Hawaii: ELL Resources
As of the 2012-13 school year, Hawaii's schools were home to more than 19,000 English language learners (ELLs), which marks a 50% increase from the 2002-2003 school year (Migration Policy Institute, 2015). Currently, the most common five languages spoken by ELLs in Hawaii are Ilokano, Chuukese, Marshallese, Tagalog, and Spanish.
Hawaii is a member of WIDA (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment), joining in 2009. WIDA is a consortium of states dedicated to the design and implementation of high standards and equitable educational opportunities for English language learners which offers states programming for identifying and annually assessing the English language development of its English learners.
State ELL Resources
State Agency: Hawaii State Department of Education
ELL Website: English Language Learner Program
ELL Identification
Placement Exam: WIDA-ACCESS Placement Test (W-APT)
ELP Standards & Assessment
ELP Standards: WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards
ELP Assessment: WIDA-ACCESS for ELLs
Statewide Standards-Based Assessment
Assessment: Hawaii State Assessment
Additional Information
NCELA: Title III Information
WIDA: Hawaii Contact Information
Common Core State Standards: Yes
Hawaii State Parent Information Resource Centers
The overall goal of the Hawaii State PIRC is to increase parental involvement in their children's education to improve academic achievement and to strengthen school-family-community partnerships in meeting children's educational needs.
Hawaii State Teachers Association
Hawaii State Teachers Association is a National Education Association State Affiliate that regularly lobbies legislators for the resources schools need, campaigns for higher professional standards for the teaching profession, and files legal actions to protect academic freedom and the rights of school employees.
Hawaii TESOL is committed to building a community of professionals teaching ESL (English as a Second Language) in the State of Hawaii.
Hawaii adopted the Seal of Biliteracy in 2015. The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by a school, district, or state in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation.
References
Ruiz Soto, Ariel G., Sarah Hooker, and Jeanne Batalova. 2015. States and Districts with the Highest Number and Share of English Language Learners. Washington, DC: Migration Policy Institute. http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/states-and-districts-highest-number-and-share-english-language-learners
Ruiz Soto, Ariel G., Sarah Hooker, and Jeanne Batalova. 2015. Top Languages Spoken by English Language Learners Nationally and by State. Washington, DC: Migration Policy Institute. http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/number-and-growth-students-us-schools-need-english-instruction-2009
Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students. Hawaii Rate of EL Growth (1997/98-2007/08). Compiled July 2010 and retrieved from http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/t3sis/state/hawaii/.
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