• WHAT WE DO
    • Welcome all language-minority parents and provide them with basic information about services available to meet their students' needs.
    • Assist parents in completing documents required for compliance with OCR and Title III regulations. Key district documents are available in seven (7) languages.
    • Assess language proficiency of all newcomers using the WIDA-ACCESS Placement Test (W-APT).
    • Assign students to schools based on W-APT results. Use grade placement procedures as required by state mandates.
    • Send information about tested students to schools for their permanent records and to inform planning and instruction. This process assists schools in officially documenting services provided to English language learners (ELLs) in the event of a state or federal audit.
    • Provide emergency Spanish/English or English/Spanish interpretation. In the event school personnel need to communicate orally with Spanish-speaking parents, school staff may call the International Welcome Center at (803) 212-1475 and request assistance.
    • Translate simple, non-official communications from English into Spanish (notes about field trips, school events, etc).
    • Coordinate official interpretation and translation services for school staff in most languages represented by the district ESOL families.
    • Coordinate workshops for parents on various topics.
IWC
  • STAFF
    Paul Spence, Coordinator
    Phone: (803) 212-1475
    Email: paul.spence@richlandone.org


    Alicia Arias, Bilingual Administrative Assistant
    Phone: (803) 212-1475
    Email: maria.arias@richlandone.org


    Jonathan White, ESOL Consultant
    Phone: (803) 212-1475
    Email: jonathan.white@richlandone.org


    Vacant -  Data Specialist and Bilingual School Liaison
    Phone: (803) 212-1475
    Email: 
     
  • WIDA-ACCESS
    The WIDA-ACCESS Placement Test, or W-APT, is a state approved language proficiency test. The test has four sections: speaking, listening, reading and writing.

    Students who have indicated any language other than English on the Primary / Home Language Survey form and who are not bilingual, must take the W-APT within ten days of initial enrollment.
     
     
    If you live with another family, need to establish guardianship of a student, or cannot provide these documents for other reasons, please contact the Registers's Office.
     
    1310 Lyon Street
    Columbia, SC 29204
    Phone: (803) 231-6944 
  •  

  • International Welcome Center

    2612 Covenant Road - Columbia, SC 29204

    (803) 212-1475

    2019 - 2020