What is Title III?
Title III is a part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA). The purpose of Title III is to help ensure that English learners (ELs) attain English language proficiency and meet state academic standards.
What is the definition of an English Learner (EL)?
An EL is an individual who is aged 3 through 21 and has enrolled, or preparing to enroll, in an elementary school or secondary school. The individual also meets one of the following criteria:
- was not born in the United States, or whose native language is a language other than English
- is a Native American or Alaska Native, or a native resident of the outlying areas; and comes from an environment where a language other than English has had a significant impact on the individual’s level of English language proficiency (ELP)
- is migratory, whose native language is a language other than English, and who comes from an environment where a language other than English is dominant
- has difficulties in speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English language, that may be sufficient to deny the individual:
- the ability to meet the challenging state academic standards
- the ability to successfully achieve in classrooms where the language of instruction is English
- the opportunity to participate fully in society
How do the C-Pen Reader 2 and LingoPen successfully align with Title III?
Consistent use of the C-Pen Reader 2 boosts students’ reading confidence in their new adopted language while removing the need for a human reader reliance. It promotes independent study, builds vocabulary development, and improves pronunciation.
The LingoPen was designed for students acquiring English as a second language
Using the pen helps integrate academic language for students and promotes an inclusive learning opportunity that helps students participate with their peers, helping to lower the affective filter while increasing literacy skills.
Features used by the ESL educators are:
The Built-in Dictionary: The dictionary scans vocabulary words, or words a student struggles with, and provides definitions aloud and on screen. This drastically improves student vocabulary
Voice Recorder: Teachers can record daily lesson plans and instructions for students before class, allowing them to discreetly listen to instructions multiple times at their desks; students then develop the confidence to raise their hand to answer questions. Reading Specialists & Tutors record themselves reading vocabulary words and pronouncing them so the student can study by replaying them as many times as needed. The pen records audio which allows for fluency progress checks.
Scan to Computer function: Students manage their time and increase productivity by scanning printed text from a worksheet or textbook directly into a Google or Word Document on their laptop or other device. Study habits improve and notetaking is simplified. Administration maximizes their technology investment by bridging the gap between hardware and printed resources.
Additional Resources
English Language Acquisition State Grants – Title III, Part A https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-offormula-grants/school-support-and-accountability/english-language-acquisition-state-grants/
NCELA has programs sponsored by offices in the Department of Education as well as other departments and agencies. The list can be found here
Title III State Formula Grant Program provides federal funds to the states for the education of English learners. States are required to demonstrate that EL students are proficient in state content and achievement standards in mathematics, reading or language arts, and science, and that these students are progressing in their proficiency of the English language. Find your state specific details here
Relevant legislation Non-Regulatory Guidance on Title III, English Learners, and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by ESSA.
Dear Colleague Letter on “English Learners and Limited English Proficient Parents,” to help state and local education agencies understand their legal obligations under federal civil rights laws can be found here
U.S. Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition has since published the English Learner (EL) Tool Kit (and updated it as necessary per ESSA), which follows the 10-section structure of the DCL, and offers key points.