Joshua ISD reviews bilingual/ESL program; staff recognize community literacy leader
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Summary
District staff presented the 2024–25 bilingual/ESL program evaluation: 898 students enrolled, five parent denials, a certification exception filed for one teacher, and goals to increase reclassification and expand Summit K‑12 resources. Samantha Torres was recognized for family literacy and adult ESL outreach.
At a board workshop, the district's bilingual/ESL director presented the 2024–25 program evaluation, reporting 898 students enrolled in bilingual or ESL programs and five parent denials of services in the fall submission, the director said. The presenter said the district filed an exception this year for a teacher who lacked bilingual certification.
Program materials cited include Summit K‑12 (benchmarks), TOPOS (English proficiency assessment), TELPAS (state English proficiency assessment), Rosetta Stone (newcomer support), MyView and Benchmark resources. The director said the district purchased Summit K‑12 for grades 2–6 in 2024–25 and plans to expand purchases to K‑12 grades third through ninth to support reclassification efforts.
Reclassification figures were highlighted: 105 students reclassified in the 2024 school year compared with 71 this presentation's referenced year; the director said the district aims to increase reclassification by 50% and to ensure at least one year's growth for students, with a district-wide target of 50% at the masters level.
The director also asked the board to recognize Samantha Torres, who the presenter described as coordinating adult ESL and family literacy programs for 21 families and supporting translation and family events across campuses. Torres and her daughter were invited to the meeting and received applause; the presenter described Torres as a primary outreach lead whose work bridges home and school.
Why it matters: program staffing, assessment tools and reclassification rates affect how English learners receive instructional supports and how the district reports English-proficiency progress to the state.
No board action on program funding or certification exceptions was recorded during the presentation; the remarks were informational and included a public recognition.
