English Learner Reclassification Ceremony Celebrates Students

From LVJUSD: In a celebration of the multitude of cultures that make up the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District (LVJUSD), English learners - along with their friends and families - were recognized for achieving fluency in English, their second language. Students, families, friends, and staff gathered in the Livermore High School gym on Wednesday, September 26 for the LVJUSD Reclassification Ceremony for the 2018-19 school year.

Reclassification places English learners who have demonstrated proficiency in the English language on the same educational level as their native-speaking counterparts. This means they are able to perform successfully in core academic subjects without the support of English Language Development (ELD). 383 students from nearly every school site in the District were recognized for the achievement this year - a number that has been steadily increasing year to year. These students are native speakers of myriad languages, including Farsi, Filipino, Hindi, Mandarin, Punjabi, Spanish, and many more.

To qualify for reclassification, a student needs to maintain a 3.0 grade point average for at least one trimester in English Language Arts (ELA); pass the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California; and score “proficient” or “advanced” on the district reading or writing benchmark, or achieve a level of “Met or Exceeds Standards” on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) state test in English Language Arts.

Posters of congratulations were written in different languages around the gym to recognize the diverse array of languages and cultures represented by those gathered for the ceremony. Assistant Superintendent Mike Biondi delivered his address to the students in his native English and Spanish, his second language. “Our students who we are celebrating tonight had the added task of navigating the path toward mastery of academic literacy and content knowledge while simultaneously developing full proficiency in English as an additional language,” he said. “This is an outstanding accomplishment, and we congratulate them.”

LVJUSD’s recent adoption of Benchmark instructional materials for ELA and ELD in kindergarten through fifth grade will benefit all students in primary grades. The new textbooks will serve to keep English Learners on the same academic path as their native-speaking peers as they gain proficiency in the language. “We expect the progress of English learners in our district will accelerate with the implementation of the newly adopted ELA/ELD instructional materials,” said Biondi.

The ceremony was suffused with pride - proud teachers and staff, proud students, and especially proud families. To see their students learning and thriving with a new language, and being recognized for the significant effort that takes, was wonderful to witness. “You have supported them in many ways and I know that our teachers and principals here today appreciate all of your efforts,” Biondi said to the gathered community. “As we move forward, let us continue to work together to encourage our students and nurture their interests as they progress on a path of great success.” All of the students found themselves embraced by a community with many voices, to which they can feel confident in adding their own.

Image via LVJUSD