District focuses efforts on ESL students

District leaders presented a final report on their sustaining action initiative to improve the experiences of their English-language learners at Tuesday’s school board meeting.

Community liaison Javier Diaz said that although the district’s English-learner population is small, they’re committed to leaving no one behind and seek unique relationships with students that reflect their needs.

The district nearly doubled the number of teachers certified to teach English learners this year; now, 98.6% of teachers are certified.

It also offers a mentor program, and nearly every student passes the state exit exam, which has a statewide pass rate of only 50% for English learners.

One of the district’s weaknesses is the lack of a universal master plan for English learners; it will now focus on developing that plan, as well as methods to establish consistency in reclassifying students in the next level of English-speaking ability.

It will also procure assessments that can test kids in their native language to understand their level of education when entering the district.

Students speak 18 different primary languages in the district; different language programs are in place at the elementary, intermediate and high school levels.

Teacher Jim Garvey spoke passionately about the need to improve access for English learners, and suggested the future possibility to dual-immersion classes such as history, where advanced Spanish learners join English learners.

In other news, the board held the first reading of its proposed defibrillator policy, which would put the machines on each campus and at the district offices. No changes were made to the wording.

Supt. Robert Fraisse also lauded the district’s two elementary schools for their new California Distinguished School status.

CANDICE BAKER can be reached at (949) 494-5480 or at [email protected].