Instructional Programs

This is a program to support English Learners to acquire the English language and content simultaneously. Students receive Integrated ELD during the day through instructional strategies and also receive Designated ELD for a specific period during the day according to their English Development level. 

The San Mateo-Foster City School District offers dual language programs to students with the goal to support students to be bilingual, bi-literate and bicultural. The language immersion programs are offered in Spanish and Mandarin. Fiesta Gardens offers the Spanish Dual  Immersion Program. College Park offers the Mandarin Dual Immersion Program. 

Academic Language and Literacy Acceleration ELD Courses are designed to address the language and literacy gaps that impede academic success for LTELs and those students at risk of becoming an LTEL while preparing them to re-classify before entering high school. The Academic Language and Literacy Acceleration ELD Course is taken in addition to a core ELA course, not in lieu of it, and it meets the minimum 30 minutes per day of a designated ELD instruction required for English  learners. 

CLAVES is a program designed to support students in 4th and 5th grades who are at risk of becoming long term English learners. All of the 4th and 5th grade teachers in SMFCSD have been trained by Stanford’s Understanding Language to accelerate outcomes for this group of students using this program. 

Many of our newest arrivals require intensive and specialized services to meet their academic, social- emotional, and mental health needs. At the same time, we are seeking ways to build on the rich assets that our newcomers bring to their learning and that of their community, including linguistic and cultural diversity, global perspectives, tremendous resiliencancy, and commitment to their education. The newcomer pathway is designed to create a bridge from upper elementary through middle school.

At San Mateo-Foster City School District, middle school students may opt to learn other languages. Our middle school offer language courses as a world language option.