Multilingual Learners: Terminology

English Learner

• A multilingual student, as defined above, aged 3-21, enrolled in K-12 schools, who

• Does not meet Indiana’s criteria for English proficiency, as determined by a WIDA placement or annual assessment. 

Immigrant Student

• Student age 3-21 as of census/count date of the reporting school year and NOT born in the US or US territories, and

• Student has not been attending a US school for more than three full academic years; including kindergarten and homeschooling (pre-school does not count)

• NOTE: The age at which the student came to the United States does not affect immigrant status. 

• NOTE: Immigrant students are not always English learners and can be native English speaking

Foreign Exchange Student

• Student participating in a Foreign Exchange program agreement

• Student is not living in the US or US territory with a F1 Visa (these students are not considered foreign exchange students for purposes of reporting a foreign exchange program association record)

Former English Learner Student

• A student who met the above definition of an English learner but has since reached English proficiency via a WIDA assessment and has exited EL status. See IDOE EL Guidebook Chapter 8 for more information on exiting EL status.

Multilingual Learners

• Multilingual learner is a broad term inclusive of students of a variety of language backgrounds. Generally, Multilingual Learner refers to the following:

  • A student whose original Indiana Home Language Survey (HLS) identifies as least one of the following as ‘true’:

    • The native language of the student is other than English

    • The language most spoken by the student is other than English

    • The language spoken most often by the student in the student's home is other than English.

Refugee

• Newly arrived students who have been in the U.S. five years or less, and have refugee, asylee, or another eligible status as defined by the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). 

• Aged 0 to 18, or those 18 and older who are enrolled in high school or a high school equivalent GED program. 

• For more information on how ORR defines refugee and eligibility of services, please read ORR’s policy letter 16-01, and the Refugee Documentation Guide.