Title III/ESOL
Title III is responsible for the oversight of the language instruction of limited-English proficient and immigrant students. This is accomplished by:
- administering grant programs that help children develop proficiency in English and achieve high content standards;
- recommending policies and promoting best practices for meeting the needs of English language learners;
- strengthening collaboration and coordination among federal, state, and local programs serving English language learners; and
- monitoring funded programs and providing technical assistance that addresses outcomes and accountability.
ESOL Program Goals and Objectives
The goal of the Chesterfield County School District’s English to Speakers of Other Languages Program (ESOL) is to provide equal educational opportunities to students who have a primary or home language other than English. The primary focus is to provide and English-rich environment to move Multilingual Learners (ML) toward proficiency in English. Additionally, our mission is for student
s to achieve the South Carolina College and Career Readiness Standards and graduate prepared for success.
The Chesterfield County School District strives to create a learning environment that encourages student pride in their cultural heritage and provides the cognitive and affective support to help students. The district utilizes the English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Guiding Principles developed by the South Carolina Department of Education to ensure that Multilingual Learners are correctly identified, educated and assessed. The English proficiency level of the student determines the ESOL services that are provided to MLs in the least restrictive age-appropriate environment. Currently the district employs six certified ESOL teachers that work across the district to provide instruction as well as support mainstream teachers who work with MLs. The ESOL program, beginning in kindergarten and continuing through high school, provides each ML the opportunity to be successful in academic areas and to develop listening, speaking, reading and writing proficiency.
Learning Objectives
· Identify and assess all students whose native or home language is other than English
· Provide instruction to all students who do not understand, speak, read or write English
· Assess and monitor the academic progress of MLs with an ongoing evaluation process
· Develop the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing
· Provide an opportunity for MLs to function comparably with their English-speaking classmates after the appropriate level of assistance
· Create a learning environment that will provide for cognitive and affective needs
· Promote cultural awareness in the ESOL classroom as well as the mainstream classroom and throughout the school
· Support the curriculum and instruction of the regular classroom as appropriate to the developmental stage of the student
· Provide staff development in appropriate instructional and assessment strategies for principals, guidance counselors, teachers and other school personnel, as needed, on the language and cultural needs of MLs
· Communicate instructional goals and expectations to parents and encourage them to support their children’s progress and encourage family outreach
· Hire and maintain sufficient staff to provide MLs with an equal educational opportunity
· Exit students from the program when their language abilities are educationally appropriate for the mainstream classroom using SCDOE criteria
· Readmit students who demonstrate a continued need for ESOL support
(Click the image above for more information from the SC Dept. of Education.)
Language Access
Information for Limited English Proficient (LEP) Parents and Guardians and for Schools and School Districts that Communicate with Them