OSSS English Learner (EL) Program Fact Sheet
“To have another language is to possess a second soul.”
Program
Titles:

- Charlemagne

● English Learners (aka English Language Learner Program)
● Title III
● AAPI Data Disaggregation Grant

Program ID

General Funds (EL): 25230; Title III: 18085, 18086; AAPI: 17953

Current
Funding
Levels:

WSF 2017-18 Funding
English Language Learners (Aggregate): 18,210 ELs; $13,881,053
●
●
●

Previous Year’s
Funding:

Contact:

●
●
●

6,119 Fully English Proficient (FEP); Weighting Factor: 0.065; $ Per Student:
$267.54; Total FEP Allocation: $ 1,637,017
8,927 Limited English Proficiency (LEP); Weighting Factor: 0.194; $ Per Student:
$802.61; Total LEP Allocation: $ 7,164,908
3,164 Non-English Proficient (NEP); Weighting Factor: 0.389; $ Per Student:
$1,602.22; Total NEP Allocation: $ 5,079,128

2016-17 WSF*: $13,881,053 (*EL Funds are not categorical)
Title III 2016-17: $4,161,147
AAPI 2017-18: $228,778 (Year 2 of 5 year, $840,988 Grant)

Office of Curriculum, Instruction, and Student Support (OCISS)
English Learner (EL) Program Team
EL Fact Sheet: goo.gl/yTKDFC
Hawaii Department of Education
Office of Curriculum, Instruction & Student Support
475 22nd Ave. Room 120, Honolulu, HI 96816
●
●

Christine Udarbe, OCISS Director
Jennifer Renfro, OCISS Administrator

●

Andreas (Andy) Wiegand, Educational Specialist, EL Program & Project Director,
AAPI Grant
Phone: (808) 305-9717
Email: andreas_wiegand@notes.k12.hi.us
Audrey Mangone, Educational Specialist, Title III
Phone: (808) 305-9719
Email: amangone@hawaiidoe.k12.hi.us
Lauren Harvey, Educational Specialist, EL Program & Project Manager, AAPI
Grant
Phone: (808) 305-9839
Email: elam@hawaiidoe.k12.hi.us
Tanya Mau, Title III Resource Teacher,
Project GLAD® Tier III Agency Trainer
Phone: (808) 305-9644
Email: tmau@hawaiidoe.k12.hi.us
Andrea DeGre, Title III Resource Teacher
Phone: (808) 305-9642
Email: adegre@hawaiidoe.k12.hi.us

●
●

●

●

Back to INDEX
Page 1

 Index
(headers below are clickable and will take you to relevant sections)
● Program Description (Overview)
● Title III
● Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Data Disaggregation Grant Funded by US
Department of Education (Office of English Language Acquisition)
● Background and Legal Authority for the Program
● Support for Standards
● EL Program Mission
● EL Program Goals
● EL Program Types and Descriptions
● Instructional Materials
● EL Staffing Requirements
● Hiring Priority for School Level EL Program Recommendations for SY 2017-18
● EL Staff in 2015-16
● Bright Spot School EL Staff Characteristics
● Support School School EL Staff Characteristics
● EL Program Statistics (and various counts--history)
● HIDOE Long-Term ELs Compared to WIDA Consortium
● 2016-17 Complex Area Long-Term EL Count Compared to All ELs in State
● Complex Area EL Preliminary 2017-18 EL Count
● ACCESS for ELLs Testing Total Counts
● Most Frequently Reported Home Languages (ACCESS 2015-16 Data)E
● Density of ELs in Complex Areas in 2015-16 (ACCESS 2015-16 Data)
● EL Graduation Rates
● EL Program Needs
● OCDE Project GLAD® Initial Training and Follow-Up Training
● Other EL Professional Development
● EL Collaboration within OCISS Programs
● EL Related Policies (105-14 and 105-15)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Overview
Education is a basic right of all children in the United States. The goal of the HIDOE English Learners
Back to INDEX
Page 2

