Anonymous wrote:It often doesn't involve the kid at all. If anyone in the house speaks another language it's ESOL. They will test out at WIDA 6 (like my kids) but the still are in the program making ESOL numbers are meaningless.

True, but they don't necessarily stay in or even go in. Be truthful on the home language survey. Mark yes if there is someone in the home who speaks another language, even if the child doesn't. The child is hearing it. What this does is flag that child for an initial assessment. If it is an incoming kindergarteners it is done during the first several weeks of school in September. If it a transfer student, you must complete your registration through a central registration office, not at the school. Then they will do an assessment and assign an ELL level, 1-6, IF NEEDED. If I remember right, a child may not even get an ELL level if it's not needed. Then as stated, if there is an ELL level, the student must take the WIDA assessment every year until tested out, even if they did not receive service. That's federal law, not FCPS. There are many languages, and many may not even be aware someone has an ELL level assigned, but parents are notified in the fall of the kindergarten ELL assessment results and are notified when the WIDA window opens, as well as test results,usually at end of year, even if they don't get service, I was a test coordinator so worked with this and the ESOL teachers for years.

If a child from a dual language home ends up with difficulties in reading and writing, you can't necessarily rule out that it isn't due to early language development. You also can't just declare them to have a learning disability. Special education testing and services can be more expensive and invasive than having the ESOL program monitor the student's literacy development.

I'm a native English speaking, white American ESOL teacher. My students are blown away that my children are ESOL because my husband is from German and we have a bilingual household. My 1st grader is a Level 6 B. He'll have WIDA testing again this year and will likely be exited.

ESOL does not always mean low SES. We live in a diverse and transient area. There will always be multi-lingual kids in our schools.

It often doesn't involve the kid at all. If anyone in the house speaks another language it's ESOL. They will test out at WIDA 6 (like my kids) but the still are in the program making ESOL numbers are meaningless.

It IS English as a Second Language. My kids are considered ESOL because parents is ESL. Language other than English is spoken at home. Funny thing...my kids only speak, read and write in English. But can understand some of the native language (not English).

FARMS rates are what matter - it indicates the poverty level of your school. FARMS (Free And Reduced MealS)

I am gringo, wife is Colombian-born but speaks 80% English/20% Spanish to DC. DC(4yo) speaks maybe 10 words of Spanish. Any advantage or disadvantage to answering yes or no on the questionnaire?

I am gringo, wife is Colombian-born but speaks 80% English/20% Spanish to DC. DC(4yo) speaks maybe 10 words of Spanish. Any advantage or disadvantage to answering yes or no on the questionnaire?

ESOL teacher here. If another language is spoken in the home by any native speakers (i.e. not "I majored in French in college, so I'm going to teach my child French), the child is classified as ESOL. There are different levels of ESOL, ranging from full-time classes, to pull-outs, to push-ins, to monitoring, to no services needed.

In FCPS, a parent fills out a Home Language Survey upon enrolling the child in school. Based on the identification of a language other than English being spoken in the home, the child will be flagged for ESOL and will take the WIDA test. Levels 1- 4 actively receive services. Levels 5 & 6 do not, but they are still on the ESOL roster/case load and are monitored by ESOL teachers. A student receiving a Level 6 placement (the highest) will be monitored for 2 years, before finally being exited. The 5s and 6s still take the WIDA every year. This is a state-directed mandate, not county.

Thanks for that information. I am not OP, but I have been wondering about this issue. I learned something today--thanks to you.