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The Worcester Public Schools has three New Citizens Centers (NCC) for students with limited or interrupted formal education, who are often new arrivals to the United States and may not have proficiency in English.

Please note that a student's placement in NCC depends on their length of educational interruption and proficiency in English. Students may be placed into a traditional school depending on their circumstances.

The three New Citizens Centers are divided by student ages:

• Ages 8-11: NCC Primary, located within Clark Street Community Elementary School, 280 Clark Street

• Ages 12-17: NCC Secondary, located at 1407A Main Street

• Ages 18-21: NCC Young Adult, located within the Gerald Creamer Center, 120 Granite Street

For questions about the school enrollment process for English learners, please contact the Parent Information Center by calling 508-799-3194; the address is 768 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610; hours of operation are 8:30 am – 4:00 pm, Monday-Friday.

Dr. James Caradonio New Citizens Centers:

The New Citizens Center (NCC) is a program for English learner (EL) newcomers who meet the criteria as students with Significantly Limited and Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE). This designation is given to students of ages 8 through 21 who are in the "entering" (ages 8 through 21) and "emerging" (ages 16 through 21) stages of English language proficiency, have at least three years of educational gaps and/or have little or no formal education comparable to the public education system in the U.S.

EL students at the NCC programs receive instruction under the Sheltered English Immersion model for the full day.

The programs provide intensive instruction in English language development (ELD) and in literacy acquisition. They also provide consistent instruction in numeracy and instruction in foundational concepts for science and social studies.

NCC programs also offer the individualization, flexibility, academic scaffolding, and social-emotional supports the students require, within a culturally and linguistically supportive framework that facilitates students’ transitioning to the U.S.

Students transition from NCC programs to their home schools or to other appropriate programs once they achieve intermediate English proficiency skills and the necessary academic foundation to access the mainstream curriculum or pursue a high school diploma.

WPS offers three NCC programs:

*NCC Primary: Located at Clark Street Elementary School, for elementary grade students ages 8 through 11.

*NCC Secondary: Located at 1407A Main Street, for students ages 12 through 17.

*NCC Young Adults: Located with the Gerald Creamer Day Program at 120 Granite Street, for students ages 18 through 21. Students transition out of WPS on their 22nd birthdate.