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District 65 committee recommends Nichols as next dual-language middle school
Summary
A stakeholder committee recommended Nichols Middle School as the site for the district’s next dual-language middle school program for the 2026–27 school year; the board received the recommendation and staff described next steps for implementation and family communication.
A district stakeholder committee recommended on Wednesday that Nichols Middle School host the district’s next dual-language middle school program beginning in the 2026–27 school year, administrators told the Evanston CCSD 65 board.
Amy, a district presenter, said the committee considered enrollment projections, family interest and school readiness and used a scoring rubric that allowed committee members to weigh factors rather than take a single up-or-down vote. "The rubric was designed to correlate with the data that was presented," Kim Kelly, the district’s multilingual coordinator, said. Committee members allocated points between Nichols and Schuht (also referenced as Schute/Schuld in the discussion) across measures including projected enrollment, family survey responses and school readiness using the 5Essentials framework. Cecilia, a district data presenter, said the data showed Nichols would serve the largest number of students who are current Spanish-speaking students (ELs), and that family survey responses showed strong interest in continuing into a dual-language middle school.
Based on that scoring and discussion, the committee recommended Nichols. "It is my pleasure to announce that the committee's recommendation for the next dual-language program would be in Nichols Middle School," Amy said, noting the district will begin implementation planning immediately.
Staff described next steps: regular planning meetings between Nichols administration and district staff, a professional-development plan to prepare a cohort of dual-language middle school teachers, administrator learning opportunities, supports for monolingual staff and outreach to Nichols families and staff. Staff said letters to Nichols families and staff would be sent the morning after the presentation.
Board members thanked the committee and noted the choice moves the district toward long-term bilingual outcomes, including a district aim to help students attain biliteracy seals in high school. The presentation did not require a board vote; it communicated the recommendation and described the implementation timeline.
