State Board of Education votes to open public comment period on new English language learning regulations

Wednesday the State Board of Education and Early Development voted to open a period for public comment on regulation changes regarding the assessment of English language learners, exit criteria for English learners, and updated English language proficiency standards. 

The English language learner proficiency standards out for public comment are the 2020 update version of the WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards, 2007 Edition, Prekindergarten through Grade 12.   WIDA is an educational consortium of 40 states and territories of which Alaska has been a member of since 2011.  

DEED developed revisions to exit criteria for English learners with input from stakeholders across the state beginning with the statewide English learner stakeholder group. Stakeholders were unanimously in support of the revised exit criteria. These regulatory changes will further align state regulations with the Alaska ESEA Plan approved by the US Department of Education in August 2020. 

The packet for the April 21 board meeting is available at https://education.alaska.gov/state_board/april-2021.         

The State Board of Education will meet next for its regular quarterly meeting June 9-10.