International School
Counseling Office
Who Registers at the International School Counseling Office (ISCO)
and WHY!!
Sometimes families may ask why they must come to our office first.
Here are some responses that will help you explain our services
to the families, but never hesitate to call us if you think it
would be helpful to the family or if you are not sure if they
actually need to come to us. Please remember that transfers within
the county do not have to come back to us before going to a new
school. If you need to know the ESOL Boundary School for the
student you can access that information on the School Finder.
Students with birth certificates or school records from outside the United States
The counselors at the International School Counseling Office
are familiar with documents from other countries. We are
knowledgeable
about the order of names (first, last, or middle) on foreign
birth certificates, how birth dates are recorded (not always
in the western fashion), the structure of foreign school
systems (this ensures placement in the correct grade level)
and information
on the grading scales used in foreign school systems. We
also are familiar with which documents have priority over
other documents
for accurate recording of names and birth dates on school
records. This ensures that the family receives the most
comprehensive
and accurate information available for the enrollment of
their children in our school system.
Students who have a primary language in the home other than English
All public school systems are required by Federal Law
under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to “have a procedure for identifying
and evaluating. …English language skills” (Lau v.
Nichols) of students who have a primary language in the home
other than English. As a result of testing, a student may qualify
for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) services or
the test may document that a student is not in need of any additional
language support. A family has the right to refuse ESOL services,
but a signed refusal form must document that decision and be
filed in the student’s cumulative folder.
Students who have studied in a foreign school system. This does not include Department of Defense (DOD) Schools
The counselors at the ISCO are familiar with the structure
of foreign school systems and have access to grading
scales from
other countries. This ensures appropriate grade placement
and accurate evaluation of transcripts for high school
credit. If
there is a concern about students in this category,
please call for assistance from one of the counselors.
Phone: 301-445-8460
Fax: 301-445-8464
Webpage designed and maintained by Silvia Hoke
Last
modified 7/31/2008 |
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Click above to see a list of ISCO staff and phone numbers.
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| A description of the International School Counseling Office. |
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| Services provided by the ISCO |
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| How to register an international student in Prince George's County Public Schools |
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