Our district offers English as a Second Language (ESL) service for all students whose native language is other than English. To determine which students might benefit from participation in our English as a Second Language program, language prescreening was conducted. Those students who were identified during the pre-screening will be more thoroughly assessed with a language proficiency test, called the WIDA Model or W-APT for Kindergarten students only, in order to determine what specific services they need.

In this program, Multilingual Learners will be able to:

* show improvement on the NJSLA and the Access for ELLs test
* provide an equal opportunity to develop the student's full potential
* develop in the student an understanding of local American customs and traditions in order to facilitate a satisfactory personal and social adjustment
* enable the student to achieve fluency and literacy in the English language and to learn to function effectively in the American culture
* encourage the student to serve as a stepping stone for his/her parents to become involved in the new community, both sharing and contributing to the community
* enable the student to develop the ability to understand spoken English, and teach him/her to become knowledgeable in literacy
* develop a sufficiently high level of English language proficiency to enable them to continue to learn in the mainstream program

If your child qualifies for the program, a letter will be sent home from your child's ESL teacher. ESL progress will be shared via a special section on the quarterly report card. We provide high quality language instruction programs that enable students to meet both state academic standards and develop English language proficiency. The language instruction educational programs supplement the requirements of N.J.A.C. 6A:15 Bilingual Education which mandates Bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. Students are assessed annually each spring through the state mandated Access for ELLs test.

Resources:
Title III-Language Instruction