Change to English Learner count for Local Control Funding Formula – date extended to Dec. 31, 2020:
Any student who has an English Language Acquisition Status of English Learner for the first time and is enrolled on Census Day through Nov. 13 should count as an EL in the Unduplicated Pupil Count used to determine supplemental and concentration grant funding under the Local Control Funding Formula.
The revised date by which students must first be identified as EL is Dec. 31, 2020. This revised date provides LEAs the time to assess students with the Initial ELPAC, particularly those who first enrolled on Census Day.
No specific updates to CALPADS are required of LEAs. This is because a student’s status as an English Learner is determined upon completion of the Initial ELPAC and is uploaded directly to CALPADS from the assessment contractor.
Students completing all four domains of the Initial ELPAC on or before Dec. 31 will generate an ELAS record with a status of either EL or Initial Fluent English Proficient and an ELAS start date representing the date testing was completed. CALPADS will automatically include on Certification Report 1.17 (English Learner Count) the students who are enrolled on Census Day and who are identified for the first time as EL through Dec. 31, 2020.
LEAs should still approve their Fall 1 submission by the Dec. 18 certification deadline so that the data can be used for the First Principal Apportionment (P-1) calculations. During the amendment window (Dec. 19, 2020 to Jan. 29, 2021), if an LEA’s Unduplicated Pupil Count on Report 1.17 increases due to additional students being identified as EL or Free or Reduced-Price Meal Eligible (through an Alternative Household Income Form or Direct Certification), then the LEA should de-certify and re-certify the updated data by the close of the amendment window on Jan. 29, 2021. The CDE will use the certified data for Second Principal Apportionment (P-2) calculations.
Change to English Learner count for federal reporting:
For the 2020–21 school year, the U.S. Dept. of Education is allowing states to report students with an ELAS of either EL or TBD as English Learners. Accordingly, for federal reporting purposes only, the CDE will report as an English Learner all students who were enrolled on Census Day and who have an ELAS of EL or TBD on Census Day.
LEAs certify these counts on Certification Report 2.8 (English Language Acquisition Status—Count by Primary Language). This report is not being adjusted; rather, the CDE will simply include both the EL and TBD students in the English Learner count that is reported to U.S. Dept. of Education.
LEAs are reminded that the EL count on Report 2.8 and on Report 1.1 (Enrollment—Primary Status by Subgroup) will not match the EL count on Report 1.17 (FRPM/English Learner/Foster Youth—Count) because Report 1.17 includes students who were first identified as EL through Dec. 31, 2020.
