The county school system is considering setting up a "transition school" for English as a Second Language (ESL) students.
Assistant Supt. Zac Brown the aim would be "to set students up for success."
He said the English learners would get special focus during a nine-month program on picking up English so they could better assimilate into the regular classroom.
By law, he said, they still would need to attend all other of their classes.
The former Howard principal said the program might be launched at Howard, which has a high number of ESL students.
Board member Rhonda Thurman said she would welcome such a program "where all ESL students could get up to snuff."
She said it is not fair to students familiar with the English language to have to miss out on instruction time when a teacher is spending much time seeking to help students not familiar with the language.