A dual language assessment (DLA) is administered to students who have limited English proficiency (LEP) and are being considered for special education evaluations.  The DLA is a prereferral procedure conducted by ESOL/dual language assessment staff to:

• Determine LEP students' home language proficiency and skills.
• Establish LEP students' English proficiency and skills within the second language acquisition continuum.
• Identify LEP students' dominant language(s) for the purpose of further evaluation and assessment, if needed.
• Address referral concerns using second language acquisition research and an ESOL perspective.
• Recommend effective classroom strategies and interventions when needed. The dual language assessment reports provide information that will help the school determine appropriate interventions.  Reports include suggestions for effective strategies and instructional programs or approaches to meet the needs of the LEP student.  The report may also confirm the need to consider further testing. Subsequently, dual language assessment results help the school's local screening committee determine if special education evaluation should be initiated and in what language(s) further assessment should be conducted.

  Contact: Rebecca Miskell, Dual Language Assessment Team
  Leader Phone: (703) 876-5294
  Fax: (703) 208-8019
  Email: Rebecca.Miskell@fcps.edu