Supporting my Child
Welcome to the Supporting my Child page. For all parents, guardians, and family members looking to provide support to their child, we have a collection of resources and tools to provide help and guidance. Everything from important parent information to learning strategies and activities for students is available. We will continuously update the site with new, up to date information and materials.
Introduction to Schools in Texas
When a child begins school or transfers to school in Texas, often times it can be overwhelming for parents to know who to contact and what to do. Check out the resources below for tips on schools in Texas and what you can do as a parent of an emergent bilingual student.
Some schools provide a prekindergarten program for 3-year-olds and/or for 4-year-olds. Emergent bilingual students meet eligibility requirements. For a full list of eligibility requirements for free public school kindergarten, visit Prekindergarten Eligibility and Attendance webpage.
Education on Literacy at Home
To learn more about the process of learning to read or learning a new language, the resources below will guide you as a parent to support your child’s literacy and language development.
ABCya
ABCya provides over 300 fun and educational games for grades PreK through 6. Games are categorized by grade and subject, and cover topics such as multiplication, parts of speech, typing, pattern recognition, and more.
Association for Library Service to
Children
Offers lists of book recommendations for readers kindergarten to
grade 8.
Colorín Colorado
Information available in Spanish
Literacy tips for parents for students of all ages and recommended book lists for middle to high
school age.
English Learner Family
Toolkit
Information for families about public schools in the U.S.
Head Start Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge
Center
Information available in Spanish
Head Start and Early Head Start programs for early childhood education.
Learn that Word
Learn that Word is a vocabulary learning game for all grade levels.
Learn the Signs
Information available in Spanish
Materials for families and some free downloadable primary children’s books.
Read Across
America for Parents
Tips and resources for parents to help their children
grow as readers.
Reading Rockets: English Language
Learners
Resources for teachers and parents to help young students with reading.
Reading Partners
Resources to become a reading partner to your child.
Reading Rockets
Tips for parents on engagement and ways to support your child's reading.
Sesame Street Bilingual Learning
Resources
Information available in Spanish
Bilingual resources such as a family activity guide and videos for young children.
Scholastic
Educational books and activities for students of all grade levels.
Texas Assessments Resources for Parents
Emergent bilingual (EB) students take the same subject tests as all other students in Texas called STAAR - State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness. The content of the tests vary by grade level after starting in third grade.
As a parent of an emergent bilingual child, it is helpful to know about the six approved language models in the state of Texas. Below that, you will find an explanation of how your child was identified as an EB student, how they are being served, how they can be reclassified (determined to be proficient in English, and how they are monitored to make sure they continue to be successful after they are reclassified.
Dual Language Immersion One-Way
A bilingual/biliteracy program model in which students identified as
emergent bilingual students are served in both English and another language and are prepared
to meet reclassification criteria in order to be successful in English-only instruction not
earlier than six or later than seven years after the student enrolls in school.
Dual Language Immersion Two-Way
A bilingual/biliteracy program model in which students identified as
emergent bilingual students are integrated with students proficient in English and are
served in both English and another language and are prepared to meet reclassification
criteria in order to be successful in English-only instruction not earlier than six or later
than seven years after the student enrolls in school.
Video Overview of Programs
Video
DLI English/
DLI Spanish/
DLI Vietnamese
Audio Description
DLI English AD/
DLI Spanish AD/
DLI Vietnamese AD
Transcript
DLI English TSCP/
DLI Spanish TSCP/
DLI Vietnamese TSCP
Video
TBE English/
TBE Spanish/
TBE Vietnamese
Audio Description
TBE English AD/
TBE Spanish AD/
TBE Vietnamese AD
Transcript
TBE English TSCP/
TBE Spanish TSCP/
TBE Vietnamese TSCP
Video
ESL English/
ESL Spanish/
ESL Vietnamese
Audio Description
TBE English AD/
TBE Spanish AD/
TBE Vietnamese AD
Transcript
TBE English TSCP/
TBE Spanish TSCP/
TBE Vietnamese TSCP
Identification & Placement
- As a parent, you fill out a Home Language Survey (HLS) when your child is first registered for a Texas public school.
