How Does a Student Become an ESL Student?

You may be wondering how a student goes from registration to receiving ESL services. Here is a summary:

1. When a student registers for school in a given district, they are given a Home Language Survey. 
2. If the student indicates a primary language other than English, an English Language Proficiency test is administered. More information about one example- the WIDA-ACCESS Placement Test (W-APT) can be found here. Tests like this aid in making placement decisions. Students are tested in each of the four language domains--reading, writing, listening, and speaking-- and given a score of 1-6. These results are used in conjunction with other criteria, such as teacher judgment, parent request, interviews, writing samples, etc, to determine placement.
3. If it becomes evident that the student is eligible for support services, the parents/caregivers are notified and placement is given. 
4. A Program Services Plan (PSP) is developed by a committee (ESL teacher, mainstream teacher, counselor, parent, student) and includes English proficiency levels, placement, accommodations, and background information.