Students may be identified as possibly needing English Learner (EL) instruction through a variety of ways:

  • Upon enrolling in the Cornwall-Lebanon School District, all families are required to complete a Home Language Survey, HLS. The original HLS is maintained in the students’ cumulative folder and a copy is forwarded to the EL teacher in that building.  If the survey indicates that a language other than English is spoken in the home, the student is eligible for assessment to determine if he/she is in need of EL instruction.
  • The records from a previous school district or institution indicate that the student was receiving, or had previously received, some form of EL instruction.
  • Other individuals within the school setting such as a principal, guidance counselor, or classroom teacher who suspect that a language deficiency is interfering with a student’s learning in the classroom, may make a referral to have a student assessed.


The above mentioned procedures would trigger the need for the student to be assessed for possible EL instruction.   It is not necessary that the student be born outside the USA, in order for him/her to receive EL instruction.

Assessment Tools

The Cornwall-Lebanon School District utilizes a variety of assessment tools as part of its EL program.

  • WIDA Screener: The WIDA Screener is an English language proficiency assessment given to new students in grades K–12 to help educators identify whether they are English language learners (ELLs). It is a flexible, on-demand assessment that can be administered at any time during the school year.  Visit the WIDA Website for more information about the assessment Placement Test.
  • ACCESS for ELs: Schools in Pennsylvania use the WIDA developed ACCESS for ELs 2.0 assessment, which is administered to Kindergarten through grade 12 students who have been identified as English language learners (ELLs). It is given annually to monitor students’ progress in acquiring English language proficiency in academic contexts. It assesses the four language domains of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing.  Visit the ACCESS Website for more information about the assessment.
  • The District also values the data provided by classroom and special area teachers, EL teachers, administrators, and other individuals who have interactions with an EL student.