Board adopts revised elementary English-learner reclassification criteria aligned to Amplified DIBELS

The Arcadia Unified School District Board on July 28 approved updates to elementary English-learner (EL) reclassification criteria to reflect the district's use of Amplified DIBELS assessments in primary grades and to add Smarter Balanced scores where available.

Doctor Mendoza presented the changes and explained the relationship between the statewide summative ELPAC and local criteria. "The state requires that all students take the summative ELPAC at the end of every school year...students that score a level 4 on the summative ELPAC or a level 3 on the alternate ELPAC automatically qualify to be viewed for reclassification criteria," Mendoza said. She described the district's remaining local checks—teacher observation, parent consultation and a basic skills assessment—and said the proposed change primarily adjusts criteria 4 (assessment cut scores) to use Amplified DIBELS composite ranges and Smarter Balanced results where applicable.

Mendoza also clarified special-education students continue to be reclassified based on IEP-team recommendations and emphasized that students must first meet the ELPAC criteria before local criteria are applied. The board moved and adopted the updated criteria by voice vote. The district will provide guidance to EL teachers and principals and finalize cut scores ahead of the school year.