Multilingual Education Program
The Washington State Multilingual Education Program oversees and guides districts serving multilingual English learners with implementation of Transitional Bilingual Instruction Programs (TBIP). These programs are designed to address the unique needs of eligible students who come from linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds.
English Language Learners
As part of our registration process for new students, parents must respond to questions regarding the student’s first language. If the first language is anything other than English, the student is referred to the English Language Development program staff for testing. Access to the English Language (EL) program is determined by a student’s score on the Washington State English Language Proficiency Assessment (WELPA -Placement). Students who score as beginner, intermediate, or advanced qualify for English Language services.
The primary purpose of the English Language program is to provide students with an educational environment that gives them the best opportunity for success. The district’s K-12 English Language coursework is closely coordinated with classroom teachers and taught one-on-one or in small groups to address individual student needs. Our goal is to develop competency in English as rapidly as possible in order to provide a language base for the regular curriculum. We focus on developing oral proficiency with the integration of reading and writing as the student progresses through the various stages involved in learning a new language.
In accordance with state law, students exit from EL when they score as transitional on the ELPA21.