High School Level (Grades 9—12) Course of Study

The ELD course sequence (which includes Academic Language Development (ALD) Through Culture and Communication) is designed to develop academic language proficiency in English while simultaneously mastering grade level academic content in order to reclassify. It also attends to the particular English development language needs of At Risk or Long-Term English Learners to promote high levels of English language proficiency. ELD instruction supports students as they progress through the levels of language proficiency: emerging, expanding, and bridging.

The English language proficiency assessment for California is the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC). At the middle and high school levels (Grades 6-12), English learners are assessed to determine their levels of English language proficiency and placed in ELD courses designed to help them develop grade level academic language. Students are placed in one of the following four categories of courses:

  • Newcomer: These courses provide a comprehensive curriculum for new arrivals. They also provide accelerated support in foundational literacy skills. Some San Diego Unified schools offer specialized programs for students who are new to English, new to the country, new schooling and/ or have had extremely interrupted schooling.
  • Designated English Language Development (ELD) Sequence: These courses are designed for students at the earlier stages of English proficiency (Initial ELPAC novice or intermediate and Summative ELPAC minimally developed, somewhat developed, or moderately developed). Students are provided with scaffolded instruction focused on increasing language proficiency according to the state adopted ELD standards.
  • Designated English Language Development/Academic Language Development (ELD/ALD): These courses are designed for students who are At Risk or Long-Term English Learners. Students are provided with scaffolded instruction focused on increasing academic language proficiency according to the state adopted ELD standards in order to reclassify.
  • English Language Arts (ELA) Sequence with ELD/SGI (English Language Development/Small Group Instruction): The ELD/SGI instruction courses are designed for students who are at all levels of English proficiency. These courses provide time during the regular school day for focused instruction on the state adopted ELD standards to assist English learners to develop critical English language skills necessary for academic content learning in English. The ELD/SGI embedded dELD takes place within the English course. This course is both ELA and comprehensive ELD. Course descriptions can be found in the ELA Course Descriptions.

The chart below identifies the basic texts, supplemental resources, and assessment indicators used in the ELD course of study for grades 9-12.

Basic Texts ELD, 9-12 National Geographic Learning EDGE Fundamentals, Cengage Learning
National Geographic Learning EDGE Level A, Cengage Learning
National Geographic Learning EDGE Level B, Cengage Learning
Basic Texts ELD w/ ALD, 9-12 English 3D Course B, Volume 2, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Supplemental Resources 9-12 California Department of Education 2012 ELD Standards and 2017 ELA/ELD Framework
https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/rl/cf/elaeldfrmwrksbeadopted.asp
California Practioners’ Guide for Educating English Learners with Disabilities
https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/ac/documents/ab2785guide.pdf
English Learner Toolkit of Strategies
https://ccsesa.org/english-learner-toolkit-of-strategies
SDUSD ELD Critical Concepts

High School EL Placement Suggestions

EL Placement Guidelines for students new to the district are based on Years of Enrollment in US schools and Initial and/or Summative ELPAC data. English learners are required to receive BOTH designated ELD and grade-level English. EL Placement should be purposeful to accelerate language acquisition and support academic achievement.

0-1 Years of Enrollment in US Schools 2-3 Years of Enrollment in US Schools
Initial ELPAC Novice ELD 1-2 Summative ELPAC 1 or 2 ELD 3-4
Initial ELPAC Intermediate ELD 3-4 Summative ELPAC 2 or 3 ELD 5-6
*Newcomer students with interrupted formal education (SIFE) can be enrolled in ELD lit support for their first 12 months. After 12 months of enrollment, these students must receive grade-level English.

Newcomer Academy (1220. 1221) approved for Lincoln and Crawford High Schools for use during Semester 2 dELD. 		Students must also be enrolled in grade-level English. A student who scores an ELPAC score of 4 should be considered for reclassification.

 
3-4 Years of Enrollment in US Schools 4-5 Years of Enrollment in US Schools
Summative ELPAC 1 or 2 ELD 3-4 Summative ELPAC 1 or 2 ELD with Academic Language Development 1,2
Summative ELPAC 2 or 3 ELD 5-6 Summative ELPAC 3 or 4 ELD with Academic Language Development 3,4
Students must also be enrolled in grade-level English. A student who scores an ELPAC score of 4 should be considered for reclassification. Students must also be enrolled in grade-level English. A student who scores an ELPAC score of 4 should be considered for reclassification.

 
6+ Years of Enrollment in US Schools Grades 10-12
Summative ELPAC 1-4 and has completed ELD w/ ALD 1,2 ELD with Academic Language Development 3,4
Summative ELPAC 1-4 and has completed ELD w/ ALD 1,2 and 3,4 ELD with Academic Language Development 5,6
Students must also be enrolled in grade-level English. A student who scores an ELPAC score of 4 should be considered for reclassification.