ESL/Bilingual Program

Bilingual & ESL Programs

Bilingual Education Overview (PreK- 5th Grade)

Bilingual education is a full-time instructional program that utilizes the student’s native Spanish language as a foundation for teaching the academic content outlined in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Student eligibility for the program is determined through the administration of Spanish and English language proficiency tests, and parent permission is required for entrance into the program. 

Bilingual education affords students of limited English proficiency an equal opportunity to master grade-level TEKS using their native Spanish language while attaining proficiency in English. The amount of English used increases as students move up grade levels, and content-area instruction is reinforced through the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS). District guidelines are implemented to ensure that the program is developmentally appropriate, that the amount of instruction in each language is appropriate, and that the students are challenged to perform at a level commensurate with their linguistic proficiency and academic potential in both languages.

Overview of the Bilingual Transitional Early Exit Program and English as a Second Language (ESL) Program

Transition Early Exit is a bilingual program model in which students identified as emergent bilingual students are served in both English and Spanish and are prepared to meet reclassification criteria to be successful in English-only instruction not earlier than two or later than five years after the student enrolls in school. 

English as a Second Language (ESL) Content-Based is an English acquisition program that serves students identified as emergent bilingual students through English instruction by a teacher appropriately certified in ESL under TEC, §29.061(c), through English language arts and reading, mathematics, science, and social studies.

English as a Second Language (ESL) Pull Out is an English acquisition program that serves students identified as emergent bilingual students through English instruction provided by an appropriately certified ESL teacher under the TEC, §29.061(c), through English language arts and reading.

Program Vision

The goal of Nederland ISD's Transitional Bilingual Education program is to enable Emergent Bilingual students to become competent in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the English language through the development of literacy and academic skills in the primary language and English.

The goal of Nederland ISD's English as a Second Language (ESL) education program is to enable English Learns to become competent in listening, speaking, reading, and writing the English language through the integrated use of content-based language instruction. 

The Transitional Bilingual Education and ESL programs shall be integral parts of the total school program. They shall address the affective, linguistic, and cognitive needs of Emergent Bilingual students.  

Bilingual and ESL Programs

Texas school districts, including Charters and Districts of Innovation, are required to provide bilingual education (BE) and/or English as a Second Language (ESL) programs as integral parts of the general program, and to seek appropriately certified teaching personnel to ensure that emergent bilingual students are afforded full opportunity to master the essential knowledge and skills required by the state. Each school district that has 20 or more Emergent Bilingual students in any language classification at the same grade level, district-wide, shall offer a bilingual education program. Currently, Nederland ISD offers the bilingual education program at Hillcrest Elementary for students Prekindergarten through 5th grade who are Emergent Bilingual and Spanish-speaking. The ESL program is offered at all campuses for students in Prekindergarten through 12th grade.