Title III, Part A - Language Instruction for English Learners and Immigrant Students

Title III is a federally funded program which provides eligible Local Education Agencies (LEAs) with subgrants to provide supplemental services for ELs (English Learners).   English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) is a state funded instructional program for eligible English Learners (ELs) in grades K-12.  Both ESOL and Title III hold students accountable for progress in English language proficiency and evidence of attainment of English language proficiency sufficient to exit ESOL services.  A portion of Title III funds are used to pay a ESOL Coordinator (75%) who delivers professional learning to the ESOL teachers and regular education teachers of ELs to ensure they meet these challenging standards.  The remainder of the funds support  the 500+ EL population with supplemental materials and services.

The ESOL Program is a standards-based curriculum emphasizing social and academic language proficiency. The curriculum is based on the integration of the WIDA Consortium English Language Proficiency Standards with the Georgia Performance Standards. This integration will enable English Learners (ELs) to use English to communicate and demonstrate academic, social, and cultural proficiency. It is critical that instructional approaches, both in ESOL and general education classes, accommodate the needs of Georgia’s ELs. To the extent practicable, it is appropriate to use the home language as a means of facilitating instruction for English language learners and parental notification.

WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards

Information and resources for implementing the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) English Language Proficiency Standards:

• WIDA Consortium Website
• WIDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards
• WIDA Can Do Descriptors
• ACCESS for ELLs Score Reports
• ACCESS for ELLs Score Report - Interpretive Guide