Multilingual Family Communication Templates

List of Languages

Districts may use this list of languages to support communication with families by asking a family member to point to their language.

Contact Information

Multilingual Education Program
360-725-6145

The following templates are provided to support districts in communicating with parents and families of multilingual/English learners. Districts and schools should add their own letterhead, dates, and contact information where applicable. If you experience difficulty downloading any of the languages, please contact our Multilingual Education program staff for assistance.

Home Language Survey

The Home Language Survey is required for all students registering for school in Washington State. Districts may use this template or integrate these questions into a paper or online enrollment form. More information on administering the survey is available in OSPI’s Home Language Survey Guidance.

Home Language Surveys

Notification Templates

Families must be notified when a student is first screened and placed in an English Language Development program, annually if the student continues to be eligible, and when they exit from services after demonstrating proficiency on the annual summative assessment. See this Notification Timeline for a summary of the requirements.

The following templates may be used to notify families.

Notification of Placement

Districts may use the Notification of Placement letter to notify families when students are initially placed in program based on WIDA Screener results. Notifications must be sent no later than 30 calendar days after the beginning of the school year or within the first two weeks of placement in program for students who enroll after the start of the school year.

The letter must include:

  • Screener Scores: Provide both the overall and domain scores for the student.
  • Graduation Rate for Multilingual Learners and Typical Time in Program: Data for these elements can be found in EDS in the Secure Tableau server. 
  • Program Model: Check the program model in which the student is placed. Include all other models that are offered in the district on the letter. 
Notification of Placement for Transitional Kindergarten

Districts may use the Notification of Placement for Transitional Kindergarten (TK) letter to notify families when TK students are provisionally placed in program based on their home language survey. Notifications must be sent no later than 30 calendar days after the beginning of the school year or within the first two weeks of placement in program for students who enroll after the start of the school year. TK students must be formally screened for eligibility using the WIDA Kindergarten Screener after May 1st and before the end of the school year as they matriculate into kindergarten. Families must receive the regular Notification of Placement at that time or at the start of the new school year.

Notification of Continued Eligibility

Districts may use the Notification of Continued Eligibility template to notify families when students continue to be eligible for services. Notifications must be sent no later than 30 calendar days after the beginning of the school year or within the first two weeks of placement in program for students who transfer after the start of the school year from another district in Washington state and were already eligible.

The letter must include:

  • WIDA ACCESS Score: Provide the overall score for the student.
  • Academic Progress Measures: Provide the student’s most recent ELA and Math levels based on SBA or, if not available, another district assessment.
  • Graduation Rate for Multilingual Learners and Typical Time in Program: Data for these elements can be found in EDS in the Secure Tableau server. 
  • Program Model: Check the program model in which the student is placed. Include all other models that are offered in the district on the letter.
Notification of Continued Eligibility WIDA Alternate Access

Districts may use the Notification of Continued Eligibility – WIDA Alternate ACCESS letter to notify families when students continue to be eligible for services for those tested with the WIDA Alternate ACCESS. Notifications must be sent no later than 30 calendar days after the beginning of the school year or within the first two weeks of placement in program for students who transfer after the start of the school year from another district in Washington state and were already eligible.

The letter must include:

  • WIDA Alternate ACCESS Score: Provide the overall domain score for the student.
  • Graduation Rate for Multilingual Learners and Typical Time in Program: Data for these elements can be found in EDS in the Secure Tableau server.  
  • Program Model: Check the program model in which the student is placed. Include all other models that are offered in the district on the letter.
Notification of Proficiency/Transition from ELD Services

Districts may use the Notification of Proficiency/Transition Letter to notify families that students have demonstrated English language proficiency based on the annual summative language proficiency assessment and, therefore, no longer require English language development services. This letter should be sent at the end of the school year along with the WIDA Score Report.

Notification of Tested Not Eligible

Districts may use the optional Notification of Tested Not Eligible to notify families that students have demonstrated English language proficiency based on the WIDA Screener and are, therefore, not eligible for services. This letter must be sent to families of TK students who were provisionally qualified and then screened and met the criteria.

Notification for Title III American Indian/Alaska Native Students

Districts may use the following letters to communicate with families about Title III Language & Literacy Services for American Indian/Alaska Native students: 

Visit our Title III Services webpage for more information on identification, placement, and required services for Title III American Indian/Alaska Native students.

WIDA Communication Tools

These templates may be used to notify families about upcoming WIDA ACCESS testing and to accompany WIDA ACCESS score reports. For additional WIDA family communication tools, please visit the WIDA Resource Library.

WIDA ACCESS Testing Notification Letter

This editable letter can be used to notify parents and guardians of ACCESS for ELLs test administration dates and to briefly explain what the ACCESS for ELLs assessment is and how it is used. Districts and schools should add their own letterhead, dates, and contact information. Districts can use the Title III American Indian/Alaska Native Testing Notification Letter to inform families of AI/AN students about ACCESS testing.

WIDA ACCESS Score Report Letter

The WIDA ACCESS Score Report letter contains general information about ACCESS for ELLs and the Washington state criteria for demonstrating proficiency. This optional letter can be sent with the WIDA Score Reports as an explanation for parents and families. Districts can use the Title III American Indian/Alaska Native WIDA Score Report Letter to inform families of AI/AN students about their student’s scores. WIDA also offers a WIDA Alternate ACCESS Score Report flyer in multiple languages.

Waiver of English Language Development Program

Districts may use the English Language Development Program Waiver template if a parent or guardian refuses to place their student in an English language development program. Please note, districts may NOT offer this form – parents must initiate the request.

English Language Development Program Waiver Template

 

Reclassification Support Tools

A school district's monitoring of an exited multilingual/English learner may indicate that a persistent language barrier is the cause of academic difficulty. Prior to reassessing the student, school districts should document the basis for rescreening and the parents' consent to rescreen. Use the tools below when considering whether a student needs to be rescreened on the state's screener for English learner eligibility.

Family Feedback Surveys

Districts may use these Family Feedback Surveys to solicit input from families of multilingual learners in the required evaluation of their TBIP and Title III programs.

Multilingual/English Learner Program Family Feedback Survey (Multiple-Choice)

 

Multilingual/English Learner Program Family Feedback Survey Open-Ended Questions

 

Invitation to Schedule Home Visits

Home visits are an effective strategy for engaging students and families on a personal level to strengthen relationships and support academic progress. If you are interested in setting up home visits, please see our Home Visits Toolkit. Although "home visits" are generally conducted in students' homes, the visit can take place anywhere that is convenient for everyone involved. Districts may use the template to personalize an invitation to parents in both English and the family’s home language.

Home Visits Templates