 (EL) Program is to ensure that students who are (ELs) are considered, included, and valued in their
educational contexts, and are being provided all fundamental educational opportunities they are entitled to
under federal law. Several federal civil rights law, namely, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the
Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 (EEOA), No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), and
its successor, the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2016 (ESSA), include provisions to require schools to
employ sufficient language and academic supports that will enable ELs to meet their English language
proficiency targets and academic achievement standards, as well as monitor and support ELs after they
have transitioned from the program.
HIDOE expects all schools to demonstrate an asset-based approach to EL education and multilingualism
by not only building and sustaining EL programs that address the linguistic, academic, and nonacademic
needs of their ELs, but by celebrating the cultural capital that these students and their families bring to
Hawai’i. While EL programming is its own subcomponent of a school’s comprehensive academic vision,
HIDOE deems EL education as a school-wide, shared responsibility that must be adopted by all educators,
administrators and stakeholders involved in the students’ learning.
Hawai‘i is distinguished by its well-noted linguistic and cultural diversity as well as its unique status as
the only state in the union that has two official languages: ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i, the indigenous language of the
islands, and English, the adopted language of the youngest state in the Union. As such, the HIDOE values
and respects the multilingual and multicultural assets of Hawai‘i and its ELs. The HI DOE EL Program
views each EL entering our schools as an opportunity for the state to celebrate diversity and
multilingualism.
Title III
The purpose of Title III is to provide supplemental support to ensure that ELs, including immigrant
children and youth, develop English proficiency and meet the same academic content and academic
achievement standards as their native-English speaking peers. Schools use Title III funds to support,
enhance and enrich supplemental aspects of teaching and learning for ELs. This includes the
implementation of language-based supplemental learning opportunities beyond the foundational EL
Program that a school is obligated to provide, and further can include professional development for
teachers, extended learning opportunities, and supports for family and community engagement.
HIDOE has provided resources for schools to aid in the expenditure of Title III funds, including a preapproved professional development opportunity list, supplement-supplant requirements and guidance to
plan for extended learning opportunities, and additional recommended resources for families.
In SY 17-18, HIDOE will continue development and implementation of a sound plan for the monitoring
of these funds and programs, thus creating opportunity to make collaborative, data-driven decisions to
improve the EL/Title III program at large.
Back to INDEX
Page 3

 AAPI Information (powerpoint 2/28/17)
In November 2016, HIDOE received an award from the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Data
Disaggregation grant, funded by the U.S. Department of Education Office of English Language
Acquisition (OELA), to complete a five-year data disaggregation project. The project is designed to
provide EL educators at the state, complex area, and school level with actionable information to better
understand and close achievement and opportunity gaps for their EL populations. The project is a
collaboration between HIDOE (OCISS as project lead, Office of Strategy, Innovation, and Policy
(OSIP)’s Data Governance and Analysis (DGA), Office of Information Technology Services (OITS), and
Subject-Matter Experts (SMEs) and Pilot Schools from four participating Complex Areas) and University
of Hawai‘i (UH P-20). The project goal and objectives are closely aligned with the implementation plan
for the HIDOE strategic plan. Please see here for an overview of the alignment: http://bit.ly/2AEn51F
BACKGROUND & LEGAL AUTHORITY FOR THE PROGRAM
All children in the United States are entitled to equal access to a public elementary and secondary
education, regardless of their or their parents’ actual or perceived national origin, citizenship, or
immigration status. This includes recently arrived unaccompanied children, who are in immigration
proceedings while residing in local communities with a parent, family member, or other appropriate adult
sponsor.
The EL Program supports the Department’s mission to provide standards-based education through
supplementary instructional and acculturation activities. Services provided through the EL Program
implement the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its regulations, and the Equal
Educational Opportunities Act (EEOA) of 1974. With regard to students with limited English proficiency,
Title VI and its regulations require that students are able to participate in, or benefit from, regular or
special education instructional programs. Services to EL Program students and Immigrant Children and
Youth also implement the requirements of Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (Title
III). Title III requires EL Program students attain English proficiency, and meet the same challenging
academic standards all students are expected to meet.
Read more here for additional information on the Statutory Basis for the Education of ELs.
Support for Standards
The Hawaiʻi State Board of Education (BOE) passed two historic policies: the Seal of Biliteracy (2015,
Policy 105.15) and Multilingualism for Equitable Education (2016, Policy 105.14). The foundation for
these policies was a re-imagining of how we approach working with linguistically and culturally diverse
learners from a deficit-based to an asset-based perspective. Importantly, Board of Education policies
recognize that, in any educational context, the value of an additional language does not end with the
student.
Our state’s commitment and focus on ELs and multilingualism is incorporated in three state systemic and
Back to INDEX
Page 4

 strategic documents: The BOE-DOE strategic plan (2017-2020), the Governor's Blueprint, and the BOEapproved ESSA plan. In addition, the DOE-BOE strategic plan calls for increased recruitment of TESOL
licensed teachers, and additional professional development on inclusive practices for all teachers.

EL Program Mission: English Learners (ELs) will meet state standards and develop English language
proficiency in an environment where language and cultural assets are recognized as valuable resources to
learning.
EL Program Goals:
The EL Program strives to:
1.
Provide meaningful access to educational opportunities and academic content by providing
services that assist students with developing English language proficiency.
2.
Support students in attaining the same State academic content and student achievement
standards expected for all students.
3.
Ensure students graduate with the language, knowledge and skills to pursue postsecondary
education and careers.
4.
Develop an understanding of and appreciation for diverse cultures.
5.
Engage parents and families in the education of their children.
The ultimate goal of the EL program is to assist all children in achieving high standards and to help
them graduate, be college and career ready, and contributing members of society.
EL Program Types and Descriptions
The table below highlights HIDOE’s reliance on ESL and English-only types over bilingual or
multilingual program models despite our students’ diversity and multitude of language backgrounds.

