District 59 discusses resource allocation and interventions; board to consider 0.5 FTE safety director next meeting

At the Jan. 29 Committee of the Whole meeting, district leaders walked trustees through resource-allocation priorities tied to student achievement, the multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) and multilingual learner needs.

The board was presented with several data points used to guide allocations: a winter benchmark showing that a large share of English-learner students in grades 6–8 were performing multiple years below grade level, a district coaching team that staff said totals about 19 full-time-equivalent coaches, and a current count of intervention staff reported as 36 academic interventionists plus four social-emotional/behavior interventionists (40 total).

Staff described how the district determines staffing needs: principals, district leadership, departments and the association provide input; enrollment forecasts and program goals are used to balance assignments so schools are not repeatedly reconfigured. Trustees were told the district is emphasizing stability and consistency—keeping teachers in grade-level assignments from year to year to preserve professional development gains—rather than rapidly adding staff without capacity to support them.

Planned personnel action and process District staff confirmed the resource-allocation plan includes a proposed net change of +0.5 FTE for a director of safety and security. Staff said that change is included in the draft allocation and will be brought to the board for a formal vote at the next regular meeting.

Support for multilingual learners and coaching model Staff described multiple strategies to serve multilingual learners: dual-language classrooms, interventionists with Spanish-speaking capacity when available, bilingual ESPs assisting in buildings, and building-level hires when a home language concentration requires it. The district said it does not centrally track every employee language proficiency but prioritizes hiring or reassigning bilingual staff for schools where the need exists.

Additional clarifications and figures provided - Districtwide positions described as about 59.4 FTEs that are districtwide (coaches, specialists, community outreach roles). - Interventionists: 36 academic, 4 SEL/behavior interventionists (total 40). - Coaching team: roughly 19 FTE covering literacy, math, SEL and dual-language coaching; staff noted coaches are deployed districtwide for flexibility.

Distinctions between discussion and decisions Board members asked whether current allocations are sufficient to address the junior-high ESL benchmark results; staff said additional investments have been made in recent years and emphasized the need for sustained stability, curriculum coherence, and time for interventions to take effect. The 0.5 FTE safety director proposal remains an agenda item to be voted at the next meeting rather than a concluded board action.

Ending Trustees asked staff for periodic, school-level information on bilingual and multilingual staffing and on interventionist placement; staff committed to providing further data and to continuing the districtwide staffing planning process.