PHOENIX — Legacy Traditional Schools (LTS) has entered into a resolution agreement to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the U.S. Department of Education announced on Thursday.
LTS is a network of 22 charter schools around Arizona.
The office identified multiple violations by LTS that the agreement is expected to resolve.
Some of the findings by the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights showed that LTS failed to identify English learner (EL) students in a timely manner or to adequately notify their parents of their EL status and their ability to receive or opt out of LTS' English Language Development (ELD) program.
The office also found that LTS did not adequately monitor the academic progress of current and former EL students to determine if they were able to participate meaningfully in LTS’ standard instructional program both during and after exiting the EL program.
To resolve the violations and concerns, LTS agreed to the following:
- Timely identify EL students and place them in LTS’ ELD program.
- Notify EL students’ parents of their child’s language needs and ELD program option.
- Provide all EL students with daily targeted ELD based on their level of English and integrated ELD to help them meaningfully access core content instruction.
- Train teachers of targeted and integrated ELD to instruct EL students effectively.
- Ensure that ELD instructional materials are appropriate and comparable in quality, availability, quantity, and age or grade level to those provided for non-EL students.
- Monitor the academic progress of all current EL students, including those who opted out of EL services, and offer struggling opt-out students a chance to opt in.
- Monitor the academic progress of each former EL student consistently on a form to identify any persistent language barrier that may merit offering EL services again.
- Observe ELD teachers’ classes and lesson plans to ensure that all EL students receive targeted and integrated ELD, and when they do not, promptly provide ELD.
- Evaluate each LTS school’s EL program for success and modify unsuccessful ones.
- Notify employees of the interpreter and/or translation needs of parents with LEP and provide them with free and timely interpreter and/or translation services.
- Provide essential information (e.g., enrollment forms) to parents in English and Spanish and notify other parents how to obtain free translations or interpreter services.
- When necessary to ensure meaningful communication, provide free translation or interpretation, using qualified translators and interpreters, for parents with LEP.
“Through this agreement, Legacy Traditional Schools in Arizona commits to make its education programs equally available to English Learner students and to ensure that parents with limited English proficiency can meaningfully participate in their children’s education,” said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon. “OCR looks forward to continuing work with Legacy Traditional Schools to correct practices that had denied students the access to education that is their civil right.”
Legacy Traditional School provided the following statement to ABC15:
“This federal OCR report is not reflective of Legacy Traditional Schools' daily dedication to providing our students with the best possible education. We are proud of our diverse student communities and academic record, including “A” and “B”-rated schools that are consistently among the state’s strongest performers. It is worth noting Legacy voluntarily entered into a resolution agreement, and this federal review did not result from a complaint from one of our students or families. Additionally, Legacy’s practices align with Arizona state law, and reviews of our English Learner (EL) program by the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) confirm compliance with state requirements. That said, we are working with our federal partners to resolve the issues raised – including making certain appropriate resources are devoted to our EL students and their families."
