To provide a more equitable approach to English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) staffing, a proficiency-based ESOL staffing model was implemented for the first time this school year. This model provides additional ESOL staffing for beginning level ESOL students, since they need more time for ESOL instruction. A modified amount of ESOL staffing is provided for advanced level ESOL students, since advanced ESOL students receive less ESOL instructional time.

ESOL also provides additional support for ESOL students to learn academic English that is critical to their success in school. ESOL staffing has never been intended to meet all of the educational needs of ESOL students, since ESOL students are also counted and included in comprehensive staffing allocations for each school.

The proficiency-based ESOL staffing formulas shown in the table below are based on the enrollment of non-Multidisciplinary Education Training and Support (METS) ESOL students. METS students are those English language learners who have had limited or no previous schooling or significant schooling gaps due to interrupted or disrupted education. Schools that enroll additional ESOL students throughout the school year are allocated additional staffing through a reserve as resources permit. Efforts are underway to support schools in adjusting their master schedules to ensure that these resources are maximized to support ESOL instruction.