during curricular components that meet the needs of identified English Learner (EL) students at the K-grade level. The K-EL Specialist will be responsible for participating in IEP meetings for the students on their roster.
Curriculum: Grade 1-2 EL specialists teach the ELD curriculum, which was designed using the National Geographic series, Reach Higher, and is aligned with WIDA Standards and ELA, science, and social studies grade-level MA frameworks. Curriculum maps have been developed by teams of SEI and ESL teachers for grades 1-2 and are being used to guide ELD instruction. Additionally, K-2 EL specialists utilize grade-level curriculum materials (e.g., Fundations, Heggerty) in conjunction with the WIDA ELD standards and targeted English language objectives in the domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
SEI Endorsement: Per state requirements, general and special education teachers in grades K-2 are to obtain their SEI endorsement within one year of having an English learner on their class roster.
Collaboration: EL specialists routinely attend school departmental and team collaboration time (TCT) meetings. SEI teachers collaborate with our EL specialists on a routine basis to mutually inform one another about their students’ progress, co-plan instruction, and discuss strategies to increase comprehensible input for their ELs and promote continued language development.
Parent Involvement: After initial enrollment to MPS, Memorial and Brookside students and their parents/guardians are invited to an Intake Meeting on their first day of school. Families meet with a Family Liaison from the FRC (Family Resource Center) to assist them in completing necessary building-based paperwork and receive pertinent information about the school. Newsletters, forms, and flyers (both paper-based and electronic) are sent home to families in their home languages to keep them informed about ongoing school activities. A parent group, the PTO, holds monthly meetings to increase parental involvement in school activities and provide parents with guidance on how to work with their children effectively. Upon request from the Principal, Interpreters are available for PTO meetings. Electronic two-way communication is done primarily through Talking Points. Parents are encouraged to join the Multilingual Parent Advisory Council (MPAC) to increase parental engagement and agency with the school and their children’s education. Partnership with the Family Resource Center (FRC) translation and interpretation department is also available for MES and BES staff and families. All families are encouraged to attend monthly events, including Back to School Night, parent-teacher conferences, and literacy nights.
Facilities: ELD instruction occurs within the inclusion of SEI classrooms. When applicable, space is provided explicitly for ELD pullout instruction at each school.
Woodland Elementary School: Grades 3–5
Model: The English Learners (ELs) at Woodland Elementary School receive high-quality instruction that is asset-based, culturally responsive, language-driven, and standards-based. All ELs are integrated into targeted mainstream classrooms taught by Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) teachers or Dually-certified/licensed (DL) teachers. All English Language Development (ELD) instruction is provided by licensed English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers. ELs are either placed in dually-certified classrooms where they receive Embedded ELD instruction; split-model classrooms (DL/SEI), which provide co-teaching by ESL instructors; or an SEI classroom also supported by ESL instructors during core content area instruction. Newcomers and Entering/Emerging ELs may receive direct pull-out intensive ELD instruction within a small group outside the mainstream SEI classroom with integrated grade-level content throughout the day. The performance of ELs is closely monitored, and student placement may be altered at any time during the school year based on student needs. However, collaborative teaching models are encouraged throughout all grade levels. ELs are included in special subject area classes, participate in all math and reading intervention programs as needed, and are involved in extracurricular activities.
Curriculum: The ELD curriculum aligns with the WIDA English Language Development Standards Framework and the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. Curriculum maps have been developed by teams of ESL, SEI, and Dual Licensed teachers across grades 3-5 and are being used to guide ELD instruction. The curriculum in our designated SEI rooms follows the state standards, with the addition of targeted English content and language objectives in the domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. There is an explicit focus on expressive language development throughout all classes. The SEI teachers have been trained to utilize WIDA Standards and Can-Do Descriptors at all levels to provide appropriate scaffolding that enables access to the curriculum and necessary accommodations and modifications to guide instruction and learning. This allows for consistent monitoring of student progress by utilizing both formal and informal assessments at students' varying proficiency levels.
