Language Pathways

Structured English Immersion (SEI)

Mainstream identified English learners will be placed in this pathway unless they opt/qualify for any of the pathways below.

Dual Language Immersion Pathway

Parents and guardians of ELs whose dominant language is Spanish or who have a certain degree of English-Spanish bilingualism may apply to the DLI pathway. Given the structure of this program, procedures including lottery and primary and target language screening will be in place to ensure equitable access to the pathway and keep a balanced proportion of English dominant, Spanish dominant, and bilingual students. Visit our Dual Language Immersion Program webpage for more information.

Structured English Immersion (SEI)

Mainstream identified English learners will be placed in this pathway unless they opt/qualify for any of the pathways below.

Newcomer Pathway

Students identified as English learners who are recent arrivals to the country (one year or less) will enter these pathways. Screening will take place to determine prior schooling experiences and the personal experiences that may bear an impact on the student’s social emotional well-being.

Long-term English Learner (LTEL) Pathway

Students who have been classified as English Learners for six or more years without progress (students at risk of becoming LTELs and LTELs) will enter this pathway starting in middle school. The components and supports aligned under this pathway aim at accelerated language development resulting in reclassification.

Dual Identified EL Pathway

If a student is both classified as a student with exceptional needs and as an English Learner (“dual identified”), the student will be placed in this pathway the specifications of which will depend on the student’s individualized education plan.

Seal of Biliteracy

SCUSD will also promote the celebration of bilingualism and biliteracy in the form of end-of-year recognition or celebration as students complete milestones in pursuing bilingualism and biliteracy. This recognition is designed locally following the guidelines provided by the National Seal of Biliteracy organization and the State of California. The criteria are varied and their attainment levels are flexible so that students regardless of primary language can be stimulated beyond their zone of comfort and grow in their multilingualism. Holistic evidence and the criteria for pathways and assessment will be developed by a district/community committee and revised yearly.

The State Seal of Biliteracy is a recognition for high schoolers who have attained significant proficiency in English and another world language. The school sites’ world languages departments, in collaboration with the district’s Educational Services staff, will lead and collaborate in gathering the information to be submitted to the state for this recognition. An analysis of Seal of Biliteracy recipients will be conducted yearly and reported to the district’s DELAC. Visit the California Department of Education website for more information.

California Proposition 58
Guidelines for Requesting Additional Language Acquisition Programs

Parents/guardians may request a specific language acquisition program for a student at each site. Each school site must maintain the submitted written requests for three years (5 CCR section 1311[a], [b], and [d]). A response from the school is required when the parents of 30 pupils or more per school, or 20 pupils or more in any grade in a school, request a new language acquisition program (EC Section 310[a]). The district shall respond in a written notification to parents, teachers, administrators, and the District English learner parent advisory committee within 10 days once the parents of 30 pupils or more per school or 20 pupils or more in any grade in a school request the same or substantially similar type of language acquisition program.

Then, the LEA shall conduct an analysis to determine the costs and resources necessary to implement a new language acquisition program. And, within 60 calendar days of reaching the described thresholds, the LEA shall determine if it is possible to implement the program. The LEA provides written notice of the determination to parents, teachers, and administrators. In the case of an affirmative determination to implement a language acquisition program at a school, the LEA will create and publish a reasonable timeline of actions necessary to implement the requested program. In the case where the LEA determines it is not possible to implement a new language acquisition program requested by parents, the LEA shall provide in written form an explanation of the reason(s) the program cannot be provided. (5 CCR section 11311[h].)

Additional Language Acquisition Requests are submitted following these steps: 

1. Contact the school principal or designated school administrator to make an appointment. Information on the process and a request form will be provided during the appointment.
2. Submit the completed additional language acquisition program request form to the school principal or designated administrator. 
3. When the required number of requests listed above are received, the school will send a written notification to all parents as described above.