From Policy to Practice: How Schools Can Implement Effective LEPs

Every student should have the opportunity to learn, develop, and succeed, regardless of their language background. When U.S. schools operate with this principle at their core, then educational equity will follow. 

Creating an inclusive environment takes more than just a policy, though. That’s why this guide looks at the practical side of how to support LEP students in schools.

Before we move on to implementation and actionable insights, let’s look at the core issues at hand, including a clear definition of LEP. LEP refers to Limited English Proficiency. The acronym can also be used to refer to the plans put in place, known as Language Enhancement Plans. 

Why Schools Must Prioritize LEP Student Support

Three factors combine to make language plans for English learners more important than ever. The need for equity is even greater as the number of English learners in U.S. schools is rising. To maintain and improve outcomes and stay compliant, schools and district teams need to take action.

LEP Enrollment Is Rising in U.S. Public Education

The statistics reveal the increased number of English learners in schools. It means support needs to be implemented and available as soon as possible. In 2021, the National Center for Education Statistics recorded 5.3 million English learner students. That’s 10.6% of the student population. That’s an increase from 4.6 million or 9.4% in 2011.

With the number of LEP students enrolling on the rise, the need to support LEP students in schools becomes more pressing. A proactive approach is necessary to succeed without failing students or leading to a drain on resources.

Legal Compliance: What Title VI and ESSA Require

Acting before the issue becomes more challenging is just one part of the picture. Another reason that support is so important is legal compliance. The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education have stated that public school districts need to provide meaningful education access.

Those responsibilities are formalized through the Title VI LEP requirements, which prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, and national origin. ESSA, or the Every Student Succeeds Act, has multiple measures of equity and focuses on access to learning opportunities for all. Language Enhancement Plans help schools comply with both requirements.

The Link Between Language Access and Academic Success

Language barriers can leave students and their families feeling disconnected from the education system. Language access has a wide-reaching influence on academic success and social integration. Support is the answer to bridge the linguistic gap. Addressing that can improve the daily quality of life for students and the overall outcomes.

Without English as a Second Language or ESL program implementation in U.S. education, the disparity is clear. Before ESSA was implemented, 71% of LEP students scored lower on standardized math and reading tests. They were also less likely to complete high school, attend college, and enroll in rigorous academic courses. The right resources can turn academic performance around.

What Is a Language Enhancement Plan (LEP)?

Identifying the need for support is just the beginning. It’s crucial to move on to the next stage, which is to implement the support required. To build plans that consider language access compliance for schools, it’s essential to understand what an LEP is and what it does.

LEPs vs. the Federal Definition of “LEP”

It’s crucial to distinguish between the tool and the people it’s designed to help. This article provides a greater level of detail. In essence, the Federal definition of LEP refers to people with Limited English Proficiency. LEP students are helped through LEPs, which in this case refers to Language Enhancement Plans. 

These plans turn policies into action by personalizing approaches to help students with limited English skills succeed. They take into account proficiency levels, academic goals, resources, and how to monitor progress. 

Core Objectives of a School-Based LEP

To support LEP students in schools effectively, LEPs need to be living documents.  They need to be strategic. Two of the core objectives of school-based LEPs are improved communication and academic success.

Often, the plans address areas beyond communication that also help promote academic excellence. They include boosting confidence and enhanced social integration. Another benefit is cultural integration, which helps the student body as a whole.

The Five Pillars of Successful LEP Implementation

It’s time for some actionable information on how to implement LEPs. These five pillars give your plan structure while also ensuring continuous improvement. While the fundamentals remain the same, it’s vital to remember that these elements need to be used to tailor plans to the individual.

Assessing Language Proficiency with the Right Tools

Each plan should start with the right tools. Knowing a student’s proficiency level is essential to understanding the level of support and resources required. Here’s a checklist of the tools you can use to establish a starting point for all LEP students.

1. WIDA Assessments - WIDA stands for Wisconsin, Delaware, and Arkansas, which were the founding states of this educational consortium that has since expanded. It has a screening tool to measure English language proficiency.
2. State-Specific Tests - You can also find state tests to establish proficiency, such as the New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test.

Setting Clear Academic and Language Goals

Once you have a starting point, you can use it to set realistic goals regarding language proficiency improvement and academic success. Here are some suggestions for the kinds of goals you can set.

• Improved grades/GPA
• Increase vocabulary by x number of words
• Improve proficiency score by a certain date
• Attend x number of extracurricular activities
• Use x resources and strategies to complete assignments on time
• Understand and follow school routines and rules 

Allocating Resources Strategically

For plans to work, they need to be backed up by the right resources. While students are working towards improved proficiency, they’ll need support to bridge the gap and help with their learning. ESL programs are crucial to engaging students and improving their language skills.

