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Task force examines how other states define 'newcomer' students for bilingual services
Summary
KLRD reviewed state definitions for ‘‘newcomer’’ or ‘‘recently arrived’’ English learners. Timeframes vary widely — from about 180 school days in some states to three years in others — a difference that matters for classification, program eligibility and potential funding weightings.
The Special Education and Related Services Funding Task Force heard a focused briefing on how other states define ‘‘newcomer’’ students for English‑learner and bilingual programming and whether Kansas should adopt a definition tied to funding or program eligibility.
Elena (KLRD) introduced a memo summarizing definitions and cautioned that the list was not exhaustive. “I would like to preface this and say that not all 50 states have been looked at yet for if they have a definition of newcomer student or a related definition. These are just the ones that we have found so far,” Elena said.
Key points from the KLRD memo
- Definitions and timeframes vary. Several states use the term ‘‘newcomer’’ or ‘‘recently arrived English learner’’ but the look‑back periods vary from roughly 180 school days up to three full academic years. - Examples cited: Alaska defines ‘‘recently arrived English learner’’ as an EL enrolled in a U.S. school for less than 12 months; California has dual definitions (an Immigrant/Newcomer definition tied to federal law and a 12‑month ‘‘recently arrived EL’’ definition in regulation); New Jersey and New York use ‘‘newcomer’’ as an umbrella term that can include immigrants and students with interrupted formal education; Ohio’s Category‑1 English learners have been in U.S. schools for 180 school days or less; Oregon and Utah use a three‑year window similar to the federal ‘‘immigrant children and youth’’ definition; Tennessee’s definition (in its ESSA plan) lists a 12‑month window and explicitly includes refugees and students with interrupted formal education.
Why the definition matters
Task‑force members noted that how Kansas defines a newcomer affects program design, counting and — if the state ties weights to newcomer status — funding distribution. Several members asked Kansas Department of Education staff whether current Kansas practice treats newcomers differently for funding or reporting. Dr. Harwood explained Kansas relies on the federal reporting definition for newcomers and that exit from EL services is tied to proficiency on the KELPA: “We would continue to provide services until they score proficient on the KELPA,” he said.
Several lawmakers asked KLRD and KSDE to solicit an explicit view from the department’s bilingual/ELL experts on whether a newcomer weighting or a fixed time window would be appropriate for Kansas if the task force were to recommend a change.
Ending
Staff told the task force they would provide additional state examples if requested. Members did not vote on a definition. The briefing highlighted that states differ in how they balance a fixed time window with performance‑based exit rules (for example, KELPA proficiency in Kansas) and flagged newcomer definition as a topic to consider in further discussions about EL services and funding.
