Standard of Practice for MTSS and ELs

In Atlanta Public Schools , English Learners are afforded equal access to all programs offered by the district. APS emphasizes a collaborative approach among teachers, believing that all educators play a role in supporting ELs' language development. Therefore, the Response to Intervention (RTI) Pyramid of Intervention process is applied to ELs with a focus on identifying appropriate accommodations and interventions to support their language and academic learning. ELs are considered for eligibility in all available programs based on their individual needs and potential for growth. They receive language development support alongside other types of assistance to facilitate their academic progress. For ESOL students, accommodations may be provided to support their engagement in instructional activities, tasks, and assessments. As ELs become more proficient in English, the need for accommodations typically diminishes. Similar to all students, ELs in general education classes automatically receive Tier 1 interventions. Depending on their progress and specific needs, they may also require Tier 2 interventions to effectively access and comprehend instruction. As ELs advance in both language and academic proficiency, the intensity of interventions should decrease accordingly, reflecting their increasing ability to independently engage with grade-level content and expectations.

Atlanta Public Schools developed specific guidance and conducts training on this topic. The Standard of Practice for ESOL-DLI Multi-tiered System of Supports protocol was designed to provide steps that develop a culturally and linguistically responsive Multi-Tier System of supports for Multilingual Learners that promote interdisciplinary collaboration and classroom-based interventions within the RTI framework to best serve English Learners and Dual Language Immersion students.