Note on English Language Learners (ELL)

• All ELLs who have been enrolled in an English Language School System (ELSS) for less than 2 years are not held to General Education promotion standards;
• All ELLs who have been enrolled in an ELSS for less than 3 years are exempt from testing in English. Promotion decisions for these students will be based on whether the student:
  • attains satisfactory performance in ESL literacy development or meets New York City Performance Standards in Language Arts/ESL as evidenced by student work, teacher observation and assessment/grades;
  • meets New York State Learning Standards (NYSLS) or attains satisfactory performance in Mathematics taught in the student’s native language and/or using ESL methodologies;
  • achieves a satisfactory level of proficiency in English as evidenced by the New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT);
  • achieves at or above Proficiency Level 2 on the designated standardized Mathematics test;
  • attains 90% attendance; -and-
  • for 8th grade, attains passing grades or satisfactory performance in ESL, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.
• All ELLs, who have been enrolled in an English Language School System (ELSS) for more than 3 years or whose English language skills are sufficient for them to be tested in English, will be held to the same promotion standards as general education students. If this is the case follow the proper links for grade-specific promotion requirements.