Back to INDEX
Page 5

 Instructional Materials ( https://www.wceps.org/widaprimev2/instructionalMaterials/primev1/ )
The WIDA Prime site provides examples of Second Language Acquisition resources that detail if and how
they are aligned to the WIDA Standards adopted by the HIDOE. The HIDOE does not currently mandate
particular English language development (ELD) materials are used, however, there is an assumption that
schools are providing students with necessary resources, including instructional materials, purchased or
developed by teachers, that will ensure students can access content (through state funds--Weighted
Student Formula (WSF)). The HIDOE does encourage and recommend purchase and use of supplemental
instructional ELD materials that are aligned to and support content curriculum. Therefore, for example,
OCISS has provided funding for pilots in using the supplemental ELD Curricula of Springboard and
Wonders designed to supplement the core curriculum for ELs, and provide both EL staff and content
teachers with additional resources and strategies to ensure students will access the content and grade level
standards. For newcomers (e.g., low level ELs) and/or some dual identified SPED-ELs schools likely
need additional instructional resources and materials to build a sufficient English foundation for students
to access school and their classes. Schools already receive additional funding through the WSF for
resources, including staff and instructional materials. HIDOE is currently developing tools through the
AAPI grant to be able to better understand what is used in schools. Based on questions asked, monitoring
visits, and reviews of Comprehensive EL plans, it is believed that schools may not be dedicating sufficient
resources (ELA materials and qualified staff) necessary to ensure students’ access, and ultimately success
(e.g., high school graduation).
EL Staffing Requirements
Analysis on state teacher qualifications (see tables below) indicates that Hawai’i appears to lack an
adequate number of qualified, prepared, and certified educators to meet the needs of the existing EL
population. This issue of lack of preparedness for EL educators is especially salient when examining new
shifts to the field of EL education, including higher rigor in ACCESS for ELLs 2.0. HIDOE’s Strategic
Plan and ESSA plans speak to ensuring equity and excellence.
HIDOE has not mandated state requirements for teachers of ELs for a long time and has instead set
“Hiring Priorities,” as can be seen in the table Hiring Priority for School Level EL Staff below. The
outcome of this practice can be seen in the actual number and types of teachers serving ELs as reported to
the state annually, where priority #1 (i.e., a TESOL licensed teacher, or general education/content licensed
teacher with an EL endorsement) is generally the exception, and not the norm.
The August 4, 2017 Memo issued by Barbara Krieg, Office of Human Resources Assistant
Superintendent, titled Teacher and Paraprofessional Qualification Requirements Beginning School
Year (SY) 2017-18 stands to finally create an opportunity for equity to begin occurring, and to level the
playing field for ELs. In alignment with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), under Teacher
Requirements, State Certification or Licensing Requirements the memo states:
Teachers are required to meet State Certification or Licensing requirements at the grade
level and in the subject area in which the teacher has been assigned. This also expands

Back to INDEX
Page 6

 the requirement for teachers of core subject areas to all teachers and all subjects.

This decision stands to finally ensure that HIDOE can be in compliance with Civil Rights regulations,
legal precedence (e.g., Lau and Castaneda), and ESSA, and it is in alignment with what the HIDOE
Strategic Plan’s emphasis on equity and excellence.
Below are three tables and additional information outlining:
1. Historical hiring selection practice and hiring priorities in SY 2016-17.
2. Program EL Staff Hiring Priority Recommendations
3. HIDOE EL Staffing Summary Reported to OCISS and report as part of HIDOE Consolidated
State Performance Report
4. Summary of HIDOE EL staffing in relation to school ELP progress outcomes for the top
performing and lowest performing schools
2016-17 Selection and Hiring of School-Level EL Program Staff (and past requirements)
The selection and hiring of applicants are been based on all of the following:
● academic and certification requirements as reviewed by the State, Complex area/district office
of personnel services;
● completion/addition of a Hawaii teacher license in the area of Teaching English for Students of
Other Languages, or a minimum of 12 university ELL course credits required for EL Program
staff1; and
● Experience relevant to the position.
Priorities for hiring are:
1. Full time Hawaii Licensed Teacher2 with a minimum Baccalaureate degree and
license/endorsement in ESL
2. Full time Hawaii Licensed Teacher with English as a Second Language (ESL) training
(minimum 12 ESL/bilingual/multicultural education credits for English language teacher and/or
6 credits in ESL/bilingual/ multicultural education for teachers in other core-content areas) and
bilingual skills in at least one of the native languages spoken by students in the school’s program
3. Part-time Temporary Teacher (PTT)* with a bachelor degree, ESL training, and bilingual skills
in at least one of the native languages spoken by students in the school’s program
4. Part-time Temporary Teacher (PTT)* with an associate degree, ESL training, and bilingual skills
in at least one of the native languages spoken by students in the school’s program
5. Part-time Temporary Teacher (PTT)* with an associate degree and ESL training
6. Part-time Temporary Teacher (PTT)* with an associate degree and receiving ESL training
7. Paraprofessional Teacher (PPT)* with an associate degree or 48 university/college credits
8. PTTs and PPTs must work under the direct supervision of a licensed teacher or administrator
1 Full-time, Half-time, PTT, PPTs and other instructional staff should all have or be working towards this requirement.
2 See Hawaii Teacher Standards Board (HTSB) information on Hawaii licensing requirements and adding a field to an existing license:
http://www.htsb.org/html/details/licensing/typesaddfield.html

Back to INDEX
Page 7

 (NCLB Title I)

Hiring Priority for School Level EL Program Recommendations for SY 2017-18
Role

Program Recommendation

History

EL Teachers

TESOL License

Based on previous OCR agreements HIDOE
once attempted to enforce a 12 credit
requirement relating to Teaching English to
Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).
There have been no consequences and no
push to require TESOL license, until now
with ESSA, where the expectation is for
ALL teachers of subjects be required to be
licensed in their field.

