Education and Human Development

Undergraduate - ESL Endorsement (Project Opportunity)

Project Opportunity

Project Opportunity is funded through a Title III grant from the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA), United States Department of Education and is operated through the University of Maine. Through Project Opportunity, the University of Maine has partnered with the Maine State Department of Education’s State Education Agency (SEA) and fifteen Local Education Agencies (LEA).

This collaboration allows the implementation of a comprehensive, state-wide program in support of K-12 English Language Learners (ELLs) in Maine’s public schools. Through a four-pronged approach, Project Opportunity ensures that appropriate services for ELLs are available, up-to-date, well tailored and effectively implemented. This helps guarantee that Maine’s educators can assist ELL students meet state and local standards.

• To ensure the long term viability of English as a Second Language (ESL) programs in Maine, the project supports pre-service teachers in teacher training programs at the University of Maine through its’ Scholarships for Maine’s Future Teachers program. The program provides a variety of assistance to selected applicants to help them complete their teaching certification and English as a Second Language endorsement.
• In order to maintain a quality education for ELL students in Maine, the project provides current in-service education professionals with ongoing access to classes, workshops, resources and conference schedules.
• The Research Faculty Team continually enhances UMaine’s teacher preparation program for ESL educators. They ensure that ESL teacher preparation programs are appropriately designed and implemented through continued planning and development of courses, research into ESL issues in Maine and collaboration with the SEA.
• The project provides technical support in the areas of training, consultation, procedural assistance and access to informational resources to partner Local Education Agencies to help assist ELLs.

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