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If your family speaks a language other than English at home, your child may qualify for support from our Transitional Bilingual Instruction Program (TBIP). The program helps students grow their English while staying current with reading, writing, and math at their grade level. Translation and interpretation for families is always provided, no charge.
Student Services / Transitional Bilingual (TBIP) · English Learner Services · Always Free
If your family speaks a language other than English at home, your child may qualify for support from our Transitional Bilingual Instruction Program (TBIP). The program helps students grow their English while staying current with reading, writing, and math at their grade level. Translation and interpretation for families is always provided, no charge.
The Transitional Bilingual Instruction Program (TBIP) is Washington's state-funded program for students whose primary or home language isn't English. It's defined under RCW Chapter 28A.180, and the goal is straightforward: students develop English proficiency strong enough to succeed in regular classes, while they keep up with grade-level content the rest of the day.
Statewide, OSPI calls this work the Multilingual Education Program. The umbrella covers a little over 160,000 students across Washington. Background and family resources in many languages are on OSPI's TBIP page.
Identification is family-led. When you enroll a new student, the district registration packet includes a short Home Language Survey. If the survey indicates a language other than English is used at home, we'll ask your permission to give your child the WIDA ACCESS Screener (or the Kindergarten WIDA Screener for kindergartners). The screener determines whether your student is eligible for TBIP services.
If a student qualifies, we'll send a placement notice in your home language explaining what services your child will receive and your right to accept, decline, or change services at any time. You can also request the screener be given even if the survey didn't flag another language — just ask.
TBIP support runs from daily for students still building basic English to once or twice a week for students who are nearly proficient. Most of the support happens inside the regular classroom, alongside English-speaking peers, with a TBIP-trained teacher or paraeducator working in small groups. Some pull-out instruction happens for newer English learners.
Across the four language domains — reading, writing, speaking, and listening — the goal is the same: get students to grade level in English while keeping up with math, science, and social studies.
Once a year — usually in late winter or early spring — every TBIP-identified student takes the WIDA ACCESS for ELLs assessment. (Students with significant cognitive disabilities take an alternate version called WIDA Alternate ACCESS.) The ACCESS test measures growth across the four domains and helps us decide whether your child still needs services, needs more support, or is ready to exit the program.
Score reports come home with a parent summary in your home language whenever possible. Ask the school office if you don't see one — we'll print another.
When a student scores at the proficient level on WIDA ACCESS, they exit TBIP services. We'll send a written notice. The student is then monitored for two years to make sure they continue to do well in regular classes; if they fall behind during that monitoring period, we can re-enter them in services.
We can connect families with translated registration materials, parent-teacher conference interpreters, community translators for harder conversations, and OSPI's family resource library which has materials in dozens of languages. Just ask the school office or email Julie Aldrich, our Multi Language Learner Coordinator.
Spanish is the most common home language in Montesano, and most of our printed materials come ready in English and Spanish. We also serve smaller numbers of families speaking other languages — Marshallese, Russian, Vietnamese, and others have all moved through our schools. We use professional interpretation services for any language we don't have in-house, on the day's notice. The kid doesn't have to translate for the family.
Will my child be put in a separate class? Mostly no. The bulk of TBIP support happens inside the regular classroom alongside English-speaking peers. Some focused English work happens in small pull-out groups, especially for students at the beginning levels. The classroom is shared.
Should we stop speaking our home language? No — please keep speaking it. Research is clear: kids who keep their home language while they learn English do better academically over time, not worse. TBIP is built to add English, not to replace what your family already shares.
What if I don't speak English well enough to talk to teachers? That's exactly what interpretation is for. Call the school, ask for an interpreter, and one will be arranged for your conference, IEP meeting, or any other school conversation. No charge, no hassle.
What about state testing? TBIP-identified students still take Smarter Balanced and other state tests. Many tests have allowable accommodations for English learners — translated directions, bilingual dictionaries, extended time. Your school will go over the options with you in advance.
Julie Aldrich, MLL Coordinator jaldrich@monteschools.org (360) 249-4331
For general questions about enrollment, the home language survey, or to request an interpreter for a meeting.
(360) 249-3942 community@monteschools.org