In an effort to provide appropriate instruction for all students, the state of Illinois requires that any student who speaks a language other than English or lives in a home where a language other than English is spoken be given an English language screening assessment. The purpose of the assessment is to determine if the student qualifies for the English Learner (EL) support program.
Learn more by visiting the Assessment Center page.
Students that qualify for program services through an English language proficiency screening receive language support at their base school.
Students receive varying levels of language and content support based on their English proficiency level, as well as their academic and language needs. The majority of the instruction takes place in the general education classroom with push-in support from the English Learner (EL) resource teacher during guided reading or writing time. Support can also be provided through one of our Dual Language or Immersion programs.
As an English Learner, your child receives an English Language Development report each trimester. The report is completed by your child’s EL Resource teacher and shares information regarding their progress in developing proficiency in the areas of listening, speaking, reading and writing. The steps for viewing your child’s report through the Parent Portal are described here: English Language Development Report video.
To learn more about the English Learner Resource Program, including recordings from the most recent English Learner Kindergarten Night, visit the EL Resource Program page.
Dual Language and Immersion are programs of choice that are available for all students in District 54. Dual Language classes at the elementary level are composed of approximately 50% English or other language proficient students and 50% Spanish or Japanese-proficient students. Chinese Immersion is a one-way immersion experience where the vast majority of students have no prior experience or proficiency in the Chinese language. Dual Language and Chinese Immersion teachers and the English partner teachers foster high academic achievement by teaching the two target languages through content. These programs seek to develop academic and cultural competence and bilingualism for students from kindergarten through eighth grade.
Learn more by visiting the Dual Language and Immersion Programs page.
Students can select Spanish as a World Language elective at the junior high level. Classes include Spanish 1 and 2, Honors Spanish 1, and Pre-AP Spanish and Japanese.
Learn more by visiting the Junior High World Language Electives page.
You are invited to be a part of the Multicultural Parent Advisory Council (MPAC), a group of parents, community members and staff who work together to support students in the District 54 English Learner (EL) program and their families.
The goals of MPAC are