Englewood board says dual-language program will continue; kindergarten to use single bilingual teacher
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Summary
At a special meeting, the Englewood Board of Education and district staff rejected rumors of cutting the dual-language program and clarified that kindergarten will be staffed by a single bilingual teacher next year; 19 students are enrolled for that class and the district said first grade onward will retain the two-teacher model.
At a special meeting of the Englewood Board of Education, district leaders and board members on May 7 said rumors that the district would end its dual-language program are false and described a staffing change for prekindergarten/kindergarten for the coming school year.
Parents pressed the board for clear information after online and calendar inconsistencies led to confusion. Victor Santana, speaking during public comment, asked the district to explain “if there's any truth to these rumors discontinuing the dual language program” and urged transparency because such decisions “directly affect our children's education and future.”
The board and district staff said the program itself will continue. A district representative stated that the only planned change is in kindergarten and prekindergarten classroom staffing: rather than two separate teachers (one English, one Spanish) the district intends to assign a single bilingual teacher who will provide instruction in both languages for the pre-K/kindergarten class. “There is just 1 change in kindergarten. There's gonna be an independent teacher that does the Spanish and the English,” a district administrator said. The administrator added that the bilingual teacher will speak both languages and “do the same exact thing” as the two-teacher model currently used in higher grades.
Parents and advocates framed the program as central to culture and belonging. Randy Larotte told the board, “This program is not just an educational option for our children. It is a lifeline to our culture, our identity, and our sense of belonging.” Several parents asked the board to communicate any clarifications broadly to families.
Mercedes Gill, a district staff member, confirmed enrollment figures for next year’s kindergarten dual-language class: 19 students are currently rostered, with capacity for roughly six additional students, making a potential maximum classroom size of about 25. Board members said enrollment numbers and budget constraints drove the staffing decision for pre-K and kindergarten and that first grade and above would continue with the two-teacher model.
District leaders described broader budget pressures that informed personnel choices. The board noted it had implemented 14 budget reductions during the budget process and that federal funding streams are uncertain: the group discussed Title I funding and related federal allocations, saying the district’s Title I award had been “close to maybe $1,300,000” and that officials had received no clear guidance yet about future federal support.
The board committed to follow-up. A board member said Mercedes Gill will present detailed information, including historical participation data, at the next full public board meeting on June 26; the board also agreed to communicate clarified enrollment and staffing details to parents before then.
The board did not take formal action to end the program at the meeting and said any formal proposal to change or eliminate a program would come before the full board and the community for discussion.
