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Huntsville ISD reports language‑program progress; 148 students met reclassification criteria in 2024–25
Summary
District staff reported results for emergent bilingual students, TELPAS performance trends and reclassification figures; staff noted growth in many language domains and that 148 students met reclassification criteria for exit from bilingual/ESL services.
HUNTSVILLE, Texas — Huntsville ISD presented its 2024–25 emergent bilingual (EB) program evaluation, reporting student participation, TELPAS language proficiency trends, Spanish assessment results for early grades and reclassification numbers.
Program presenter Miss Thomas described the district’s bilingual and English‑as‑a‑second‑language services and said the district provides both an early‑exit transitional bilingual program and ESL supports with a goal that students become proficient in English while maintaining access to grade‑level content.
Thomas reported that 148 students districtwide met the reclassification criteria and were recommended for exit from EB services during the year. “148 students district wide met reclassification criteria, and that is a huge win for our students,” she said.
District TELPAS results showed growth patterns consistent with state trends: listening and reading tend to develop earlier; writing and speaking often advance more slowly. The district also administers the Spanish STAAR in grades 3–5 where appropriate; staff noted small cohort sizes can make year‑to‑year comparisons volatile. For students who have exited EB services, the district monitors academic achievement during monitor years one and two and reviews longer‑term results for students who exited five or more years earlier.
Miss Thomas reviewed supports the district provides: professional learning for teachers (internal and external), required summer school options and EB summer camp with language‑practice rotations. She described a campus celebration model for students who meet reclassification criteria and noted district requests to the Texas Education Agency in 2024 for an exception/waiver related to bilingual program staffing when the district lacked fully certified bilingual or ESL staff.
Trustees asked about staffing and community supports; Thomas said the district continues to recruit and provide certification support and works with HR to retain bilingual staff. The presentation was informational; no board action was taken.
