The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools provide an ESL Program for students whose dominant language is not English. The goal of this program is to develop students' English language ability as quickly as possible so that their academic performance is equivalent to native English-speaking students of the same age and grade level. The program serves both students who are beginning to learn English as well as those that have already developed a good command of spoken English but are performing below grade level in reading and writing. Depending on the age and proficiency level of the student when he/she enters the ESL program, the process may take from one to several consecutive years.

The Goal of the ESL Program

• To provide ESL students with equal opportunity and access to services so that they may increase their proficiency in English
• Ensure that ESL students, compared to native English speakers, make comparable progress as measured by on-grade-level tests administered in English

(Download a brochure on the CLDS ESL program!)

Steps for ESL Student Identification & Placement

1. All parents/guardians complete the DoDEA Home Language Survey upon enrollment.
2. Parents/guardians, if applicable, are notified that their child may qualify for possible placement in the ESL program.
3. All potential ESL students are given a language proficiency assessment unless a student's standardized test scores in reading and/or language arts exceed the 50th percentile (in which case the student does not qualify for ESL).
4. The parents or guardians are informed of the results of the assessment.
5. If the student qualifies for services, ESL instructional support will be coordinated with the regular classroom teacher. This will not require the student to leave his/her class on a regular basis. Occasionally the ESL teacher may need to consult with the student individually. (This instructional support model is best used by districts with schools that have small numbers of ESL students geographically dispersed throughout the district. CLDS meets this criteria of small numbers of ESL students in proportion to the district population.)
6. All ESL students are assessed annually to determine progress.
7. ESL students remain in the program until they meet exit requirements. After students are exited from the program, their progress is monitored for one year. Students can reenter the ESL program any time there is a need.

Acquiring social and academic (school) language is a complex process.
On the surface the ESL student may appear fluent in English, yet
struggles to read and write. ESL students are constantly facing the
challenge of learning a second language as well as acquiring the language skills
required by each grade level and each subject area.
As ESL student progress through school the language, content,
and skills continue to get more difficult.
Although a student may gain proficiency in spoken communication
in approximately two years, it can take up to six or seven years
for that same student to gain proficiency in academic language skills that
require reading and writing. With the active support of parents and teachers,
ESL students, with time, will acquire the skills needed for academic success.