Opening Doors: MUSD Students Recognized for Multilingual Proficiency
(Moorpark, California) May 14, 2024—It was an evening of celebration as 103 Moorpark Unified School District students were honored for meeting state and local criteria to be reclassified as being fluent in multiple languages, including English.
The annual end-of-the-year District English Learner Advisory Committee awards ceremony at Chaparral Middle School on May 9 included a performance by Chaparral’s mariachi band, student poetry reading and performances by Ballet Folklorico dancers from Moorpark High School.
“It’s always such an honor to watch our students receive their certificates and to see the pride they have in themselves and their accomplishment,” said Maribel Rangel, MUSD’s English Learner teacher on special assignment and the event organizer. “That was me growing up. That’s what I see in them. I want them to be proud of themselves and their culture and their language and not to be embarrassed that they speak a second language.”
Rangel said there are many benefits to being multilingual, especially the advantage it gives students in the working world once they graduate.
There are two requirements students must meet in order to qualify as fluent in English. The first is the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC), state tests to determine the English language proficiency of students whose primary language is not English. Students must score an overall score of 4 on the ELPAC to meet the requirement.
The second is criteria set by Moorpark Unified, which includes students’ grades as well as results on the English Language Arts portion of state tests. Students must pass the state test with a minimum score of 2.
To ensure that families of English learners are aware of the requirements, Moorpark Unified hosts five District English Learner Advisory Committee meetings throughout the school year.
Led by Rangel, the sessions provide parents and families with information about state and local criteria for students to be reclassified as English fluent, parents’ rights and the content of the state tests.
The sessions also review the district’s Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) and the parent and family engagement policy. In addition, the DELAC meetings are an opportunity for parents to seek additional support from the district, such as how to navigate the school system.
“I really love this celebration,” Rangel said. “To me, the students aren’t just getting certificates, they're opening doors to a world full of opportunities. I truly believe that their success is a reminder of how important it is to embrace different languages and cultures."