Educational decision making for English language learners requires procedures for identification, assessment, and proper program placement. Collaborative planning among teachers, administrators, counselors, and parents to determine the processes and timelines for identification and assessment, placement, program implementation and program evaluation, and the reclassification and/or exit status is essential for the success of English language learners.

While the State of Mississippi does not have statutes in place regulating specific language instruction educational programs and services for English language learners, the MDE, in conjunction with federal guidelines regarding students limited in English proficiency, provide guidance school districts need to identify, assess, place and review program effectiveness.

There is a five-step process for identifying and placing ELL students in an appropriate language program that assures them of an equitable, quality education. Because consideration of the students' first (L!) and second language (L@) proficiency is crucial for decision making, special attention is given to the processes for conducting language proficiency assessments. The five steps can be found in the Guidelines for English Language Learners (2005), and they are:

• administering a home language survey; (page
• assessing the ELL student's language proficiency level;
• notifying the ELL student's parents;
• placing the ELL student in an appropriate grade and language instruction education program;
• evaluating program effectiveness.