Consider allocation for these other resources to support LEP students in schools:

• Qualified bilingual or multilingual staff to run programs and provide support
• Devices and software to aid in providing information
• Translation and interpretation services
• Accessible materials 
• Space and time for ESL programs to run
• Audiovisual aids

Providing Professional Language Support Services

Having bilingual staff is a great start, but a more comprehensive approach is required. When you use tailored services, you get translation and interpretation teams that know what’s expected in educational environments and help you comply with state and federal laws. 

They’ll understand the context of your core documents for translation and know how to handle circumstances where interpretation is required for students and family members. Use this translation and interpreting services checklist to ensure you have accessible materials and support:

• Parent handbooks
• Study guides
• Textbooks
• Student handbooks
• Report cards
• Parent-teacher conferences
• Classroom assistance

Engaging Families and Building Trust

LEPs are living documents, which means they need to be developed and refined. One of the best ways to do that is to form strong relationships with LEP students and their families. With that relationship comes trust and a better understanding of their needs. It means you can adjust to providing culturally sensitive support and communicate more clearly.

Use these tips to support LEP students in schools:

• Host welcome events
• Check their communication preferences
• Forge links with ambassador programs and events
• Gather resources and share them
• Extend personal invitations to school activities, especially relating to culture and language
• Partner with community organizations

How To Build and Launch Your School’s LEP

A strategic approach is necessary to create and implement your plan. Each one will be tailored to students, but putting the right framework in place makes the plans more effective and less resource-intensive. Use this roadmap to get on the right path.

Step-by-Step LEP Rollout for School Leaders

Combine the pillars above with these steps to build and launch your plan.

• Arrange for proficiency tests
• Program ESL classes for the required levels
• Plan welcome and ongoing events
• Conduct needs assessments
• Review resources and commission any translations
• Identify needs for interpreting services and arrange them accordingly
• Appoint ambassadors and points of contact
• Schedule assessments for plan monitoring and development with teachers and specialists
• Create the plan framework with customizable goals alongside ESL classes and events

Building a Multidisciplinary Support Team

One of your key resources is people. To be able to put the above steps in place, you’ll need to form a multidisciplinary team. Here’s a list of the people involved and how to prepare them for their roles.

• Teachers - Identify bilingual or multilingual teachers, share the plan with them, and brief them on their responsibilities.
  
  
• Support staff - Brief and assign responsibilities to support staff, particularly when it's in their remit to welcome parents or provide information such as handbooks.
  
  
• Ambassadors and points of contact - Pupils, other parents, and staff members can help the chain of communication by acting as ambassadors and points of contact. Make sure they know the plan and their role in it.
  
  
• Language specialists - You can work with language specialists when drafting the plan, conducting assessments, designing ESL classes, and reviewing progress.
  
  
• Translation and interpreting services - Build a relationship with a trusted and knowledgeable service team and brief them on your needs.

Reviewing and Updating the Plan for Continuous Improvement

Creating the plan is the much-needed first step. However, to support LEP students in schools, you’ll need to monitor and adjust. Your plan should include review intervals where the actions and targets can be updated.

Common Roadblocks and How to Overcome Them

Your strategies for LEP support in public schools also need to address the obstacles you face.

Addressing Staff Shortages and Training Gaps

You might not have many multilingual staff, and on top of that, access to language specialists might be challenging. In these cases, it’s best to address the gaps with additional training. Campaigning for more funding and improving hiring rates and retention are other long-term solutions.

Closing Equity Gaps with Interpreters and Translators

While you implement long-term solutions, you can increase your use of external resources to meet your short-term needs. Partnering with Language Network for translation and interpretation services will ensure you’re compliant and bridge the language resource gaps you’re facing. With experience in translation services for school districts, you’ll benefit from a professional and knowledgeable team that has the right tools at their fingertips.

Getting Families Involved in the LEP Process

Low engagement and some community resistance can slow your progress. Transparency and patience to build trust are key. A welcome event is a good start, but that’s the beginning of building a bridge. 

That’s why events, working with community organizations, and ambassadors are so important. Using interpretation services for multilingual families is an excellent way to show your commitment.

Next Steps: Language Equity in Your District

School language equity strategies aren’t enough on their own. You need to create and implement an LEP. They’re important as they ensure you deliver academic equity and legal compliance. With this guide, you can support LEP students in schools.

With the right resources in place, you’ll soon see the benefits, and the long-term impact on student success will follow. Contact Language Network today for a free consultation on building or enhancing your school’s LEP strategy.