SEI Endorsement: Per state requirements, general and special education teachers in grades 3-5 must obtain their SEI endorsement within one year of having an English learner on their class roster.
Collaboration: SEI teachers and ESL teachers participate in weekly grade-level, team-based collaboration time (TCT). Additionally, ESL teachers attend weekly EL department collaboration time. During both official and unofficial collaboration time, teachers meet to discuss student progress, examine student data, and work collaboratively on implementing strategies to advance the language and content acquisition of English learners concurrently. The EL department regularly engages in active communication and collaborative practices with all staff members, including but not limited to: SEL teachers, service providers, reading and math interventionists, curriculum team leaders, department heads, and instructional coaches.
Parent Involvement: After initial enrollment in MPS, Woodland students and their parents/guardians are invited to a Woodland Enrollment Meeting before their first day of school. Families can meet with the EL Coordinator and school Counselor, along with an interpreter from the FRC (Family Resource Center), to help them complete necessary building-based paperwork, take a school tour with a Student Ambassador from their classroom, and briefly meet their teacher and other classmates. The EL Coordinator and school Counselor assess additional needs that may be essential for a positive transition for the families and students. Families are encouraged to ask questions about their new school, and we. Newsletters, forms, and flyers (both paper-based and electronic) are sent home to families in their home languages to keep them informed about ongoing school activities. Parents are encouraged to join the Multilingual Parent Advisory Council (MPAC) to increase parental engagement and agency with the school and their children’s education. Meetings, phone calls, emails, Talking Points, and Class Dojo are used for two-way communication. Partnership with the Family Resource Center (FRC) translation and interpretation department is also available for Woodland staff and families. All families are encouraged to attend monthly events, including Back to School Night, parent-teacher conferences, literacy nights, STEM events, and an annual EL Reclassification Ceremony.
Facilities: ELD instruction occurs within the inclusion of SEI classrooms. When applicable, space is provided explicitly for ELD pullout instruction.
Stacy Middle School: Grades 6–8
Model(s): English learners (ELs) across all three grades are placed in various learning settings per their English language acquisition skills as measured by the WIDA Screener or ACCESS 2.0 assessments: general education SEI mainstream classrooms, co-taught SEI content-area classrooms, self-contained co-taught classrooms with licensed ESL and content area educators, and self-contained English Language Development (ELD) classes, as well as literacy intervention classes for our students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE) or our struggling readers.
SEI Mainstream with Pull-Out ELD: In sixth through eighth grade, English language learners at proficiency levels 3 and 4 (ELP3 and ELP4) are placed in all SEI mainstream core-academic classes. Additionally, they receive self-contained ELD instruction once per day during the specials/elective period. This ELD instruction focuses on developing speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, emphasizing the use of academic language to articulate thoughts and reasoning in alignment with the WIDA Standards.
Co-taught Model: In sixth through eighth grade, all English language development (ELD) classes at proficiency levels 1 and 2 (ELP1-ELP2) are co-taught by ESL-licensed teachers and the SEI English Language Arts (ELA) and SEI Reading teachers. Additionally, ELP1-ELP2 students receive integrated ELD instruction in the SEI classes for Math and Science, co-taught by the EL specialist and content-area licensed teachers. This blended program, combining co-taught ELD/content-area integrated classes and SEI mainstream instruction, promotes instructional collaboration and team teaching. It also increases the interaction of English-learner students with their native English-speaking peers, enhancing cultural integration and providing more opportunities for them to use English in academic contexts. Additionally, it allows for flexible placement into mainstream classes throughout the school year, based on progress in language development, as monitored through assessments.
The four areas of English proficiency—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—are developed through social and instructional language instruction in each core content area, including ELA, Reading, Math, Social Studies, and Science, as well as in all ELP levels of ELD. All ELs are active and productive contributors to their learning, and, through supported instruction, are fully engaged in the academic demands of the MA State Frameworks and the WIDA English Language Development standards. ELs are challenged to meet the same academic demands as their grade-level peers.
