This document provides a checklist for a school referral team to use to determine if an English Language Learner (ELL) student's difficulties may be due to an underlying disability rather than a language difference. The checklist includes questions about whether the student received appropriate instruction for ELLs, intensive interventions, data on their rate of learning over time compared to peers, consultation with parents, similarities in error patterns between the student's first and second languages, and manifestations of difficulties across settings. Completing the checklist can help the team decide if a special education referral may be appropriate for the ELL student.

1. ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER (ELL) PREREFERRAL CHECKLIST
By Jarice Butterfield, Ph. D.
Directions: The school site referral team complete this checklist to help determine if the referral
of an ELL student to special education may or may not be possibly appropriate.
Yes No Has the student received appropriate core curriculum instruction that is
appropriate for EL students such as: thematic instruction, collaborative learning
opportunities, use of advance organizers, spiraled curriculum, and reading &
writing instruction
Describe:
Yes No Has the student received intensive interventions using appropriate materials and
strategies designed for ELLs implemented with fidelity over time (recommended
6 months to 1 year) and demonstrated little or no progress?
Describe:
Yes No Does the team have data regarding the rate of learning over time (compared to
like peers) to support that the difficulties are most likely due to a disability versus
a language difference?
Areas of comparison:  Academic  Social-emotional  Speech & Language
Describe:
Yes No Has the team consulted with the parent regarding learning patterns and language
use in the home?
Comments:
Yes No Are the error patterns seen in L1 similar to the patterns seen in L2 (if student has
sufficient native language skills and like comparative tools are available)?
Describe:

2. Yes No Are the learning difficulties and/or language acquisition patterns manifested over
time similar in different settings and in different contexts (home, school, and
community)?
Describe:
Adapted from Jarice Butterfield’s ELLs With Disabilities Training Materials