Increased Enrollment for the St. Louis Public SchoolsĄŻ ESOL Program

Enrollment in the St. Louis Public SchoolsĄŻ English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program has been on the rise since June. On average, ten students register every week. Refugee resettlement agencies ¨C the International Institute and Catholic Charities ¨C report that the district can expect another influx in enrollment in the coming months. Refugees from Burma and Burundi make up a large percentage of new students. There has also been a steady increase in enrollment from Hispanic immigrants.

The ESOL program provides English language instruction and content-area assistance to students K-12. A highly qualified teaching staff offers a balanced and age-appropriate program that prepares students for participation in the mainstream curriculum and in district-wide assessment. Instruction focuses on speaking, listening, reading and writing language domains. The program also strives to empower newcomer parents, educating them in their rights and responsibilities in the American educational system and supporting their roles as parents in a new culture.

The International Welcome Center is located at 3125 S. Kingshighway. For more information, contact Nahed Chapman at Nahed.Chapman@slps.org or 314-776-1686, ext. 102.