To assist schools that provide services in support of high academic success of limited English proficient (LEP) students.

“ELD” means English language development, the teaching of English language skills to students who are in the process of learning English. The content of ELD emphasizes the English language itself, which is how you distinguish it from other types of instruction such as math, science, or social science. ELD instruction focuses on pronunciation, the internal structure and forms of words, English word order rules, and how to use English in different situations and contexts.

The goal set forth in Arizona law is for ELLs to become fluent English proficient in a year.

English language learners will receive a required minimum of fours hours per day of English language development during the first year a student classifies as an ELL.

Elementary teachers providing ELD in Structured English Immersion classrooms must have their Standard Elementary Teaching Certificate. They must be Highly Qualified as defined by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Additionally, they must have a Structured English Immersion endorsement or English as a Second Language endorsement, or a Bilingual endorsement.

We will place students in appropriate grouping for SEI Classrooms in the English proficiency levels and grade levels of the English Language Learner.

The length of the ELL program is two years. However, a student can test out of the program through the AZELLA (Arizona English Language Learners Assessment). When English learners have acquired a good working knowledge of English and are able to do regular schoolwork in English, their classification as English learners changes. Students will then transfer to English language mainstream classrooms.

Students remain in the English Language Learners program until they attain proficiency on AZELLA regardless of proficiency level or tenure in the program.

Yes, the state of Arizona requires all students to participate in the AIMS program.

A parent may withdraw his/her child from the entire ELD program and have the child placed in a mainstream classroom. The parent must complete a Parent Request for Student Withdrawal from an English Language Learner Program. The parent can also request an alternative to English Language Education by completing a Parental Waiver Application. The parent must complete the application annually.

As a parent, you are making a conscious choice to consider participating in the English language development program. Parent involvement is critical in meeting the successful implementation of an English immersion program.

Parents of English language learners will not incur a cost when enrolled in the program.

Parents can speak with their child’s teacher, principal, ELL coordinator, or the Associate Superintendent of Educational Services if they have questions or concerns related to the program.