This is a perfect illustration of the problem with the TJ admissions system. Either they're admitting a bunch of kids who aren't fluent in English and setting them up to struggle, or they're giving bonus points to kids who are fluent and don't in any way deserve bonus points, but basically check a diversity box. I'm 99.9% sure it's the latter and not the former.

So, OP, I bet your kids are considered English Learners and will get the bonus points for TJ admissions. They honestly don't deserve those points and may steal admissions slots from kids who had higher scores. But, hey. FCPS gets to brag about admitting a large number of "English Learners" into TJ.

NP. I'm not sure if your DC qualifies or not but I don't think it would be dishonest to check that box if/when he applies. They would make their own determination.

Anonymous wrote:What was your child’s score? If your child gets a 4.4 he has exited and is no longer considered an ESOL student and would no longer take WIDA. You didn’t mention if he took it more recently. You should have gotten notifications from your school.
Easiest thing to do is contact your child’s school if you’re unsure of ESOL status.

Overall score in 2019 was 3.0 and 4.7 in 2020.
Also from the FCPS TJ admissions policy:
https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/CEHHLJ490428/$file/R3355.pdf

3. Methods and Instruments of Measurement
(a) In addition to each applicant’s academic record, including GPA and
coursework, admissions evaluators will consider:
(1) Applicant responses to one problem-solving essay question.
(2) Applicant responses on a student portrait sheet.
(3) Background of educational challenges, specifically whether students are
(or were) identified as English language learners, economically disadvantaged,
or eligible for special education services.

So from my understanding and according to this policy, since my kid took WIDA for 2 consecutive years, he still falls under this category..

What was your child’s score? If your child gets a 4.4 he has exited and is no longer considered an ESOL student and would no longer take WIDA. You didn’t mention if he took it more recently. You should have gotten notifications from your school.
Easiest thing to do is contact your child’s school if you’re unsure of ESOL status.

I logged into SIS and I see he took WIDA in 2019 and 2020 (i.e. 1st and 2nd grade). However I cannot access the kindergarten report card, the available report cards in SIS only go back until 2020.. Can we somehow request copies of the older report cards?
But based on what you said, the existence of WIDA alone is sufficient to be considered ELL..

It all depends on how you filled out the Home language survey (it’s just on the registration form now but it used to be a separate form) if there’s anything other than English, your children would have been given a screener in Kindergarten. If he qualified for ESOl services, you would have received notification and your kids would be required to take a yearly language test called WIDA until they score high enough to exit ESOL. Again, you would have received notification. Also, you can check their report cards as ESOL status would be indicated on there.
If none of the above apply, your kids are not considered ELLs as defined by the county/state. Your kids are fully proficient in English. Hope that helps.

According to the official criteria for TJ application
https://www.fcps.edu/registration/thomas-jefferson-high-school-science-and-technology-admissions/tjhsst-freshman
the "experience factors" include "English Language Learners".

We are a family of immigrants. We came here when my kids were K and 2nd grade. None of my kids spoke any English word.
My older kid got ESOL classes for 3 months or so, as he picked up the language very quickly. Now at 7th grade, he was nominated as a "young scholar" (I assume because he got ESOL back in 2nd grade?)
My other kid didn't get any ESOL at all in kindergarten (probably because there are no ESOL classes offered for kindergartners?)
Today both of my kids are effectively bilingual.

So how is an "English Language Learner" defined for TJ application purposes? Would my older kid get this "badge" but my younger kid would not just because he didn't get any ESOL? (although he didn't speak English either when we immigrated?)

Thank you