Seattle Public Schools

Bilingual Student Services
Teaching and learning at Seattle Public Schools are enriched by the diversity of our students and staff. We enroll students from more than 70 countries, and more than 129 languages are spoken in our schools. Our goal is to provide a range of services that assist bilingual students and their families to feel welcome at school and support students’ academic success.
Our services include English language programs, bilingualinstructional assistants who support students with limited English proficiency, and assistance with referrals to health care, employment, and legal services. OurBilingual Family Center, located at Aki Kurose Middle School Academy, employs multilingual staff whocan enroll your children inan appropriate educational program and inform you about schoolpolicies and requirements.
In the United States, family involvement in education and in the school community is considered an importantelement ofacademic achievement.In Seattle Public Schools, we value the diversity of Seattle families and welcome their unique talents, wisdom, and cultural backgrounds in our schools.Please join usin becoming an active partner inyour child's education.
English Language Learning Programs
New bilingual students are tested for English proficiency as soon as they enroll. Depending on the test results and their level of knowledge of the English language, they are offered one of the following three options: Bilingual Orientation Center, ELL Center School, or mainstreaming.
Bilingual Orientation Center (BOC) This option is for those students with the least knowledge of English. Younger students attend an Elementary BOC. Older students (grades 6-12) attend the Secondary BOC. At the BOCs, students receive focused instruction in learning English while studying language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and the rest of the required curriculum. Students typically remain in a BOC for one or two semesters then transfer to an ELL Center School.
English Language Learning (ELL) Center Schools Most Seattle schools have an ELL or ESL (English as a Second Language) program, in which students new to the U.S. receive additional English language instruction. In some schools, students learn English and study the regular curriculum in their ELL program. In other schools, students attend a separate ESL class once a day.
Students who have completed a program at a BOC usually are transferred to an ELL Center school. Students may receive help in their home language from a Bilingual Instructional Assistant who can translate homework instructions, help the student understand assignments, and explain English concepts and vocabulary.
Mainstreaming Students who already speak English well or who become highly proficient in English are mainstreamed, that is, assigned to regular classes with no special instruction in the English language.
Teachers and Instructional Assistants Seattle Public Schools employs specially trained ELD (English Language Development) teachers in its bilingual programs. In addition to providing ELD instruction, these teachers typically instruct students in one of the required curriculum subjects, for example, social studies, science, or mathematics. They also maintain student records, prepare progress reports, administer tests and assessments, and coordinate bilingual instructional assistants, tutors, and other staff who may assist in or outside of the classroom.
Bilingual Instructional Assistants (BIAs) provide instruction and academic support to the students in their native language. They also communicate with the students' families regarding student progress, school events, parent concerns, conferences, and other relevant topics. A school is assigned Bilingual Instructional Assistants if there are sufficient numbers of students at the school needing bilingual services.
Community Partnerships
We work closely with many community and nonprofit organizations to provide additional services to immigrant students and families. Programs include after-school tutoring for students, ESL (English as a Second Language) classes for adults, computer and job skills classes, and assistance with locating health, legal, childcare, and work resources.
One of our partners is the Consulate of Mexico in Seattle. Seattle Public Schools is one of only a few school districts in the United States that provides elementary and secondary certification programs for Spanish-speaking adults in a program co-sponsored by the National Institute for Adult Education of Mexico. For more information, see Adult Literacy Program in Spanish.
Some of our other partners include . . . Seattle Public Library, Somali Education Task Force, Chinese Information and Service Center, SeaMAR University of Washington American Ethnic Studies, and Latino Coalitions are among our many community partners to date.