English as a Second Language (ESL)

All Jeffco schools offer English as a Second Language (ESL) support to the more than 5,000 English learners in our district who speak more than 100 languages. ESL staff provide additional instructional services to students who speak or understand more than one language to ensure academic success in their grade-level classrooms. ESL staff use specific strategies to support English language development in listening, speaking, reading and writing in all content areas. This includes literacy, math, social studies, science and electives.

• English learners will be at or above grade level in all content areas.
• English learners will develop high levels of academic English language proficiency.
• The ESL and Dual Language staff promote cultural awareness and family involvement and help bridge home and school cultures.

• A majority of English learners who score proficient or advanced on the annual Colorado English language proficiency test perform as high or higher on state achievement tests than their native English-speaking peers.
• English learners participate more successfully in their learning experiences because the English language instructional support they receive allows them to understand and accomplish the same grade level expectations as their native English-speaking peers.
• Students gain knowledge of their own culture as well as the cultures of others through interactions with a broad variety of people and cultural perspectives (Miramontes,Nadeau, Commins, 2011).

Welcome multilingual learners and families!

Multilingual learners contribute to a strong academic environment, creating schools where diverse communities thrive.

Jeffco's English as a Second Language (ESL) program supports multilingual learners academically and linguistically. Teachers and tutors from the Department of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (CLDE) use a range of strategies to help students who are learning English access rigorous, grade-level content while developing listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in English.