For several years, the Multilingual Pathways Department has administered an assessment to 8th graders enrolled in world language and immersion classes and, additionally,  to students who have language background of Chinese or Spanish, but who are not studying Chinese or Spanish in SFUSD. Previously, this assessment has measured students' language competencies and placed them in the appropriate World Language courses in high school.  This process has allowed linguistically-proficient students to start in world language classes that match their proficiency level, rather than level 1 in 9th grade. 

Cancellation of 8th Grade World Language Assessment and Alternative Process

Due to the limitations of virtual instruction, we will not administer the 8th grade World Language assessment to students this year. Instead, we will make recommendations for 9th grade world language placement based on the following data:

• For students currently enrolled in an 8th grade world language or immersion course, we will use a combination of the following:
  • 1st semester 2020 world language/immersion course grades
  • Primary home language identified in Synergy
• For students with a home language of Chinese (all dialects) or Spanish who are not in a world language or immersion course, we will administer a student survey from January 19th to February 11th, 2021 to collect data that will determine appropriate placement.

School site counselors will receive a list of students to survey and should identify additional students that meet the following categories:

• Students with previous exposure or study of Chinese or Spanish who wish to demonstrate their level of language proficiency. 
• Students who attend language school or classes on weekends or after school.
• Students who were enrolled in elementary school dual language  immersion or biliteracy programs
• Newcomer and GE students with home language literacy in Chinese or Spanish. 

High School Placement Recommendation Reports

Placement recommendations will be shared with students via email and reports will be available to middle and high school staff in mid-March. The placement recommendation will be included in the Incoming 9th grade Illuminate  report shared by RPA with high schools to support scheduling. If students do not agree with the placement recommendations, they can appeal to their high school counselors. 

Immersion students interested in concurrent enrollment, also have the option of taking the CCSF placement assessment and registering for a fall 2021 CCSF advanced world language course. The CCSF assessment will be administered in 8th grade Mandarin and Spanish immersion classes.

Site To-Do’s/Logistics

• Publish the informational blurbs for students and families found in this memo below.
• Review the list of students targeted for assessment.
• Identify other students to survey who are not on the list.
• Send the survey link (forthcoming) to the additional students by February 1st.

Inform Students

(Please share with students via advisory teachers and other student announcements mechanisms)

Attention 8th Graders,  

If you speak some Chinese or Spanish, you should receive an email inviting you to complete a survey about your Chinese or Spanish language knowledge. This information will help make a recommendation about which Chinese or Spanish course is the right one for you in high school should you decide to study this language. If you speak one of these languages, and do NOT receive an email, please speak with your counselor so they can share the survey with you. Students in world language and immersion classes will not need to complete the survey. 

(Chinese translation -- forthcoming in early January)

(Spanish translation -- forthcoming in early January)

Inform Families

In early January, please communicate with families and caregivers about the changes to our assessment plan, and the administration of the survey by including the information below in your messages to families. This will be added to the site “to dos” calendar.

Dear families,

The San Francisco Unified School District offers many advanced high school courses for World Language including Chinese and Spanish. If your child is currently studying one of these languages in 8th grade, a combination of first semester grades and the student’s primary home language will be used to make a placement recommendation for high school course placement. We will not be administering the 8th grade world language placement assessment this year due to the challenges to do so during distance learning.  If your child is not in an 8th grade world language or immersion course, but  you have indicated you speak one of these languages at home, your child will receive an email with a link to complete a survey about his or her language knowledge  between January 19th and February 11th, 2021.  If your child does NOT receive an email and your child has previous exposure to Chinese or Spanish, please inform your child’s counselor so he or she may participate in the survey.  The information from this survey will inform the recommended High School language course your child should take in based on their linguistic background.

A requirement for high school graduation includes 20 credits of World Language, which equals two years or four semesters of study, yet the UC and CSU systems recommend three years of continuous World Language study. Students who continue their language studies and earn a “B” or higher in a fourth year (AP level) course may be eligible to earn the California State Seal of Biliteracy when they graduate as seniors.

Please contact your child’s 8th grade counselor with any questions you may have.

(Chinese translation -- forthcoming in early January)

親愛的家長和監護人：
 

(Spanish translation -- forthcoming in early January)

Estimadas familias,