English Learners
Our Mission
The mission of the Suffolk Public Schools English Learner (EL) program is to equip EL students with the language skills they need to be socially and academically prepared to be successful students in Suffolk Public Schools. Our school division is dedicated to honoring and building upon the diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds of English Learners (ELs) and to ensure they achieve their fullest linguistic, academic, cognitive, and social potential.
Our EL Vision
The vision of the Suffolk Public Schools EL Department is to ensure student achievement among English Learners through the engagement of families, celebration of diverse cultures and linguistic backgrounds, and the delivery of high-quality, rigorous instruction with an emphasis on language acquisition.
Program Policies
The SPS EL Program abides by the laws, policies, procedures, and guidance of the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Virginia Department of Education. For more information you may call or visit the following sites:
-
U.S. Department of Education, (800) 872-5327
-
U.S. Department of Justice, (202) 514-2000
-
Virginia Department of Education, (800) 292-3820
Eligibility
To comply with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Limited English Proficient (LEP) students must be identified during the enrollment process. As part of the enrollment process, all parents/guardians must fill out the Home Language Survey for every child enrolling. Families registering children are assisted in completing the documents and registration materials on-site, as needed. Suffolk Public Schools uses the Home Language Survey (HLS) results to determine the need for further English language proficiency screening and possible English Learner (EL) services. If the family indicates a language other than English on the HLS, the enrolling school registrar notifies the EL building contact of the possible need for screening.