English as a Second Language: Statement of Findings and Policy Recommendations.

Designed to provide information and guidelines for the formation of policy on English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction in the California community colleges, this report to the Board of Governors offers policy recommendations and reports on the findings of a survey of community college ESL offerings. Section I provides background information, discusses the sources of legislative authority for the provision of ESL instruction, and underscores the need for Board action in light of demographic trends and projections. Section II describes the methods used to gather information upon which to base the policy construct for ESL. After section III defines ESL in terms of its sociological setting and purposes, section IV offers eight recommendations for future policy covering areas such as course classification, criteria for credit/noncredit offerings, ESL assessment practices, course content equivalencies, program articulation, data collection, and ESL instructor training programs. Finally, section V presents findings from the field survey, on course offerings; student assessment, identification, and placement practices; funding sources; support services; and staffing patterns. Appendices include information on ESL tests and testing; criteria for placement in beginning, intermediate, and advanced ESL; a rationale for the transferability of community college ESL courses to four-year colleges; guidelines for desirable competencies for ESL teachers; and detailed survey findings. (LAL)