Our school has 1 class of ELC in 4th grade that is also the 1 class of 4-5 compacted math (the day is roughly half-and-half, with social studies part of ELC and science intermittently in the math part of the day). There are a very few kids who are only in one or the other, but the school made the switching work out just fine. The cohort seems generally happy as a group socially, as well. But the class is big because the principal wanted to tend towards including more kids who might thrive in these curricula, which is something I totally support.

The challenge with the ELC is the pacing. The kids have to do a lot of writing and the reading is heavy. However, it's perfect for students who breeze through Benchmark texts and assignments. In my opinion, the Benchmark curriculum is MUCH worse than C 2.0 and the previous MCPS written ELA curriculums. My team is departmentalized so I teach the on-level 4th grade Benchmark course in the AM and PM while my teammate has the ELC class in the AM and teaches the Benchmark ELA class in the PM.

Anonymous wrote:Is that the rule? All schools applying ELC either have a separate class or at least departmentalized for 4th and 5th grades? Only thing we heard from our school is that "we will make sure your child has a cohort of peers at same level"

Yes ELC is a separate class. Much better than Benchmark. I so wish my school was on the list to offer.

In 3rd our school did a 1 time a week pullout for reading to do Junior Great books enrichment, and in 4th it was a 5 time a week regular class for ELC.

I don't know but it was a separate class section at DC's school too. The grade rotated for math and for reading/writing and one of the reading/writing sections was for ELC. I don't know if they did ability grouping for the other classes or mixed them up.

Is that the rule? All schools applying ELC either have a separate class or at least departmentalized for 4th and 5th grades? Only thing we heard from our school is that "we will make sure your child has a cohort of peers at same level"

We've been an ELC school since the curriculum rolled out. We departmentalize in the 4th and 5th grades so kids spend one half of their day in the ELC class which is reading and writing.

Separate class.

Is this a weekly pullout enrichment or a separate class designated for students receiving ELC?

How does your school implement this program?