Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE)

Minnesota ‘s Learning English for Academic Proficiency and Success (LEAPS) Act of 2014 outlines the responsibilities of school districts to provide education to English learners that is comprehensive and equitable.  The guidance requires districts to identify and confirm each student on the list of potential SLIFE qualifies for the SLIFE designation. SLIFE identification is an annual designation for the purpose of reporting and monitoring on the academic and linguistic progress of SLIFE.

As of June 2016, Saint Paul Public Schools, Office of Multilingual Learning will use the Student Support Data Collection (SSDC) system to collect and record SLIFE identification data.

Schools and the district will monitor students throughout the school year. If a student meets SLIFE criteria at any point during a given school year, the student is to be identified as SLIFE for the duration of the school year. Student who no longer meets one of the SLIFE criteria will be reclassified as no longer SLIFE eligible.  

SLIFE Definition

Students with limited interrupted formal education (SLIFE) make up an important subset of English learners. The Minnesota Learning English for Academic Proficiency and Success (LEAPS) Act defines SLIFE as an English learner with an interrupted formal education who meets three of the following five requirements:

1. Comes from a home where the language usually spoken is other than English, or who usually speaks a language other than English.
2. Enters school in the United States after grade 6.
3. Has at least two years less schooling than the English learner's peers.
4. Functions at least two years below expected grade level in reading and mathematics.
5. May be preliterate in the English learner's native language.
   (Minn. Stat. § 124D.59, Subd. 2a) 

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For more information on SLIFE, please email: MLL.info@spps.org