English Language Support - ESL 

Mission Statement:

"At our K-12 ESL program, we are committed to empowering students from diverse linguistic backgrounds to achieve academic excellence, linguistic proficiency, and cultural fluency. Through innovative instruction, personalized support, and a nurturing environment, we inspire a love for learning while fostering confidence and inclusivity. Our mission is to cultivate globally-minded, empathetic citizens who can thrive in an interconnected world, equipped with the language skills and cultural awareness to succeed in both academic and real-life settings." 

English Language Proficiency Assessments:

Many families ask about English Language Support (ESL) for their students.  Research has shown that some students can benefit from extra language support as they are developing proficiency across multiple languages.  

Eligibility for ESL support is determined by an English language proficiency assessment done within the first few weeks of school after entering the district.  Connecticut uses both the Pre LAS and  LAS Links depending on the grade level. 

The Pre LAS consists of an oral language component and a pre-literacy component that may be used with students 3-6 years old.

The LAS Links is structured around the four major language domains of speaking, listening, reading, and writing, with a balance of constructed-responses and multiple-choice items. A combination of tasks allows for an easy way to screen students’ basic level of English proficiency.

Once eligible for support, students are assessed annually (January/February window) to measure growth towards language proficiency. Score reports will be mailed home in the spring.

Typically it takes a student 3-5 years to reach English proficiency, although academic language may continue to develop for several years after. By definition, reaching proficiency on the LAS Links only means that a student has enough English to access the content, but not necessarily at the same level or with the same rigor as their native English speaking peers. This is why having opportunities to receive extra ESL support is so important.

Language Support Model:

Language support is determined by your student's level of English proficiency, individual needs and/or learning plan.  Support may take place inside or outside of the classroom;  typically during the  DI Block (Differentiated Instruction) or through push in support within a content area block. This is a time in which many students receive various types of supports so that they are not pulled during core instruction or mini lessons. Instruction is done in English with native supports provided as needed/available for access.

Exiting ESL Support

In order for students to exit the ESL Program, and no longer receive English language acquisition support, the student must reach the state mandated exit requirements. In Connecticut, the exit requirements are an overall LAS Links Assessment score of  level 4 or 5 and a level 4 or 5 on both the reading and writing subtests. For CAAELP (CT Alternate Assessment for Language Proficiency), exit criteria is a 3 or 4 on both Productive and Receptive Modalities.

RESOURCES FROM: Connecticut State Department of Education

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