English Language Learners

  • Tarrant City Schools' program goals are grounded in the principles of language development outlined in WIDA's “The Cornerstone of WIDA’s Standards: Guiding Principles of Language Development,” as well as federal and state legal and educational guidelines. For more details, visit the WIDA website.

    TCS is committed to fostering a learning environment that encourages students to take pride in their cultural heritage while providing the cognitive and emotional support necessary for them to thrive as successful members of society. Beginning in kindergarten and continuing through high school, this program offers English language learners (ELLs or ELs) the opportunity to succeed academically while developing proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing to excel in all subjects.

    Educational Goals:

    • Ensure equal access to comprehensible instruction in all academic areas
    • Promote meaningful participation in all district programs
    • Improve English language proficiency
    • Achieve mastery of subject matter content

    Objectives:

    • Identify and assess students whose native or home language is not English within ten days of enrollment.
    • Provide targeted instruction to students struggling with understanding, speaking, reading, or writing English.
    • Continuously assess and monitor the academic progress of language minority students through an ongoing evaluation process.
    • Enhance students’ listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills through dedicated English language development instruction.
    • Offer multilingual students opportunities to interact with their English-speaking peers.
    • Create a learning environment that meets students' cognitive and emotional needs.
    • Exit students from the program once they achieve an overall composite score of 4.8 or higher on ACCESS for ELLs.
    • Monitor students for four years after they exit the program.
    • Support classroom curriculum and instruction based on students’ English proficiency levels.
    • Provide staff development to principals, counselors, teachers, and school personnel on instructional and assessment strategies tailored to the cultural and linguistic needs of ELs.

Main Contacts

  • Dr. Lora Perry

    Federal Programs Director

    perry.lora@tarrant.k12.al.us