All teachers

Program recommends at least 6
TESOL related PD credits (GLAD,
SIOP, and perhaps a few other
courses), every 5 years (to coincide
with relicensure)

6 Credit (soft requirement/recommendation,
i.e., not enforced based on OCR
investigations and voluntary resolution
agreements

Part-time
Temporary
Teachers (PTT)

TESOL License, or under direct
12 credits, or working towards.
supervision of a TESOL licensed
teacher, and ability to support
students through one or more of the
ELs first languages and English

EL Staff in 2015-16
(Reported to Complex Areas)
EL Population Categories
Licensed TESOL

Number
11*

EL Program Staff

271

Regular Ed Staff Designated
Teachers of ELs (e.g., Sheltered
Program)

172

Notes
*Self Reported figure.
An OHR Report shows there are 166 TESOL licensed
teachers on staff in schools, but they may not be actively
teaching EL Program students, or part of EL Program
Services.
11 teachers are also a subset of 271 EL Program staff on
next line.
126 of these teachers have 12 or more ELL/Multicultural
Education credits
75 of these teachers have 12 or more ELL/Multicultural
Education Credits

Back to INDEX
Page 8

 ELL PTT (Class A)
ELL PTT (Class B)
Other

285
103
117

Total Bodies

948

Bachelor’s Degree
Less than a B.A.
ParaProfessional Teachers (PPT), Educational Assistants
(EAs)

Bright Spot School EL Staff Characteristics
In an 2016-17 school year analysis of top ranked schools schools (7), where 80% or more of ELs made a
minimum .5 overall composite proficiency level progress gain for three or more years of ACCESS for ELs data
through 2015-16, AND where on average between 23 and 32% of the students exited, the following was found
related to EL staff profiles:
● Teachers: Of the 7 schools 1 teacher reported they were licensed, 6 had at least one FTE certificated
teacher (one w/ .5 FTE), and someone with at least 15 EL credits (range of 12-140 credits);
● PTTs: 4 of the 7 schools had staff who speak some of the EL students first language (often PTTs). PTTs
either had ELL credits/PD and/or additional language skills

Support School EL Staff Characteristics
In an 2016-17 school year analysis of the lowest ranked schools schools (6), EL staff characteristics of these
schools, where only 30% or less of the students made "sufficient" progress to likely exit in a timely manner (and
previous years' results were not significantly better, AND only an average between 4.4% and 9% of the students
exited, the following was found related to EL staff profiles:
● Two schools had one FTE teacher designated, but w/ no ELL credits, 1 had a .5 teacher with 6 credits, the
other two had PTTs w/ no credits. 1 of these schools had PTTs who spoke some of the languages of the
students. One school had NO EL Teacher for at least two years

EL PROGRAM STATISTICS
Descriptor

Count

Number of EL Students

From eCSSS:
2017-18: 12,684 in LDS as of 8/17/17*
From AMAO Data:
2016-17: 13,637**
2015-16: 14,480
2014-15: 15,340
2013-14: 16,934
2012-13: 17,935
2011-12: 19,216
2010-11: 19,692
2009-10: 18,276
*2017-18 (i.e., newcomers not yet accounted for--see also District and Complex Area
breakdown below). Projecting to add another 2,692 students, or more, based on
potential EL counts as of 8/17/2017.
**See ACCESS scores table below for previous year counts of tested students
(Counts may not match above exactly as not all students were ACCESS tested)

Back to INDEX
Page 9

 Number of Reclassified
(Exited) Students from
direct EL Program
services

2018-19:
2017-18:
2016-17:
----2015-16:
2014-15:
2013-14:
2012-13:
2011-12:
2010-11:

961 English Learners (5.49% based on ACCESS 2.0 Scale)
793 English Learners(4.98% based on ACCESS 2.0 Scale)
357 English Learners (2.62% based on ACCESS 2.0 Scale)
3,467 (21.4% based on ACCESS 1.0 Scale)
3,289
3,437
3,750
4,188
3,036

(2015-16: XYZ (XYZ% on ACCESS 2.0 Scale))*
*Students were actually exited on the ACCESS 1.0 scale but 2015-16 2.0 Scale is for
2016-17 Comparison purposes.
Long-Term ELs

2016-17: 2182*
*See also table below for Complex Area breakdown

EL Student Count by
Funding Category (201617)

