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District reports ACCESS for ELLs results; staff to expand sheltered‑instruction training
Summary
The district presented ACCESS for ELLs proficiency distributions and three‑year trends, identifying chronically absent and low‑income multilingual learners as groups needing targeted intervention and announcing sheltered‑instruction training for teachers.
Assistant Superintendent Moskowitz reviewed Voorhees Township’s ACCESS for ELLs results and explained the WIDA proficiency scale and scoring conventions for trustees.
He described the six proficiency levels (entering, emerging, developing, expanding, bridging and reaching) and explained that a student must reach a 4.5 proficiency score to be eligible to exit ESL services. Moskowitz said ACCESS scores include a whole‑number proficiency level and a decimal that indicates progress within that level.
The district reported three‑year growth in multilingual learners: a 13% increase in total ML students since 2022. Current counts by proficiency were presented: 31 students at level 1, 48 at level 2, 59 at level 3, 49 at level 4, 13 at level 5, and 3 at level 6. Moskowitz noted 45 students scored in levels 4–6 this past year (up from 37 and 33 in previous years), and that a substantial portion of ML students score at developing or expanding (levels 3–4).
Subgroup review showed higher shares of level 1–2 scores among chronically absent and low‑income students (47% and 48% respectively). Moskowitz said the ESL team will begin an intensive review of the data, collaborate with principals to address chronic absenteeism among ML students, and continue RTI, morning programs, and small‑group differentiated instruction as interventions. He also said the district will provide sheltered‑instruction training for 31 teachers during the 2025–26 year to deliver content that is comprehensible while students develop English proficiency.
A trustee asked whether subgroup counts double‑count students who belong to multiple subgroups; Moskowitz said the district would review the individual‑level data to produce a deconflicted breakdown if the board wants that view.
Why it matters: The results guide staffing and instruction for multilingual learners and identify chronically absent and low‑income students as priority groups for outreach and intervention. The district plans professional development and collaborative data work to support student progress.
