EL Services Eligibility

  • The education of students whose dominant language is not English and/or are English language learners is the responsibility of every school district/charter school in the Commonwealth. Title 22, Chapter 4, Section 4.26 of the Curriculum Regulations requires that the school district/charter school provide a program for every student who is limited English proficient (LEP) or an English language learner (ELL). The regulation states:

     

    "Every school district shall provide a program for each student whose dominant language is not English for the purpose of facilitating the student's achievement of English proficiency and the academic standards under § 4.12 (relating to academic standards). Programs under this section shall include appropriate bilingual-bicultural or English as a second language (ESL) instruction."

     

    To comply with this requirement, a school district must provide the student with a planned program of English as a second language instruction (ESL) to facilitate the acquisition of English language skills and provide an instructional program appropriate to the student's developmental and instructional level. 

     
    Students who are tested to receive ESL instruction are identified when a language other than English is noted on the Home Language Survey.  Once the WIDA-ACCESS Placement Test (W-APT) is administered, and a student qualifies for ESL instruction, instructors focus on assisting each student to develop English language proficiency. Instruction is provided only in English.  ELL teachers support classroom teachers in making appropriate accommodations for the ELL students in their classrooms.