Non English Proficient (NEP--ELP Levels 1-2): 6,144 ELs
Limited English Proficient (LEP-ELP Levels 3-4): 8,976 ELs
Functionally English Proficient (FEP-Levels 5-6): 3,182 ELs

Total Number Of
Students Benefited

2016-17: 32,000+ (Active, Monitored, Former)

School Data

273 Schools with at least ONE EL tested
19 Schools (including Charter) with ZERO ELs tested

Staff Data:

●
●

EL Staff: 1,332 (Includes Regular Teachers, EL Teachers, Part-time
Temporary Teachers, Paraprofessionals, Educational Assistants, etc.):
Approximately 1,332 school personnel were trained using Title III funds
in SY 2015-16.
● Classroom Teachers: 910
● EL Teachers: 236
● Principals: 7
● Other Admin: 15
● Other School Personnel: 163

--See table below on EL teachers staffing summary

Complex Area Preliminary 2017-18 EL Count

Back to INDEX
Page 10

 District

Central

Hawaii

Honolulu

Kauai

Leeward

Maui

Windward

Complex-Area

Count

% of State

Aiea-Moanalua-Radford

669

5.4%

Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua
Central Total

584
1253

4.8%
10.2%

Hilo-Waiakea

356

2.9%

Honokaa-Kealakehe-Kohala-Konawaena

1016

8.3%

Kau-Keaau-Pahoa

476

3.9%

Hawaii Total

1848

15.1%

Farrington-Kalani-Kaiser

1973

16.1%

Kaimuki-McKinley-Roosevelt

1982

16.1%

Honolulu Total

3955

32.2%

Kapaa-Kauai-Waimea

498

4.1%

Kauai District

498

4.1%

Campbell-Kapolei

702

5.7%

Nanakuli-Waianae

405

3.3%

Pearl City-Waipahu

1616

13.2%

Leeward Total

2723

22.2%

Baldwin-Kekaulike-Maui
Hana-Lahainaluna-Lanai-Molokai

1219
492

9.9%
4.0%

Maui Total

1711

13.9%

Castle-Kahuku

169

1.4%

Kailua-Kalaheo

121

1.0%

Windward Total

290

2.4%

Back to INDEX
Page 11

 HIDOE Long-Term ELs Compared to WIDA Consortium
HIDOE has a higher percentage of Long-Term ELs than the WIDA consortium overall (38 Jurisdictions)

2016-17 Complex Area Long-Term EL Count Compared to All ELs in State
(Definition of ELLs is 5+ Years of EL Status, Spring 2017 Count)

District
Central

Hawaii

Honolulu
Kauai
Leeward

Maui

Complex-Area

% of
LTEL
LTELS in
Count
State

% of
LTELS in
Complex
Area

EL
Count

% of EL
Total
Population

Aiea-Moanalua-Radford
Leilehua-Mililani-Waialua
Hilo-Waiakea
Honokaa-Kealakehe-KohalaKonawaena
Kau-Keaau-Pahoa
Farrington-Kalani-Kaiser
Kaimuki-McKinley-Roosevelt
Kapaa-Kauai-Waimea
Campbell-Kapolei
Nanakuli-Waianae
Pearl City-Waipahu
Baldwin-Kekaulike-Maui

106
62
52
190

5.4%
2.8%
2.4%
8.7%

14.2%
9.6%
14.1%
17.7%

746
649
368
1072

5.7%
4.9%
2.8%
8.1%

88
425
318
70
107
133
218
239

4.0%
19.5%
14.6%
3.2%
4.9%
6.1%
10.0%
11.0%

17.4%
20.2%
14.6%
13.1%
14.8%
30.1%
12.8%
18.5%

506
2109
2181
535
722
442
1698
1291

3.8%
16.0%
16.5%
4.1%
5.5%
3.4%
12.9%
9.8%

Hana-Lahainaluna-LanaiMolokai
Castle-Kahuku

116

5.3%

21.9%

530

4.0%

36
22

1.6%
1.0%

19.5%
15.2%

185
145

1.4%
1.1%

Windward
Kailua-Kalaheo

Key
Back to INDEX
Page 12

 ● Yellow are the number and percent of ELs in the Complex Area compared to the STATE, who
were LTELS (5 or more years)
● Red are the percent of ELs in the COMPLEX AREA where there are the most LTELS
● Teal shows the number and percentage of ELs in the STATE at a given time
Blue total: 13179 (March 2017)

ACCESS for ELLs TESTING TOTALS
Provided by WIDA
2015-16
2011-12

ELL Students

2012-13

2013-14

2016-17

2014-15

ACCESS 1.0 &
ACCESS ACCESS ACCESS ACCESS ACCESS 2.0*
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
Paper

