“LAS Links progress monitoring provides invaluable data that allows for targeted instruction to accelerate the progress of our Emergent Bilingual students.”
Dr. Toya Keas
Instructional Programs Coordinator, Curriculum & Student Services, Kennedale ISD
Using LAS Links to Monitor Progress and Improve Instruction for Emergent Bilingual Students
In this case study, Dr. Toya Keas, Instructional Programs Coordinator at Kennedale ISD in Kennedale, Texas, shares how her district uses LAS Links® to provide timely instructional strategies and ongoing progress monitoring of Emergent Bilingual (EB) students, with the goal of increasing their language proficiency levels.
How is LAS Links used in your organization?
LAS Links is used for student identification and progress monitoring of EB students in grades 2–12. We selected LAS Links because the district wanted to use a research-based progress monitoring tool that was in alignment with the Texas ELPS (English Language Proficiency Standards) and TELPAS (Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System).
Why does your district choose to use LAS Links?
LAS Links progress monitoring provides invaluable data that allows for targeted instruction to accelerate the progress of our Emergent Bilingual students. Teachers can immediately pivot and make instructional adjustments without having to wait for TELPAS results.
What Emergent Bilingual challenges do you have in your district/schools?
The district has many long-term EB students who are not making yearly progress on TELPAS.
Which features are particularly important to your organization? How do they address specific concerns and needs?
When paired with the data from the reports, the LAS Links Instructional Strategies provide teachers with practices to help improve language proficiency. The data provided in the Student Proficiency and Academic Language Report is disaggregated by social and academic, which can help bring a greater awareness to teachers about academic language.
What strategic plans do you have in mind as you move forward with LAS Links progress monitoring?
The campus completes data digs in which they review TELPAS progress monitoring reports and compare that with information provided by LAS Links progress monitoring. In their PLCs (Professional Learning Communities), teachers will review instructional strategies provided by LAS Links as well as Seidlitz resources to identify ways in which they can improve their instruction for the purpose of increasing their EB students’ proficiency levels.