Services for English Language Learners (ELL) address the unique needs of students from linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds and to help them achieve the standards expected of all students in Washington State.
The Issaquah School District uses an acceleration model that provides each student with powerful learning experiences that stress complex and engaging activities and direct teaching of the English language. Learning and skill development is accelerated, so students catch-up to their peers.
Students must meet eligibility requirements to qualify for ELL services. Eligibility is determined by the Washington Language Proficiency Test (WLPT). There are four levels of English language development determined by the WLPT. Services are available for students who are in the first three stages of language acquisition; Beginning, Intermediate or Advanced as measured by the WLPT.
Elementary ELL students receive extra help in content areas within their homeroom classroom from trained ELL Educational Assistants under the supervision of the classroom teacher. Classroom teachers take advantage of Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD), a training designed to give extra skills to teachers who have ELL students in their classrooms.
Secondary ELL services are designed to provide ELL students with focused English language development while concurrently taking the regular curriculum in English. This is accomplished by scheduling ELL students into one or more periods with an ELL trained teacher assists with the development of the student's English language proficiency.
Over 600 students receive ELL services. These students represent 51 different cultures and language groups, the most common being Spanish, Chinese, Korean and Japanese.