Federal Programs - Title III

General Information

English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) is a state-funded instructional program for eligible English Learners (ELs) in grades K-12 (Georgia School Law Code 1981, 20-2-156, enacted in 1985). The ESOL program is a standards based curriculum emphasizing academic and social language development. ESOL coursework is based upon the WIDA Consortium English Language Development (ELD) standards. Classroom teachers integrate the ELD standards with the Georgia Standards of Excellence to enable ELs to both communicate in English and demonstrate their academic, social and cultural proficiency. Instructional approaches, both in ESOL and general education classes, ensure that the needs of Georgia’s ELs are accommodated. To the extent practicable, it is appropriate to use the EL’s home language as a means of facilitating instruction and providing parents with school-related information.

Title III is a federally-funded program that provides eligible Local Education Agencies (LEAs) with funding to supplement those ESOL services already in place. Both ESOL and Title III hold school districts accountable for progress in, and attainment of, English language proficiency. Upon attainment of English language proficiency, students exit from supplemental language services.

Since 2006, Georgia has been part of the WIDA Consortium, a group now consisting of 34 member states. Together with our colleague-states, we work in close collaboration with the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER), the Center for Applied Linguistics and MetriTech to ensure that our English Language Proficiency assessment (ACCESS for ELs) and our ESOL teaching standards remain viable and valid across administration years.

ESOL Schools

  • Allen Elementary
  • Brewer Elementary
  • Eagle Ridge Academy
  • Key Elementary
  • Martin Luther King Jr Elementary
  • Midland Academy
  • North Columbus
  • Reese Road Leadership Academy
  • River Road Elementary
  • South Columbus Elementary
  • Arnold Middle School
  • Baker Middle School
  • Eddy Middle School
  • Veterans Memorial Middle School
  • Jordan High School
  • Shaw High School
  • Spencer High School

Documents and Resources

Assessment and Accommodations
English Learner and Response to Intervention
English to Speakers of Other Languages
Exiting ESOL Students
Federal Law and English Learners
Identification and Placement of English Learners
WiDA English Language Development (ELD) Standards
WiDA Early Language Development Standards
WiDA Can Do Descriptors for ELs

Frequently Asked Questions

Kindergarten-3rd Grade - 16 students
4th-8th Grade - 19 students
9th-12th Grade - 23 students

Kindergarten-3rd Grade - 45 minutes/day or at least 225 minutes/week
4th-8th Grade - 50 minutes/day or at least 250 minutes/week
9th-12th Grade - 55 minutes/day or at least 275 minutes/week

Any of the following 6 models have been approved by the state of Georgia:


  • Pull-Out Model – Students are taken out of a general education class for the purpose of receiving small group language instruction from an ESOL teacher.
  • Push-In Model (within Language Arts, Math, Science or Social Studies) – Students remain in their core academic class where they receive content instruction from their content area teacher along with targeted language instruction from an ESOL teacher (this is not the same as the co-teaching model used in Special Education).
  • A cluster center to which students are transported for instruction – Students from 2 or more schools are grouped in a center designed to provide intensive language assistance.
  • A resource center/laboratory – Students receive language assistance in a group setting supplemented by multi-media materials.
  • A scheduled class period – Students at the middle and high school levels receive language assistance and/or content instruction in a class composed only of ELs.
  • An innovative delivery model approved in advance by the Georgia Department of Education through a process described in the ESOL/Title III Resource Guide.


Contact Information

Tim Smith, Ed.D Executive Director of Federal Programs

706-748-2154



Lauren Loughman, M.Ed ESOL/Title III-A Program Specialist

706-748-3202 office
706-575-8798 cell


Ana Maria De Rojas Bilingual Parent Liaison

706-748-2135



Angela Moore, Ed.S. ESOL Academic Coach

706-748-2120