Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), the international professional association, has developed ESL Standards for Pre-K--12 Students, available on-line.  The three broad goals are for students (1) to use English to communicate in social settings, (2) to use English to achieve academically in all content areas, and (3) to use English in socially and culturally appropriate ways.  Each goal includes three standards, along with descriptors, progress indicators, and vignettes designed to help teachers envision what completing the goals might look like in a classroom.

The ESL Standards, unlike many other other standards in education, are voluntary and do not include specific rubrics for measuring performance.  Instead, they are intended to provide guidance on the key areas in which education for English Language Learners should be focusing.
Specifics on how to implement the standards are left to states, districts, schools, and individual classroom teachers.  Examples of how some teachers have used the ESL Standards effectively in their classrooms are included in TESOL's series Integrating the ESL Standards Into Classroom Practice, which can be ordered from TESOL.  Another particularly helpful publication available on-line is Keith Buchanan's School Administrators' Guide to the ESL Standards, which may help teachers, teacher educators, and policy makers as well as administrators.

Related information:

• Pedagogy Matters: Standards for Effective Teaching Practice Stephanie S. Dalton of the Center for Research on Education, Diversity & Excellence (1998) (PDF file)
• The Center for Applied Linguistcs maintains a database of states and districts implementing the ESL Standards in the areas of curriculum development, professional development, and assessment at ESL Standards Implementation Database.
• Implementing Standards with English Language Learners: Initial Findings from Four Middle Schools, by Nancy Clair, Carolyn Temple Adger, Deborah Short and Elaine Millen (PDF format) (1998)

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