DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
P.O.
SUPTS. MEMO NO.68
March 28, 2008
INFORMATIONAL
|
TO: |
Division
Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Billy K.
Cannaday, Jr. Superintendent
of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
Spring Professional Development Training for the
World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) English Language
Proficiency (ELP) Standards |
On
September 26, 2007, the Board of Education approved the Assessing Comprehension
and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners
(ACCESS for ELLs®) as the statewide
English language proficiency assessment for the 2008-2009 school year. Following Board
approval of the assessment, training was provided to division directors of
testing on test administration.
To
comply with one of the requirements for implementation of the assessment, at
its March meeting, the Board of Education rescinded the 2002 English Language
Proficiency (ELP) Standards of Learning and adopted the World-Class
Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) Consortium English Language
Proficiency (ELP) Standards. The goal of the WIDA ELP Standards is to
provide the foundation to enable ELLs to achieve
academically in all content areas. Through
the state’s participation in the WIDA consortium, an optional placement
assessment for English Language Learners (ELLs), WIDA-ACCESS
Placement Test™ (W-APT™), is also available for interested divisions.
As part of
the Virginia Department of Education’s ongoing effort to meet the professional
development requirements under Title III, Part A, training
will be offered for Title III coordinators on the WIDA ELP Standards and the W-APT™. The training will focus on implementation of
the WIDA ELP Standards from an instructional perspective.
The training will be provided in four
locations throughout the state as follows:
Date Location Time
May
21, 2008 The Crossroads Institute 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
(276) 236-0391
May 22, 2008 Thomas Fulghum Center 9
a.m. – 3 p.m.
(804) 743-3699
May 23, 2008 Massanutten Technical Center 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
325 Pleasant Valley Road
(540) 434-5961
May
23, 2008 Advanced Technology Center 9
a.m. – 3 p.m.
(757) 468-8960
Materials and lunch will be provided for
all participants.
Due
to space limitations, registration is limited to Title III coordinators or
their designee. To register, please
complete Attachment A, and fax it to Stacy Freeman, ESL specialist, at (804)
371-7347, on or before April 11, 2008.
If you have questions or need
additional information, please contact Stacy Freeman, ESL specialist, at the
Virginia Department of Education, at (804) 371-0778 or at Stacy.Freeman@doe.virginia.gov.
BKCJr/JR/sf
Attachment
a. Professional Development Training Registration Form (Word)