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South Dakota

As of the 2007-2008 school year, South Dakota's schools were home to more than 4,100 English language learners (ELLs), which marks a 45% decrease from the 1997-1998 school year (NCELA, 2010). The top five languages or language groups spoken by ELLs in South Dakota are German, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, and Chinese (EPE, 2009).

South Dakota is a member of WIDA (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment), joining in 2008. 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: South Dakota Department of Education

ELL Website: Title III - English Language Acquisition

ELL Manual: ELL Guide* (PDF)

ELL Identification

Information about identification procedures can be found in Identify & Assist ELL Students.*

Home Language Survey: This document outlines the questions that should be included in the Home Language Survey.*

Placement Exam: WIDA-ACCESS Placement Test

ELP Standards & Assessment

ELP Standards: WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards

Content Standards Alignment: South Dakota offers guidance in Alignment Between the South Dakota Content Standards and the WIDA Consortium English Language Proficiency Standards.*

ELP Assessment: WIDA-ACCESS ACCESS for ELLs

ELL Instruction

For information on ELL instruction guidelines, see see Appendix A and Appendix B of ELL Guide* and the Program Model Descriptions.*

Regarding the selection of instructional programs, the state provides the following guidance:

"Q: Do LEAs and SEAs have the authority to select which language instruction educational program to implement?

A: An LEA may select one or more methods of instruction – consistent with the requirements of State law – to be used in assisting LEP students to attain English proficiency and meet State content and student academic achievement standards. However, the language instruction curriculum used must be tied to scientifically based research on teaching LEP students and must have demonstrated effectiveness." (General FAQs About Title III*)

Statewide Standards-Based Assessment

Assessment: South Dakota State Test of Educational Progress (Dakota STEP)

ELL Accommodations: Information is available on the STEP website.

Additional Information

NCELA: Title III Information

WIDA: South Dakota Contact Information

Common Core State Standards: Yes

Dakota TESL

Dakota TESL provides support, advocacy, and professional development opportunities for those in the Dakotas and surrounding states who work with English as a second language students or English language learners.

South Dakota Education Association

South Dakota Education 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.

South Dakota State Parent Information Resource Centers

The South Dakota State PIRC/Parent Resource Network&s primary purpose is to support the meaningful involvement of parents in the education of their children as envisioned by the framers of the No Child Left Behind Act.

References

Editorial Projects in Education (EPE). "Most Common Non-English Languages Spoken by ELL Youths, by State." Perspectives on a Population: English-Language Learners in American Schools (Education Week's Quality Counts 2009 Report). Pg. 13. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/ew/toc/2009/01/08/index.html. January 2009.

Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students. South Dakota Rate of EL Growth (1997/98-2007/08). Compiled July 2010 and retrieved from http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/t3sis/state/southdakota/data.