• ESOL Program Goals

    The English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program goals are to help students obtain English language proficiency and to meet grade appropriate academic achievement standards for grade promotion and graduation.

    The program assists students to succeed socially and academically in all four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing).

    The ESOL Program is federally mandated and was established to ensure equal access to the system's instructional program for those students who have limited English proficiency.

    Program Description

    Elementary students participate in general classes and receive ESOL instruction based on each student's proficiency level and grade level. Small group instruction is designed to develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in English.

    Middle and high school students are scheduled into classes where they are provided extra language support. Some high school students also spend a portion of their school day in self-contained intensive English classes or content-based ESOL. All students participate in general electives. The scheduling of classes is based on the grade level and English language proficiency of the ESOL student.

    Enrollment Procedures for English Language Learners

    All students enrolling in Hart County Schools are surveyed to determine language background. ESOL instructional support will be provided after the student qualifies according to the WIDA-ACCESS Placement Test (W-APT). English Learners assessed annually on the state-adopted English proficiency measure, Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State (ACCESS), to determine continued eligibility.