Since English is designated as the official language of the state of Georgia and the High School graduation Examination is in English, our duty is to successfully prepare our students to enjoy all postsecondary options available. This requires English. Our goal is to have students succeed socially and academically in all four language domains – listening, speaking, reading and writing. We also wish for them to understand and do well in the American culture.

Immersion in an English-speaking environment with guidance of the English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teacher and accommodations provided by all other school personnel will produce the results necessary.

English to Speakers of Other Languages is the state funded instructional program for English Language Learners in grades K through 12 (Georgia School Law Section 20-1-156 Code 1981, Sec. 20-2-156 enacted in 1985).

English to Speakers of Other Languages assists students with the acquisition of English proficiency in the four language domains of listening, speaking, reading and writing in order to comply with the No Child Left Behind Law.

ESOL students are taught daily by ESOL teachers in regularly scheduled classes. The teachers collaborate with school administrators, classroom teachers and parents to help students succeed academically.

The MCSD ESOL Team consists of 12 full-time ESOL teachers and one full-time parent liaison /interpreter serving students and families from many different languages and nations.

Students from non-native English language backgrounds are identified at registration or referred by their schools based on the information provided on the registration form. The questions answered are: 

• What was the first language the student learned to speak? 
• What language does the student speak most often? 
• What language is most often spoken in the home?

Georgia law requires evaluation for ESOL services if the response states another language. State of Georgia guidelines are followed in the identification, evaluation, placement and exiting of students into and from the ESOL program.

ESOL teachers evaluate students’ need for ESOL services with the W-APT, the state-mandated English proficiency placement test. Students from other language backgrounds are eligible for ESOL services if they score below 5.0 on the W-APT.

According to research studies it takes 5 to 7 years to acquire a language fluently in listening, speaking, reading and writing.

The length of time students receive ESOL services depends on each student’s progress. Students are reevaluated for ESOL eligibility each spring using classroom performance, ACCESS scores and CRCT scores together with classroom teacher and ESOL teacher recommendations. Parents may request exit at any time.