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Who goes to the Welcome Center?

• Students enrolling with international transcripts in grades 9-12.

• All students new to a Maryland public school system who indicate a language other than English on at least two of the questions on the Home Language Survey (translations)

• For students who speak a variety of World English, please contact the Welcome Center to determine if the family should be referred to the Welcome Center.

• Note: MD transfer students DO NOT need to come through the Welcome Center

Who should not register at the Welcome Center?

• Kindergarten students may enroll directly at their local elementary school.  These students will be screened by the ESOL teacher assigned to the school.

• Students enrolling from a Maryland school system when ESOL services are indicated on the transfer records.  The ESOL teacher will use the EL Update Form to ensure that the student is added to the ESOL Verification List.

• Unaccompanied youth who cannot get to the Welcome Center within 48 hours may enroll directly at the school.  They will be screened by an ESOL representative within 30 days.

While at the Welcome Center, a student and his/her family will:

• Be interviewed to gain a better understanding of the student's educational background 

• Take an English language proficiency test to determine if the student qualifies for ESOL services

• Proficiencies 1-4 qualify for ESOL services

• Proficiencies of 5 and above do not qualify for ESOL services

• Take a math placement test, for high school students only, to determine appropriate math placement – to be implemented in the future

• Have high school transcripts evaluated and sent to the student's school counselor

• Complete some of the required paperwork for enrollment at the school (school registration forms)

• Be referred to a health clinic for immunizations

• Complete the meal benefit form

• Be given the opportunity to complete the privacy opt-out form 

What documents will the parents bring back to the school after going to the Welcome Center?

Upon enrollment at the Welcome Center, parents will return to the school with a packet from the Welcome Center which will include:

• An ESOL Intake Form, which includes

• Recommended grade placement

• Transcript evaluation, if available 

• ESOL screening score

• A School Registration Form with student information completed

• Copies of any documents presented by the parents at intake, including:

• Lease and associated proofs of address

• Academic records from previous schooling

• An 896 Form with the student's name and a referral to the Health Clinic closest to them

• An ESOL Parent Notification Letter for students who qualify for ESOL Services.

• This is a federally mandated form for all ESOL students and must be included in their Cumulative Folder

Sample Welcome Center Packet

What should the school do when a parent returns to the school from the Welcome Center?

• Greet the family and kindly request the Welcome Center packet.

• If documents are missing from the Welcome Center packet (shared domicile, additional residency documents, etc) request the documents from the family.

• Complete the registration process at the school.  

• File all of the paperwork in the student's cumulative record.

• Inform the ESOL teacher at the school that the student has enrolled.

Remember, any student whose parents can demonstrate residency in Baltimore County are entitled to free and public education regardless of immigration status.  Per the Supreme Court ruling, Plyler v. Doe school districts must enroll students regardless of the student's or his/her parents' immigration status.  Moreover, schools must be careful of unintentional attempts to document a students' legal status which lead to the possible "chilling" of students' Plyler rights.

For more information on immigrant students' rights to enroll and attend school, refer to the below documents.  

Dear Colleague Letter

Enrollment Fact Sheet

FAQs Enrollment