Waller Independent School District (ISD) | Success Story

Making Confident, Data-Driven Instructional Decisions with PreLAS

Early education leaders require accurate and trustworthy assessment data to help identify the best course of action for supporting their Emergent Bilingual students. In this success story, Jorge Alvarado, Bilingual/ESL Director at Waller ISD, shares how his district relies on the identification and progress monitoring data provided by PreLAS to inform decision-making about each student’s language learning journey, including program placement, interventions, and skill-building.

What challenges do you have in your district specific to language learning?

One of the problems we face with our Emergent Bilingual students is that there is not enough time during the school day to develop their academic language and content.

Why did you select PreLAS?

We have observed that preLAS is a reliable tool for assessing and describing the fluency levels of students eligible for its administration. As a district, this assessment aids in our decision-making processes concerning the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) and any necessary academic interventions.

How is PreLAS being used in your district?

In Waller ISD, we have utilized the PreLAS assessment (English and Spanish) since its statewide implementation in the 2019– 2020 school year to identify students who qualify for either bilingual or English as a Second Language (ESL) language programs. In recent years, we have also begun administering it to monitor the Spanish language progress (PM) of our Emergent Bilingual students in grades PK–2. Bilingual teachers have provided valuable feedback based on the PM reports we generate from their classes, as they use these reports to reinforce various academic skills in their students’ first language.

What aspects of the PreLAS assessment do you find particularly engaging for students ages 3–5 years old?

PreLAS contains some items with kinesthetic stimuli that students understand and respond to naturally.

Which PreLAS features are particularly important to your district? How do they address specific concerns and needs?

Since Waller ISD is a data-driven district, it’s essential to have a reliable source of results that can inform decision-making. The reports found within PreLAS give us the confidence to recommend the appropriate program and interventions that could close students’ academic and language gaps.

What about the PreLAS data and report(s) do you find most useful/beneficial?

We find each of the reports generated very helpful. The narrative portion of the proficiency report, in particular, is very useful for teachers.

How do your educators use PreLAS data/report(s) to inform classroom instruction?

Teachers use PreLAS assessments to inform classroom instruction by identifying students’ language proficiency levels, placing Emergent Bilingual students in appropriate learning environments, and monitoring their progress over time.

How do educators use PreLAS data to inform parents about their students’ language development?

Teachers provide parents with suggestions for activities that can help support their child’s language development at home. These activities may include reading together, engaging in storytelling, and practicing conversational skills, all tailored to the child’s PreLAS assessment results.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience with PreLAS?

PreLAS has instilled complete confidence in identifying students who will qualify and benefit from bilingual or ESL programs. The progress monitoring assessments also provide teachers with valuable information regarding their students’ linguistic progress.