Reply to ESOL in MCPS ( Elementary level)

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It depends on the ES.  And the principal.

We are at a Focus school and the principal likes to maximize the ESOL numbers.  So we have quite a few kids who speak perfectly fine English, but get put in ESOL for a few years so they get some extra attention.

[/quote]

Are you a teacher at the Focus school?  You can't maximize your ESOL numbers--the students who are eligible to be tested, as designated by the home language survey, are tested and either qualify or not.  As a test administrator, you should have no bearing on their score.  If the principal is encouraging you to alter their scores, that is a serious testing violation, not to mention unethical.

Students are not "put in ESOL."  They qualify, based on assessment, or they don't.  The home language survey is filled out by parents, and it has 3 questions: what languages are spoken in your home, what language(s) does your child speak to you and others, and what language(s) do you speak to your child.  If two out of three questions are answered with a language other than English, the student is tested.  It is harder to qualify for ESOL in kindergarten, because the test only measures listening and speaking ability.  In first grade and beyond, there are writing and reading components.  It's not a perfect test, but it's also not some blanket to just randomly put kids in ESOL against their will.  "Perfectly fine English" is often not enough.  English, like any language, is very complex and students who can easily carry on a conversation or read a primary level textbook may still need ESOL to develop their vocabulary and grammar to be on par with English-only peers.

OP, if you are looking to avoid ESOL for your child, simply answer English for those questions on the enrollment form.[/quote]

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