English Learner Advisory Committee(ELAC)

Every public school in California, grades K-12, with 21 or more English Learners (EL's), regardless of the language, must have a functioning English Learner Advisory Committee. It’s compromised of parents, staff, and community members who are responsable for advising school and district officials on programs and services for EL's, as well as communicating and voicing any concerns that need to be addressed. ELAC’s main purpose is to provide parents of EL students the opportunities to :


 

1. Learn about programs offered to their children
2. Receive training through workshops on how to be active participants and help their children succeed in school. 
3. Provide input to the principal and school staff of positive and effective strategies to teach EL's. 
4. Provide input of the most effective ways to support full participation of EL's in school activities. 
5. Provide input of the most effective ways to ensure regular school attendance. 
6. Participate in the school’s needs assessment 
7. Empower themselves and their children in order to bring about change. 

Composition Requirements

Parents of EL's must comprise the same percentage of ELAC membership as EL's
constitute of the school’s total student population. For instante, if 20% of students in school are EL's, then parents/guardians of EL's must comprise 20% of ELAC membership. The rest of the members can be parents/guardians, staff and/or community members as long as the minimum percentage requirement of EL parents is maintained.

Elections

Parents/guardians of EL students elect parent members of ELAC, and all parents have the right to vote for committee members; the committee also elects a parent member to the District English Learner Advisory Committe (DELAC).

How often does ELAC meet?