- If the HLS shows a language other than English, your child is scheduled to test their English level.
- Your child's English levels are tested using the LAS Links Battery of language proficiency assessments.
- Pre-K - 1st Grade are tested on Speaking and Listening
- 2nd - 12th Grades are tested on Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing
- Based on your child's score, the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) will classify your child as English proficient or as an emergent bilingual student.
- The LPAC recommends a bilingual education program (bilingual or ESL) and get your approval as the parent.
For Information about students served through special education and the identification
process for emergent bilingual students to be dually served in Bilingual Education or
English as a Second Language (ESL) program visit:
Program Services
Your emergent bilingual student is placed in either a bilingual program or an ESL program. For more information about these programs as well as your rights as a parent select the appropriate brochure, below:
- Parents/Guardian Rights Guidance English (PDF) / Spanish (PDF)
- Bilingual Education Program (English) (PDF) / (Spanish) (PDF)/ (Vietnamese) (PDF)
- ESL Program (English) (PDF) / (Spanish) (PDF) / (Vietnamese) (PDF)
All emergent bilingual students in Texas take a test, TELPAS - Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System - that measures the progress made each year in learning the English language. For additional information and tips, refer to the documents below.
- TELPAS FAQs for Parents English (PDF) / Spanish (PDF)
- TELPAS Parent Tips (English) (PDF) / (Spanish) (PDF)
- Understanding TELPAS Report Card
Reclassification And Exit
Below are the tests that your child will need to take to be reclassified from an emergent bilingual student to an English Proficient.
- Texas English Learner Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) - Tests the student’s English language proficiency for Kindergarten through 12th grade.
- State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) - Tests the student’s academic knowledge of English for 3rd through 8th grade.
- End of Course (EOC) - Tests the student’s academic knowledge of English for 9th and 10th grade.
- Iowa Assessments, Form F - Tests students showing high levels of English proficiency in the area of English academic achievement in grades 1-2 and 11-12.
Your child may only be reclassified as English proficient
- at the end of the school year,
- based on the LPAC’s recommendation when STAAR, EOC, and TELPAS data are reviewed, and
- it is determined if that the student has met the state’s criteria for reclassification as English proficient.
Your approval of program exit is required in order for your child to exit program services.
Monitoring
Your child will be monitored by the LPAC of their academic progress for the first two years after they have been reclassified.
Based on data reviewed in the two-year monitoring process, the LPAC may determine that a reclassified student is still in need of program services and may recommend a return to program placement, with parent permission.
Transitional Early Exit
A bilingual program model in which students identified as emergent
bilingual students are served in both English and another language and are prepared to meet
reclassification criteria to be successful in English-only instruction not earlier than two
or later than five years after the student enrolls in school.
Transitional Late Exit
A bilingual program model in which students identified as emergent
bilingual students are served in both English and another language and are prepared to meet
reclassification criteria to be successful in English-only instruction not earlier than six
or later than seven years after the student enrolls in school.
Identification
After reviewing the Home Language Survey that was filled out when your child initially registered in a Texas public or charter school, all students whose Home Language Survey shows any language other than English will be tested to determine their level of English proficiency.
The LAS Links Battery of language proficiency assessments (English) are used for all students grade PK-12.
Based on your child’s score the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee
(LPAC) will classify your child as English proficient or as an emergent bilingual student.
If your child is classified as an emergent bilingual student, the LPAC will make program
recommendations and get parent approval.
For Information about students served through special education and the identification
process for emergent bilingual students to be dually served in Bilingual Education or
English as a Second Language (ESL) program visit:
Program Services
When a child is identified as an emergent bilingual student, the child is placed in either a bilingual program or an ESL program. For more information about these programs as well as your rights as a parent select the appropriate brochure, below:
- Parents/Guardian Rights Guidance English (PDF) / Spanish (PDF)
- Bilingual Education Program (English) (PDF) / (Spanish) (PDF)/ (Vietnamese) (PDF)
- ESL Program (English) (PDF) / (Spanish) (PDF) / (Vietnamese) (PDF)
All emergent bilingual students in Texas take a test, TELPAS - Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System - that measures the progress made each year in learning the English language. For additional information and tips, refer to the documents below.
