English Language Learner (ELL) Program

The ELL Program is a federally funded program for students who either speak a language other than English, or whose parents speak another language at home. Approximately 10% of the student population in the Quillayute Valley School District are qualified for services from our ELL Program. Among the languages that our students speak include: Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Ukrainian, Mam, and Cakchiquel. A student who is new to this country with no English language skills is expected to take from 5 to 7 years to be up to grade level in English. For a student starting in kindergarten, this may be a faster process. For students who come into school at 5th grade or higher, the process can take longer. Even when a student seems to have age appropriate oral language skills, he/she can still be 3 or more grade levels behind in reading, writing and other subjects because those skills take longer to learn.