Working together with students, families, and the community, we will ensure that every student has the skills, knowledge, and desire to become a lifelong learner and to succeed in a changing world.

ENGLISH TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES (ESOL) 

Program Goals and Objectives

The ESOL Program will:

• Identify all students whose native or home language is other than English.
• Identify Limited English Proficient students/English Language Learners through a valid language test.
• Provide appropriate instruction for identified Limited English Proficient students/English Language Learners.
• Assess and monitor the academic progress of language minority students with an ongoing evaluation process and remediate those students who demonstrate a continued need for ESOL support.
• Develop the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing through an ESOL intervention curriculum.
• Support the regular classroom curriculum and instruction as appropriate to the developmental stages of ESOL students.
• To provide an opportunity for multilingual students to function comparably with their English speaking classmates after the appropriate level of assistance.
• To create a learning environment that will provide for cognitive and affective needs.
• To exit students from the program when their language abilities are educationally appropriate for the mainstream classroom.
• Provide on-going staff development in appropriate instructional and assessment strategies for principals, guidance counselors, teachers, and assistants.
• Communicate instructional goals and expectations to parents and encourage them to support their children’s progress.
• Hire and maintain sufficient staff to provide LEP/students/English Language Learners with equal educational opportunity.

ESEA Title III

Title III is responsible for the oversight of the language instruction of limited-English proficient/English Language Learners and immigrant students. This is accomplished by:

• administering grant programs that help children develop proficiency in English and achieve high content standards;
• recommending policies and promoting best practices for meeting the needs of English language learners;
• strengthening collaboration and coordination among federal, state, and local programs serving English language learners; and
• monitoring funded programs and providing technical assistance that addresses outcomes and accountability.

For additional information  http://www.ed.sc.gov/policy/federal-education-programs/esea-title-iii/

South Carolina Department of Education Complaint Resolution Procedures

• Organization of individuals may file a complaint that applies to Title III within thirty days of receiving the decision by the school district or group of districts.
• Complaints and appeals must be made in writing and they must contain a statement indicating the violation, the facts on which the statement is based, and the specific requirement of law or regulation allegedly violated.  Complaints and appeals must be filed with the State Superintendent of Education at the S.C. Department of Education, 1429 Senate Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29201.
• The SDE will confirm receipt of the complaint within ten business days and will conduct an investigation to determine the merits of the complaint.  The Deputy Superintendent will issue a final decision regarding the complaint within 60 days, except under exceptional circumstances that warrant an extension.
• The final decision of the SDE may be appealed to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.