ACCESS 2.0

Kindergarten

2,257

2,551

2,456

1,612

2,006

0

1,891

Mixed
Mode
0

Grades 1

4,138

3,947

3,947

3,982

1,501

1,269

585

10

1,922

997

487

2

1,763

1,157

560

4

Grades 4

962

608

275

0

Grades 5

881

480

220

0

746

615

143

0

Grades 7

801

636

100

1

Grades 8

778

617

117

0

1,133

729

289

0

Grades 10

697

436

169

0

Grades 11

478

351

103

0

Grades 12

405

275

101

0

14,072

8,170

5,040

17

Grades 2
Grades 3

Grades 6

Grades 9

Totals

4,642

4,211

4,090

19,338

3,865

3,684

3,676

17,723

3,777

2,985

3,477

16,642

3,647

2,559

3,174

14,974

Online

Paper

ACCESS 2.0 ELLs
Tested
Alt Assessment Tested

14,072

13,227

168

206

Braille Tests Ordered
# of Districts who
administered ACCESS
2.0
# of Schools
Administered ACCESS
2.0

16

2
16

274

271

* 2015-16 ACCESS Scores are available on BOTH a 1.0 and 2.0 Scale. Exits in 2015-16 were based on 1.0 scale. To allow
comparability going forward with ACCESS 2016-17 2.0 scores, adjusted ACCESS 2.0 2015-16 scores were pushed into eCSSS

Back to INDEX
Page 13

 and will be loaded into LDS.

Most Frequently Reported Home Languages (ACCESS 2015-16 Data)
Language

Number of Students

Language

Number of Students

English*

4,983

Chinese

635

Iloko (Ilokano)

1,787

Japanese

455

Chuukese

1,334

Samoan

332

Marshallese

1,283

Vietnamese

229

Tagalog

973

Pohnpeian

220

Spanish; Castilian

650

Other**
(**Approximate count and
includes 50 other
languages)

1359

*English is the most common Home language reported, however, for every one of the 4,983 students whose home language is
English, there is also either a first or most used language that is not English.

Density of ELs in Complex Areas in 2015-16 (ACCESS 2015-16 Data)
EL Population Categories

Number of Complex Areas*

Percentage of Total

Complex Areas with 1-9 ELs

0

0%

Complex Areas with 10-99 ELs

0

0%

Complex Areas with 100-499 ELs

5

31%

Complex Areas with 500+ ELs

11

68%

*Charter Schools are considered their own entity, hence 16 units (“Complex Areas”)
EL Graduation Rates:

Back to INDEX
Page 14

 EL Graduates by Category
EL Status

2013-14

2014-15 2015-16

Active

541

594

649

Monitor

249

468

332

Former

2010

1783

1885

TOTAL

991

2845

2866

EL Graduates by Category

EL Student
Status
Former
Monitored

2015-16
Count

Graduate
s#

2014-15
Count

Graduate
s#

201314
Count

Graduate
s#

2010

1825

1783

1589

1885

1696

249

186

468

412

332

228

Back to INDEX
Page 15

 Active

541

228

594

274

649

344

PROGRAM IMPACT
The HIDOE schools EL programs have exited 22,000+ students in the last five years, and have done so
with limited full-time staffing and resources…
With more support and based on research EL Programs are proven to….
Schools who have had some measure of success have included:
1. Licensed EL teacher(s)
2. Collective effort and focus on the needs of all learners, AND a focus on language development by
all staff.
3. Some bilingual supports
4. Connected curriculum and students’ language learning is also targeted.
5. Increased parent engagement
6. Increased community support and resources
There is a lot more that needs to be done…
An analysis of HI’s EL Programming unveils a resounding need to improve various programmatic
elements within EL education. Schools and complexes must exercise a multifaceted approach to building,
sustaining, and adapting EL programs, namely in the priority areas of adequate staffing, intentional
messaging, and appropriate expenditure of funds.
EL Program Needs
HIDOE has identified several areas of need to improve the development, implementation, and monitoring
of the EL Program across districts and complexes. These areas of need include:
● Improved monitoring and accountability
○ Improved EL Program monitoring process (desk reviews, on-site)
○ Improved EL Program descriptions
○ Development and implementation of monitoring Title III expenditure
○ Improved guidance on Title III expenditure
● Focus on school-wide responsibility for the teaching of ELs
○ Student voice- implement framework for ELs to feel valued and heard in every classroom
○ School design- include spaces for project-based and problem-based teaching (in content
and ESL classrooms)
○ Teacher collaboration- opportunities for shared professional development, structured
collaboration time, debrief and reflecting on lessons, shared resources
○ Inclusive practices to ensure all educators are promoting language development for
ELs/FELs
○ Whole child and social emotional learning- ensuring staff is equipped to meet the social
Back to INDEX
Page 16

 ●

●

●

●

●

emotional needs of ELs (i.e. counselors, psychologists, etc.)
Adequate program support
○ Educator Quality/Preparedness
■ Qualified TESOL-licensed teachers
■ Core/content teacher requirements/expectations
■ Defining role of PTTs
○ Curricular decisions
■ Funding/expenditure and use of ELD Curricular Materials
■ Technology/web-based and/or computer-based instructional software/hardware
○ Targeted English Language Development (ELD) professional development for all teachers
Community engagement
○ Supports and resources to aid EL and immigrant families
○ Approaches to achieve asset-based educational reform for ELs
■ Professional development
Build Capacity within Early Childhood and improve training opportunities for early childhood
educators to set foundation for Dual Language Learners, and to promote multicultural education
from Pre-K to higher ed
Increased collaboration with OCISS offices
○ Special Ed
○ ELA, Math, Science, SS
○ World Languages
○ Homeless
○ Migrant
○ Foster
Increase collaboration with HIDOE offices
○ Title I
○ OCR
○ Early childhood
○ OHR
○ Higher Education
○ Assessment

