Fort Wayne Community Schools English Language Learners

Fort Wayne Community Schools’ English Language Learners (ELL) program serves students who are learning English by providing English language development support in all of our schools. About 2,800 students participate in ELL programs. FWCS also provides interpreting and translation services in many languages for our families, which represent over 70 languages, and consistently adds interpreters for additional languages. You can view the English Language Learners Program (Brochure)

For more information, please contact the ELL department at  260-467-2105.

Multilingual Information Line at  260.467.2009

ELL logo

ELL Information

Identification of English Language Learners

See the Student & Family Support Services section for guidance on enrolling students in Fort Wayne Community Schools.

Students whose Home Language Surveys indicate that they speak or have in their background a language other than English are assessed with the WIDA Screener to determine their level of English proficiency:

Students at English proficiency levels 1.0-4.9 qualify for ELL services, which are provided in all FWCS schools.

ELL students’ level of English proficiency is assessed annually with the WIDA ACCESS Assessment. Students are reclassified as Fluent English Proficient when they reach an overall level of proficiency of 5.0 or higher. At that point, they exit the ELL program and are monitored for two years to ensure their success.

ELL Program Goal

ELL PROGRAM FOCUS

ELL PROGRAM FOCUS

We Support and empower multilingual learners to become good at learning and good at life.

ENRICHING EVERY SCHOOL

ENRICHING EVERY SCHOOL

  • 3.400 ELL students (12% of students)
  • 85 school-based ELL teachers
  • 50 school-based ELL assistants
  • 3 district ELL instructional coaches
  • 2 ELL resource teachers
WE REPRESENT THE WORLD

WE REPRESENT THE WORLD

FWCS students and families speak over 70 different languages and come from 70 different countries.

PERSONNEL AND FAMILIES TOGETHER

PERSONNEL AND FAMILIES TOGETHER

3 full-time and 6 part-time interpreters for Spanish, Burmese, Mon and Thai languages.

ELL STUDENTS SUCCEED

ELL STUDENTS SUCCEED

Increasing number of students reach proficiency in English to exit the ELL program each year.

Ell students outperform district averages on assessments when they reach proficiency in English.

In 2018 FWCS was recognized with the first-ever Title III Indiana Distinguished School District Award for success in working with ELL students and families.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

Main Line: 260-467-2105

Multilingual Information Line: 260-467-2009

Spanish Interpreter Line: 260-467-1156

Burmese Interpreter Line: 260-467-1059

ELL Resources

Indiana Department of Education

Indiana Department of Education

Office of English Learning & Migrant Education

WIDA Logo

WIDA

English Language Development standards and resources

Colorín Colorado

Colorín Colorado

A bilingual (English/Spanish) site for families and educators of English language learners

Reading Rockets

Reading Rockets

Teaching kids to read and helping those who struggle

Ethnologue Logo

Ethnologue

Languages of the World

Dave’s ESL Café

Dave’s ESL Café

Stuff for Students

Unite for Literacy

Unite for Literacy

Children’s books with audio available in many languages