ESL Standards for Pre-K-12 Students National standards for ESL currently being revised to reflect more content. They will be based on the new WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards used in Illinois and other states in the consortium The challenge of contemporary education is to prepare all students for life in this new world, including those learners who enter schools with a language other than English. The purpose of Promising Futures is to identify the ESL standards and their role in meeting this challenge. eslprek-12standardsstudents in Assessment > Standardswith eslpre-k-12standardsstudents