ESOL

General Information

English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) is a state-funded instructional program for eligible English Learners (ELs) in grades K-12 (Georgia School Law Code 1981, 20-2-156, enacted in 1985). The ESOL program is a standards based curriculum emphasizing academic and social language development. ESOL coursework is based upon the WIDA Consortium English Language Development (ELD) standards. Classroom teachers integrate the ELD standards with the Georgia Standards of Excellence to enable ELs to both communicate in English and demonstrate their academic, social and cultural proficiency. Instructional approaches, both in ESOL and general education classes, ensure that the needs of Georgia’s ELs are accommodated. To the extent practicable, it is appropriate to use the EL’s home language as a means of facilitating instruction and providing parents with school-related information.

Title III is a federally-funded program that provides eligible Local Education Agencies (LEAs) with funding to supplement those ESOL services already in place. Both ESOL and Title III hold school districts accountable for progress in, and attainment of, English language proficiency. Upon attainment of English language proficiency, students exit from supplemental language services.

Since 2006, Georgia has been part of the WIDA Consortium, a group now consisting of 34 member states. Together with our colleague-states, we work in close collaboration with the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER), the Center for Applied Linguistics and MetriTech to ensure that our English Language Proficiency assessment (ACCESS for ELs) and our ESOL teaching standards remain viable and valid across administration years.