- TELPAS FAQs for Parents English (PDF) / Spanish (PDF)
- TELPAS Parent Tips (English) (PDF) / (Spanish) (PDF)
- Understanding TELPAS Report Card
Reclassification And Exit
The table below shows the tests that your child will take to be potentially reclassified from an emergent bilingual student to an English proficient student based on their grade level.
| Test | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Texas English Learner Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) | Tests the student’s English language proficiency |
| State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) or End of Course (EOC) | Tests the student in grades 3-10 in the area of English academic achievement |
| Iowa Assessments, Form F | Tests students showing high levels of English proficiency in grades 1-2 and 11-12 in the area of English academic achievement |
Your child may only be reclassified as English proficient
- at the end of the school year,
- based on the LPAC’s recommendation when STAAR, EOC, and TELPAS data are reviewed, and
- it is determined if that the student has met the state’s criteria for reclassification as English proficient.
Parental approval of program exit is required in order for your child to exit program services.
Monitoring
Your child will be monitored by the LPAC of their academic progress for the first two years after they have been reclassified.
Based on data reviewed in the two-year monitoring process, the LPAC may determine that a reclassified student is still in need of program services and may recommend a return to program placement, with parent permission.
ESL Content-Based
An English acquisition program that serves students identified as emergent
bilingual students through English instruction by a teacher appropriately certified in ESL
under TEC, §29.061(c), through English language arts and reading, mathematics, science, and
social studies.
ESL Pull-Out
An English acquisition program that serves students identified as emergent
bilingual students through English instruction provided by an appropriately certified ESL
teacher under the TEC, §29.061(c), through English language arts and reading.
Identification
After reviewing the Home Language Survey that was filled out when your child
initially registered in a Texas public or charter school, all students whose Home Language Survey
shows any language other than English will be tested to determine their level of English
proficiency.
The LAS Links Battery of language proficiency assessments (English) are used for
all students grade PK-12.
Based on your child’s score the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) will classify your child as English proficient or as an emergent bilingual student. If your child is classified as an emergent bilingual student, the LPAC will make program recommendations and get parent approval.
For Information about students served through special education and the identification process for emergent bilingual students to be dually served in Bilingual Education or English as a Second Language (ESL) program visit:
Program Services
When a child is identified as an emergent bilingual student, the child is placed in either a bilingual program or an ESL program. For more information about these programs as well as your rights as a parent select the appropriate brochure, below:
- Parents/Guardian Rights Guidance English (PDF) / Spanish (PDF)
- Bilingual Education Program (English) (PDF) / (Spanish) (PDF) / (Vietnamese) (PDF)
- ESL Program (English) (PDF) / (Spanish) (PDF) / (Vietnamese) (PDF)
All emergent bilingual students in Texas take a test, TELPAS - Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System - that measures the progress made each year in learning the English language. For additional information and tips, refer to the documents below.
- TELPAS FAQs for ParentsEnglish (PDF) / Spanish (PDF)
- TELPAS Parent Tips(English) (PDF) / (Spanish) (PDF)
- Understanding TELPAS Report Card
Reclassification And Exit
The table below shows the tests that your child will take to be potentially reclassified from an emergent bilingual student to an English proficient student based on their grade level.
| Test | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Texas English Learner Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) | Tests the student’s English language proficiency |
| State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) or End of Course (EOC) | Tests the student in grades 3-10 in the area of English academic achievement |
| Iowa Assessments, Form F | Tests students showing high levels of English proficiency in grades 1-2 and 11-12 in the area of English academic achievement |
Your child may only be reclassified as English proficient
- at the end of the school year,
- based on the LPAC’s recommendation when STAAR, EOC, and TELPAS data are reviewed, and
- it is determined if that the student has met the state’s criteria for reclassification as English proficient.
Parental approval of program exit is required in order for your child to exit program services.
EB/EL Reclassification Criteria Chart (PDF)
Monitoring
Your child will be monitored by the LPAC of their academic progress for the first two years after they have been reclassified.
