The English Language Centers (ELCs) provide intensive social and academic language support to recently-arrived English language learners in grades 7-12 (students at language levels 1 and 2 who have been in the U.S. for three years or less). The ELC program is designed to ease the transition for newcomer students while allowing them to work toward graduation standards. ELC students spend approximately 75% of the school day in intensive language classes, developing English skills while they study challenging content material such as geography, science, health, and math. The other 25% of the school day is spent in mainstream elective classes such as art, music, and physical education, allowing ELC students to interact with native English-speaking peers.

The content of ELC classes is aligned to state standards, and students earn credits that count toward graduation. ELC classes are taught by ELL-licensed teachers, and bilingual support is available for students.

ELC coursework focuses on English language development. ELC students complete a yearlong transitional math course taught by a licensed math teacher.

Most newly-arrived students complete the ELC curriculum sequence in two academic years. Upon exiting the ELC, students are mainstreamed for up to 80% of the day, reserving some time for maintenance of newly acquired English skills.

As students transition out of the ELCs, they spend time in mainstream classrooms, shifting toward more academic work in English. Level 3 students enroll in transitional health and science courses, which are taught by mainstream teachers for ELL students only.

ELL students at language levels 4 and 5 (long-term English language learners) take social studies, science, health, math, and electives courses in the mainstream; they continue to receive ELL support in academic reading and writing.

In 2007-08, ELCs are located at:

Five middle school/junior high sites

• Battle Creek Middle School
  
•  Cleveland Junior High School
  
• Hazel Park Middle School
• Humboldt Junior High School
• Washington Middle School

Four senior high sites

• Arlington Senior  High
• Como Senior High
• Harding Senior High
• Humboldt Senior High

Secondary Graduation Pathways

This year, the ELL department has been working in collaboration with the SPPS Area Learning Center (ALC), Office of Instructional Services, and counselors to revise secondary graduation pathways. The students of primary concern are English language learners who begin their education in SPPS as level 1 students in one of the three high-school ELCs. These students must meet the same graduation requirements as their native English-speaking peers; for this reason, many of these ELL students do not graduate in four years. The primary reason for this is that it is difficult for these ELL students to earn the number of credits required to graduate on time. When students enter high school at level 1, much of the ESL/ELL coursework they complete during their first two years counts only as elective credit; thus, many of these students fall behind in their graduation requirements.  
Revised graduation plans have been created for each of the high-school ELCs; these will give students the opportunity to graduate in four years along with their mainstream peers. In addition, these plans should help to lower the dropout rate for English language learners in the district