Parents and teachers urge Portland school board to add teacher for Vietnamese dual‑language immersion amid first‑grade overcrowding

Parents, teachers and state Representative Thuy Tran pressed Portland Public Schools leaders during public comment Oct. 14 to add full‑time educator capacity to the Rose City Park Vietnamese Dual Language Immersion (VDLI) first‑grade classroom, citing severe overcrowding and resulting stress for students and teachers.

Representative Tran and several parents described a first‑grade class of 30 students taught by a single teacher, Miss Chao Vuong, who said the workload is overwhelming and that balancing instruction half the day in Vietnamese and half in English is causing ‘‘constant anxiety and emotional exhaustion.’’ Parents and program advocates said the VDLI program has produced strong academic outcomes historically and argued that early grades—especially first grade—require smaller classes and targeted supports to sustain program equity. One parent said an additional FTE educator (a floating or co‑teacher position) would resolve the immediate staffing crisis, let the program meet the 50/50 language model, and prevent disruption to student learning.

Speakers described a history of staffing reductions impacting VDLI: previous losses of Vietnamese‑speaking assistant principals, blended classes in upper grades and reductions to third‑grade staff. Advocates pointed to wait lists for the VDLI pre‑K classroom and projected enrollment growth in the program, and urged the district to treat VDLI cohorts equitably with other immersion programs (Mandarin, Spanish, Japanese and Russian) when allocating staff.

District staff and board members acknowledged the concerns and said district leaders are working with the school principal. Senior staff noted that translated curricular materials are more complete for Math and the district’s English curriculum than for some science and health materials, and that principals were using Vietnamese education assistants strategically to support classrooms. The district reported a near‑term review by senior academic staff and said targeted follow‑up (including communications with families and an update by the end of the week) would occur. Board members urged continued communication and noted the issue will be examined by academic staff and in committee.

Teachers and parents asked the board for urgent action to secure an additional teacher for that first‑grade cohort; staff said they were reviewing FTE allocations and would respond with next steps, but did not commit to an immediate hire during the meeting.

Public comment included personal testimony from the teacher at Rose City Park, parents who described travel and practice constraints for athletics and arts, and a school principal who said the Vietnamese education assistant is being used strategically while the district seeks further support.

The board did not take a vote that night; members said staff would follow up with the school community and provide updates through district channels.