Based on data reviewed in the two-year monitoring process, the LPAC may determine that a reclassified student is still in need of program services and may recommend a return to program placement, with parent permission.
The educational resources below are targeted for students to use at home. While they focus on language and literacy, there are many that also include activities in other subject areas such as science, math, and social studies.
Early Education & Elementary
Barbershop Books - A collection of fun storytime videos and diverse electronic books.
Bartolo - Literacy activities and games available in English and Spanish.
Duolingo- A free language-learning website and app for elementary and middle school students. Information available in multiple languages.
ESL Writing Wizard - Create handouts to practice writing on lined paper.
Family Learning Center - A collection of free family-led learning experiences and activities for ages three to twelve.
Fun Brain- Online books and learning games.
How Stuff Works- Articles broken down by subject along with games, quizzes, and videos.
K-12 Educational Resources- These free educational resources include lessons in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics in both Spanish and English across all grade levels.
PBS Kids - Educational games and videos for primary age students and resources for parents.
PBS - Between the Lions- An early reading collection with videos for literacy skills.
ReadWriteThink: Comic Creator - A variety of fun, interactive writing activities, including the Comic Creator. Students can fill in comics with their own words and storylines.
ReadWriteThink: Student Interactives - Interactive literacy learning activities that help students accomplish a variety of goals - from organizing their thoughts to learning about language.
RockALingua- Practice Spanish vocabulary through song.
Starfall - Bilingual resources such as games, poems, songs, and videos.
Suessville - Explore Dr. Suess’ books & characters through books, games, and videos.
Story Place Preschool online books- Online books and activities for preschool children. Information available in Spanish.
Stuart Stories - Writing story prompts for students to read and practice their writing skills.
TexQuest - Digital resources for students and families.
The Spanish Experiment- Read along books available in Spanish and English.
Unite Literacy- Books to read in English and Spanish.
Middle School
Duolingo - Learn over 30 languages online or app in short lessons.
English Media Lab Homepage - Exercises for all emergent bilingual students including grammar and pronunciation exercises, vocabulary videos, and interactive quizzes.
English Online Resources - List of resources to learn English and grow in areas of listening, speaking, and writing.
ESL Games World - List of interactive links for ESL students to learn across different content.
Family Learning Center- A collection of free family-led learning experiences and activities for ages nine to twelve.
Fun Brain- Online books and learning games.
How Stuff Works- Articles broken down by subject along with games, quizzes, and videos.
K-12 Educational Resources - These free educational resources include lessons in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics in both Spanish and English across all grade levels.
Learn That Word - Review a list of Greek and Latin morphemes, meanings, and sample words and definitions.
ReadWriteThink: Comic Creator- A variety of fun, interactive writing activities, including the Comic Creator. Students can fill in comics with their own words and storylines.
ReadWriteThink: Student Interactives- Interactive literacy learning activities that help students accomplish a variety of goals - from organizing their thoughts to learning about language.
Scholastic - Educational books and activities for all students of all grade levels.
TexQuest- Digital resources for students and families.
High School
Duolingo - Learn over 30 languages online or app in short lessons.
English Media Lab Homepage- Exercises for all emergent bilingual students including grammar and pronunciation exercises, vocabulary videos, and interactive quizzes.
English Online Resources- List of resources to learn English and grow in areas of listening, speaking, and writing.
ESL Games World - List of interactive links for ESL students to learn across different content.
How Stuff Works - Articles broken down by subject along with games, quizzes, and videos.
K-12 Educational Resources - These free educational resources include lessons in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics in both Spanish and English across all grade levels.
Learn That Word- Review a list of Greek and Latin morphemes, meanings, and sample words and definitions.
ReadWriteThink: Comic Creator - A variety of fun, interactive writing activities, including the Comic Creator. Students can fill in comics with their own words and storylines.
ReadWriteThink: Student Interactives - Interactive literacy learning activities that help students accomplish a variety of goals - from organizing their thoughts to learning about language.
Scholastic- Educational books and activities for students of all grade levels.
TexQuest - Digital resources for students and families.
Virtual Tours of Famous Museums- Video tours of museums from London to Seoul.
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