By restructuring specific components in these priority areas of need, HIDOE can provide an EL Program
framework that will aid schools in employing programs and practices that reflect Hawaii’s strategic plan
goals of student success, staff success, and successful systems of support. Furthermore, key revisions to
guidance in conjunction with strategic collaboration with various OCISS and DOE departments will allow
for a more comprehensive, district-wide approach to educating ELs that embed HI’s four initiatives and
PLNs: well-rounded education, whole child and social emotional learning, inclusive practices, and
transitions.
Back to INDEX
Page 17

 These systemic changes grounded in the aforementioned areas of need must include strategic, long-term,
planning, sustainable staffing, and intrinsic support from stakeholders in order to instill a cohesive
trajectory for ELs. Rethinking and redesigning EL education in Hawai’i will require educators and
administrators to endure in a multi-year, collaborative process, so it is imperative for all state and local
stakeholders to be engaged in the process and to collaborate in ways to ultimately build statewide capacity
for teaching ELs.
Long Term Goals
● Adequate EL Program Staffing--Teacher qualifications--There is a direct correlation between
educator effectiveness and educator preparedness, therefore preparing all teachers to meet the
needs of ELs, as supported by provisions in ESSA, must be at the forefront to create bandwidth for
EL education and instill long-term, high-impact change in instruction. Schools employ at least
one licensed TESOL teacher AND content teachers (one per grade level) have at least 6 credits in
TESOL (or related field). Ultimate goal would be to ensure one licensed ESL teacher and at least
one dual-TESOL licensed/certified content teacher at each grade level.
● Increased collaboration and shared responsibility for the teaching of ELs- state, complex, school
level- where EL is integrated into all statewide, complex-wide, and school-wide processes (i.e. test
development, Special Education meetings, curriculum development)
● Clearer EL program definitions- To clarify EL programing for schools to: a) create organic
transitions between secondary schools and their feeder schools; b) identify areas of need to inform
professional development decisions; c) to ensure proper staffing and curriculum is being
implemented in schools. If schools are struggling to close gaps and have demonstrated persistent
achievement gaps, and have not changed or improved their program and/or staffing, leadership
must require improved implementation of evidence based practices.
● Comprehensive EL monitoring system, aligned with other HIDOE monitoring systems to ensure a
comprehensive and cohesive process with full EL integration
● Early childhood integration- focus on building EL educator capacity from the foundational levels,
setting the stage for EL and L1 development
***
CURRENT PROGRAM PROCEDURES and Additional Program Information
EL Identification (program entry) information (on eCSSS)
EL Program Placement Assessment:
● WIDA ACCESS Placement Test (W-APT): Kindergarteners and Grade 1 students in the first
semester who are potential English Learners will be given the W-APT as the initial assessment to
determine EL program eligibility.
Back to INDEX
Page 18

 ● WIDA Screener: Grade 1 through Grade 12 students who are potential English Learners will be
given the WIDA Screener (available on paper and online) is an assessment designed to provide an
initial measure of a student’s English language proficiency in Grades 1–12. It is utilized to
determine potential English Learner (EL) eligibility for support services.
EL Program - Entrance and Exit Criteria:
● EL eligibility is dependent on the potential EL student’s grade and test taken per May 4, 2017
Memo, School Year (SY) 2017-18 WIDA Screener Assessment of English Language Proficiency
(ELP) & ELL Program Eligibility, Attachment B.
● Once identified, ELs exit based on meeting an overall composite score of 5.0 on the annual
ACCESS for ELLs 2.0 assessment.

Hawaii - WIDA Research Collaborative
● Intent:
1. Develop a sustainable, cohesive, research collaborative that leverages local researcher
capacity to address needs of Hawaii’s ELs
2. Collaboratively develop a statement of research priorities and high-level research questions
to guide future work
● In SY 2016-2017, EL Complex Area Resource Teachers throughout Hawaii were brought together
and asked to generate a number of questions related to language development, instructional
programs, academic achievement, and other topic areas in order to better serve their EL student
population. The full list of questions and their association with the six objectives found in the
newly-awarded Asian-American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) OELA grant are here.
● To broaden input on generating questions about best serving ELs, a research collaborative of
HIDOE and interested university faculty was formed. The Hawaii Research Collaborative was
created to establish a sustainable, cohesive research group that leverages state-based research
capacity to address the needs of Hawaii’s English language learners (ELs). The purpose of this
group is to collectively develop a research plan that identifies broad research priorities and, within
each research priority, identify two to three high-level research questions to guide future work.
● With input from the members of the Hawaii Research Collaborative, the highest-priority questions
identified by the Complex Area Resource Teachers/ Complex Area teams were categorized into
three broad areas :
1. Research on Best Practices (Strategy and Program Literature Review),
2. Program Evaluation, and
3. Researching Instructional Strategies and Efficacy.
● Within each topic area, research questions and corresponding preparatory activities and research
projects have been identified. While the original generated research questions generated by the
Complex Area Resource Teachers were preserved within each priority area, in some cases, the
research questions were edited for clarification.
Back to INDEX
Page 19

