Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

November 12, 2020

#EdEquityVA Special Message

The following special message includes an important announcement from the Office of Equity and Community Engagement.

The Office of Equity and Community Engagement is pleased to share the Virginia Department of Education's definition of SLIFE, or students with limited or interrupted formal education.

A student with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE) is a English Learner that:

• Enters or re-enters a school in the United States at or after the age of 8; AND 
• Is identified at English Language Proficiency (ELP) Level 1 or 2; AND
• Has at least 2 years less schooling than their similar-age peers.

The definition above is responsive to the intent of Virginia Senate Bill 933 and specifies the priority group of SLIFE students.  

VDOE also recognized that the legislation, in part, was meant to better understand and address a specific subset of SLIFE students, namely those older students entering into high school later than their similar-age peers and who have not had access to comparable schooling for such an amount of time that jeopardizes their chance for graduation within the allotted time. With this in mind, VDOE also developed a more narrow definition in order to identify this priority group of SLIFE students.

A late-entry high school English learner student with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE) meets the following:

• Enters a school in the United States after age 15; AND  
• Is identified at English Language Proficiency (ELP) Level 1 or 2; AND
• Has at least 2 years less schooling than their similar-age peers.

Have you joined the #EdEquityVA Community of Practice?

Often times, we share this type of news in our Community of Practice (CoP) first. This collaborative professional learning community is meant to engage equity leaders in school divisions across Virginia in collective processing to solve equity problems without having to "reinvent the wheel." There, we house information unique to equity leaders. In order to be added to this private group, please provide your information via this interest form. To maintain the integrity of the group and in support of its intended purpose, we are looking to only add individuals directly working to support education equity in local school divisions. 

If you have any questions or experience difficulty with this form, please contact Jenné Nurse via email at jenne.nurse@doe.virginia.gov. 

CoP FAQs

What is a Community of Practice?

Communities of practice (CoP) are formed by people who engage in a process of collective learning in a shared area of interest. It is typically comprised of people who have a concern or passion for something they do and want to do it better. 

What is the purpose of the #EdEquityVA Community of Practice?

The purpose of the #EdEquityVA CoP is to provide a space for professional collaboration and learning in an informal, but meaningful way. Through the CoP, we hope to stimulate learning via authentic communication, mentoring, coaching, and self-reflection so as not to “re-inventing the wheel” as we address evolving equity concerns. Together, we can solve problems that are too challenging to tackle alone by bringing together equity leaders from all across the state and capitalizing on different perspectives.

How can I join the #EdEquityVA Community of Practice?

Fill out the interest form and it will determined if you are eligible for admission into the group. Once eligibility is determined, tentative members will receive an email indicating that they have been added to the group. 

What platform will the #EdEquityVA Community of Practice primarily use?

The #EdEquityVA Community of Practice is housed on Microsoft Teams. The unique features on the platform allow for efficient collaboration and communication among members. There are several apps within the platform available for use. 

I am not sure this is a right fit for me, who should join this CoP?

Equity leaders in school divisions across Virginia are the target audience. This may include individuals serving multiple roles, but are tasked with tackling some or all equity related concerns in local divisions. 

Is there a deadline to join?

There is no deadline to join. Potential members may fill out the interest form at any time to be considered for admission to the group; however, it will be most beneficial to individuals and the group to join as soon as possible to foster meaningful relationships and partnerships among members, as authentic engagement leads to the greatest impact in these types of groups. 

I need help/have questions, where do I direct inquiries? 

Please contact Jenné Nurse, Equity Coordinator at the Virginia Department of Education, via email at jenne.nurse@doe.virginia.gov. 

Stay Connected

To contact the Office of Equity and Community Engagment at the Virginia Department of Education, email EdEquityVA@doe.virginia.gov. 

To stay updated, check out the Virginia is for Learners website at http://www.virginiaisforlearners.virginia.gov/edequityva/.  

Follow VDOE on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter @VDOE_News & @VAis4Learners. Search #EdEquityVA for the latest from the field!

Tell your colleagues to subscribe to the #EdEquityVA Newsletter.