Sarasota district outlines three‑year ELL plan, monitoring and new supports; board will consider plan next week

Sarasota County Schools staff reviewed the district's three‑year English language learner (ELL/ESOL) plan at the March 4 work session and told the School Board they will submit the plan to the Florida Department of Education after the board's review.

"The plan outlines the strategies and procedures that we will use to provide an appropriate education to our ELL students, ensuring that they receive equal access to a quality education," said Megan Parenteau, identified in the presentation as the ELL supervisor, who delivered the high‑level overview.

The plan is organized into sections that include enrollment and the home language survey, placement and assessment, course credit recognition for incoming students, instructional models, statewide assessment participation and accommodations, exit and monitoring criteria, teacher training, and extensions of services. District staff said the home language survey is available in eight languages and that schools can use in‑school interpretation tools or the language line when a parent's language is not available during registration.

Staff described intake and placement procedures: school‑based ESOL staff — which can include paraprofessionals, ESOL liaisons or program specialists — administer the WIDA screener and place students according to established thresholds; an ELL committee can convene to recommend supports when school staff deem them necessary.

On monitoring, the district said students exited from ESOL are monitored for two full academic years; staff will re‑enter students if data and teacher feedback indicate continued need. "Students who are exited from ESOL are monitored for another 2 full academic years to make sure that they're continuing on a path of success," Parenteau said. Staff also said the district's goal is for students to exit the ESOL program by year six, with extensions considered when language proficiency or other factors warrant continued supports.

District leaders described resources and instructional supports: the district uses Imagine Learning and an "Elevation" teacher resource platform to provide individualized instruction and compliance tracking; Elevation is being piloted with ESOL liaisons and the district said it will reduce paperwork burden and free liaisons to work directly with students and teachers. The presentation said the district has used Title III funds to provide after‑school tutoring at multiple schools.

Staffing and allocation changes were discussed. Superintendent Conner said the district committed to "overstaffing" ESOL paraprofessionals and liaisons in about 10 schools to avoid losing positions during budget allocation cycles; the presenters said that commitment represents an allocation that approaches seven‑figures. District staff said most incoming ELL students arrive at the elementary level and that interrupted‑education cases at the high school level are rare this year (fewer than five such students were reported).

Board members asked about parent engagement and event timing; the ELL supervisors said schools track family nights with agendas and sign‑in sheets and many schools use virtual family events and daytime sessions to reach parents who cannot attend evening events. Board member Edwards asked whether the district captures parent feedback from events; presenters replied that schools submit sign‑in sheets and parent input and that the ESOL department stores those records.

No board action was taken at the workshop. The district said it will present the ELL plan for board approval at the regular board meeting next Tuesday; staff said any changes requested by the Florida Department of Education would lead to amendments and resubmission to the board.

The district named several staff and programs that support ELL students, including ESOL liaisons, program specialists, Imagine Learning and the Elevation platform.