Teacher Qualifications: Stacy Middle School currently has ten (10) ESL teachers in the English Learner Education (ELE) department who explicitly teach English language development, one (1) ESL Teaching Assistant, and one (1) EL Coordinator holding Director, ESL K-12, and Bilingual (Portuguese) K-12 educator licenses in Massachusetts. In addition to providing explicit English language development (ELD) instruction, ESL teachers co-teach grade-level content in math, science, and social studies, tailoring instruction to meet students’ language proficiency and literacy levels, and ensuring scaffolding to address their learning needs. ESL teachers have access to the same grade-level texts and materials as their mainstream counterparts.
SEI Endorsement: Per state requirements, general and special education teachers in grades 6-8 must obtain their SEI endorsement within one year of having an English learner on their class roster.
Curriculum: ESL teachers utilize the WIDA Standards to adjust instruction and monitor student progress through formal and informal assessments conducted two times a year. English Language Development instruction is based on the National Geographic series "Inside," which aligns with Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the 2020 WIDA Standards Frameworks. Curriculum maps, developed by ESL teacher teams, guide ELD instruction. Our designated SEI classrooms follow the MA Frameworks with added English language objectives in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Collaboration: ESL teachers attend monthly department meetings, bi-weekly grade-level department meetings, and daily planning meetings with their co-teaching content area colleagues. These opportunities are designed to foster collaboration for the inclusion of SEI strategies, increasing comprehensible input for English learners, and co-planning, while also supporting content teachers in scaffolding strategies tailored to the proficiency level of their English learners (ELs). Additionally, weekly meetings are scheduled for all teachers on the grade-level SEI team to review students’ progress in content areas and to meet with guidance counselors, coordinators, adjustment counselors, and instructional coaches.
Parent Involvement: Newsletters, forms, and flyers (both paper-based and electronic) are sent home to families in their native languages to inform them about ongoing school activities. Parents are encouraged to join the Multilingual Parent Advisory Council (MPAC) and attend Back-to-School Night and Parent-Teacher conferences to enhance parental engagement and involvement in their children's education. Communication channels, including meetings, phone calls, emails, and Talking Points text messages, facilitate two-way communication between families and the School. Telephone calls in the home language are made when scheduling meetings or addressing individual student matters as necessary. These opportunities for EL family and Stacy staff involvement are possible through our partnership with the Family Resource Center (FRC) Translation and Interpretation Department.
Facilities: Instructional space is explicitly allocated for all ELD/ESL instruction models, including inclusion SEI classrooms and dedicated pull-out ELD classrooms. Additionally, the EL coordinator has a designated office space.
Milford High School: Grades 9–12
Model: MPS has nine highly qualified ESL-licensed teachers in the English Learner Education department who explicitly teach English language development. The students are grouped according to English proficiency level based on the administered ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 language assessment instrument and teacher recommendations across grade levels. ELD 1 is for English learners at the foundational level of English language learning. ELD 2 is for early intermediate students. ELD 3 is for intermediate-level students, and ELD 4 is for transitioning-level students. There are also supplemental literacy classes for students at level 1 and level 2 proficiency levels. Level 1-2 students have more than two 45-minute blocks of ELD instruction daily. Students at level 1 take ELD 1, ESL Literacy 1, Topics in Biology, US History I, and a math course aligned to their intake math assessment score in conjunction with specials. Level 2 students take ELD 2 and ESL Literacy 2. Level 2 students also supplement their schedules with specials, mainly co-taught math, science, and social studies classes. More proficient students at levels 3-5 attend one period of ELD instruction per day.
SEI Teachers: Per state requirements, general and special education teachers in grades 9-12 must obtain their SEI endorsement within one year of having an English learner on their class roster.
Curriculum: The ELD curriculum is currently being developed. It is aligned with WIDA Standards and the core content MA Frameworks. DESE MCUs are used as a model for developing the UbD ELD maps at MHS.
Parent Involvement: Newsletters, forms, and/or flyers are sent home to families in their home languages to inform them about ongoing school activities, as well as emails and TalkingPoints text messaging.
Last Updated: 06/5/2025