 OCDE Project GLAD® Initial Training and Follow-Up Training
● Currently, there are 6 Tier III OCDE Project GLAD® Agency Trainers in the state of Hawai’i (3
on Big Island and 3 on O’ahu). There are 12 Tier II Trainers-in-Training on Maui.
* Teacher Leader Designation
● Alignment of the Project GLAD® Trainer-In-Training Process to the Teacher Leader Standards
* Tier II Training
●
●
●
●

Selected Trainers In-Training must attend Tier II training with the National Training Center (NTC)
Create and submit unit materials for feedback and evaluation
Engage in collaborative coaching cycles and reflection
Facilitate a 2 day and 4 day training with students and adult learners with a certifying evaluator
providing feedback.
● Facilitate Tier I Initial Training (6 days) one - two times per school year.
● Support and facilitate Follow up and coaching support at the school and/or complex area level.
* School Site Leads
● Contribute to unit planning and sustaining the strategies at the school level
OCDE Project GLAD® Initial Training and Follow-Up Training Opportunities:
●
●
●
●
●

Project GLAD® - Initial Training
Project GLAD® Year 1 Follow Up - Grades PreK-2, or Grades 3-5
Project GLAD® Year 2 Follow Up - Grades PreK-2, or Grades 3-5
Project GLAD® Webinar Follow Up (can be customized)
Project GLAD® Targeted Learning Cycle Series

Other EL Professional Development:
● WestEd®: WestEd Functional Writing for ELLs
● Pearson®: SIOP -Training for Teachers,Training for Administrators, Coaching & Implementation,
Inter-rater Reliability, Mathematics Component Enrichment, Pearson Math for ELs
● Thinking Maps®: Thinking Maps® Path to Proficiency for English Language Learner
● Jane Hill: Classroom Instruction that Works with ELLs
● WIDA®: Introduction to the ELD Framework, Purposeful Lesson Planning for Language
Learners, Cultivating Practices, WIDA Leading Schools for EL achievement (Admin), Engaging
ELLs in Science
● Imagine Learning Literacy® (ILL): Imagine Learning and Literacy/WIDA PD Opportunities,
Advanced Curriculum Training, e.g., Serving ELLs with Imagine Learning, Premier Professional
Development Opportunities (PPD) (e.g., How to Build a Successful Dual Language
Program)Pacific Resources for Education and Learning ®(PREL): Culturally Responsive
Sheltered Instruction
● Instruction for Center for Applied Linguistics® (CAL): ELLs “What’s Different About
Teaching Reading to ELLs?”
Back to INDEX
Page 20

 ● Kapiolani Community College, Shawn Ford and Cary Torres: Reading for the CCSS for
ELLs, Writing for the CCSS for ELLs, Language and ELLs, Applied Theory Workshops for
PTT/PPT/EAs, Language Skills Workshops for PTT/PPT/Eas
● AVID For ELLs ®- English Learner Mathematics and English Learner Science Training
● Associates in Learning & Leadership®: Mathematics for English Learners

Collaboration within OCISS programs:
● Math: Academic Language Series-Math webinar (WIDA), Ramp Up To Algebra (Pearson),
Imagine Math, AIMS4Cubed Math Training
● ELA: Academic Language Series-Language Arts webinar (WIDA), Wonders ELD and
Springboard ELD curriculum, Student Achievement Partners Wonders workshop (9/5/17-9/6/17)
with focus on English Learners
● Science: Academic Language Series-Science webinar (WIDA), “Strengthening Reasoning,
Strengthening Language through Collaborative Discourse in Science and Math” WIDA Research
shared with Science Leads-March 2017
● Social Studies: Academic Language Series-Social Studies webinar (WIDA)
● Art: Arts Integration PD
● SPED: OCDE Project GLAD® Initial Training

EL-Related Policies (105-14 and 105-15)
● Multilingualism for Equitable Education (Policy 105-14)
● Seal of Biliteracy (Policy 105-15)

OTHER RELATED INFORMATION (Needs additional information, some of below
is impetus for Fact Sheet and information above)
● Focus on instruction
● Continued targeted ELD professional development
● Inclusive practices and Ensure that Teachers are responsible for Literacy and Language
development of ALL learners
● Schools and classrooms: Qualified TESOL Licensed EL teachers - Building capacity of teachers,
not PTTs (there still can be a role for PTTs)
● Adequate program support (positions and curriculum funding)
Monitoring and Accountability:
Focus on instruction:
State, Complex area, School:
● Adequate program support (positions and $)
● Community engagement
Back to INDEX
Page 21

 Back to INDEX


Page 22