About Our Program

Mission

The mission of the Oldham County Schools English Language Learner Department is to ensure high levels of learning and success—in the classroom, school, and community—for all ELL students by providing research-based instruction within a socially and culturally supportive environment. 

Goals

• To empower ELL students and their families to be active and successful members within Oldham County Schools and the community.
• To collaborate effectively with teachers and support staff ensuring ELL students and their families receive equitable opportunities and resources.
• To promote cultural awareness and to cultivate an appreciation of diversity.

Overview

Oldham County initiated its English Language Learner (ELL) program in the fall of 1996.  Since then, the program has grown, and now serves roughly 300 students representing approximately 30 different first languages.  ELL students are enrolled in every school throughout the district, participating in a variety of instructional models to help students as they gain English across the four domains of language (speaking, listening, reading, and writing).

Upon entry into Oldham County Schools, each eligible student is assessed for his/her English competency, using the WIDA Screener.  ELL students are re-assessed annually to determine yearly progress toward state benchmarks for English language proficiency. ELL and school staff use assessment results from ACCESS for ELLs, to design a Program Services Plan (PSP) for each student.  Parents are invited to attend the PSP meeting, along with the students’ teachers, administrators, ELL Building Coordinators, and the ELL teacher.

At the elementary level, students who participate in the ELL Program attend one of four ELL Cluster schools (La Grange, Centerfield, Crestwood, or Goshen), with transportation provided for students who live outside the cluster for a specific cluster school.  At the middle and high school level, the most recently arrived English Learners, with English proficiency at the Entering or Beginning levels, may attend the ELL Newcomer Center and will be bused from their home school to this central campus for the morning portion of each school day.  This allows for intensive English instruction five days a week.  These Newcomer students participate in afternoon classes on the OCHS/OCMS campus.  Students in all ELL settings receive explicit English language development instruction appropriate to their level of English language proficiency, with the goal that all English learners will have opportunities to access and demonstrate learning in ways that are equitable to their native English-speaking peers.

Oldham County Schools Lau Plan

English Classes for Adults