English Learners Organization Chart

Grace Benson
Director of Bilingual and ESL Programs

The English Learners Department is very fortunate to have a wonderful team that puts the best interest of students at the forefront of everything we do. Our department consists of an English Learners Department Director, Administrative Assistant, Bilingual Assessor and English Learners Testing Clerk, English Learners Coordinators with expertise in Bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction, Newcomer Specialists, and ESL Strategists/Interventionists that provide ongoing instructional support to students, teachers, and administrators throughout Waco ISD. Our department’s Coordinators and ESL Strategist/Interventionists support the linguistic and academic needs of ELs by working directly with students in small groups and by empowering and building the knowledge base of teachers through model lessons, coaching, and professional development. Newcomer Specialists provide targeted affective, linguistic, and academic support to ELs who are new to the United States and require accelerated academic and language instruction via a specialized curriculum and direct instruction.