Purpose of Screening My Child
Federal and state laws require that if a parent or guardian says that a language other than English is spoken in the home by a parent/guardian, student or caregiver, a standardized English Language Proficiency Test must be given to the student.
Cincinnati Public Schools uses the Ohio English Language Proficiency Screener (OELPS) to find out if the student has Limited English Proficient (LEP). If the OELPS results show the student is LEP, the test will help teachers decide on the appropriate support for the student.
"Proficient in English" Means
Ohio’s meaning for "proficient in English" is the ability to understand, speak, read and write the English language at a level in which one is able to:
- Achieve successfully in classrooms where instruction is given in English
- Meaningfully participate in academic assessments in English
- Participate fully in society in the United States
Ohio Department of Education’s English Proficiency Standards
English Skills That Will Be Screened
- Listening: How well is the student able to understand spoken English in social and school settings?
- Speaking: How well is the student able to speak in English in both social and school settings?
- Reading: How well is the student able to read age-appropriate written materials in English for both social and school purposes?
- Writing: How well is the student able to write in English for both social and school purposes?
Ohio’s English Proficiency Levels
Ohio has established five proficiency levels to group LEP students at different stages of their English language skills:
- Pre-functional
- Beginning
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- Proficient/Trial-Mainstream
Monitoring Student Progress
State and Federal law requires a LEP student be tested every year to measure English language proficiency.
The Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment (OELPA) is the test used in Grades K-12 in Cincinnati Public Schools to measure how well children speak and understands English.
Student Exiting LEP Services and Supports
To exit the LEP program, a student must obtain an overall Proficiency Status of 3 on the Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment (OELPA).
