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Bellevue Public Schools reports growth in English learners, highlights family literacy partnerships
Summary
District officials presented data showing growth in English learners (EL), a rise in emerging-proficiency students, multilingual family literacy efforts, adult ESL classes and community partnerships supporting students and families.
Bellevue Public Schools administrators told the Board of Education that the district's English learner population has grown and that family literacy and community partnerships are central to supporting multilingual students and their families.
District staff said the EL program served 507 students this year and that staff recorded 53 languages spoken across the district and 28 languages represented in the EL program. Presenters said 83% of EL students speak Spanish, and the district reported 70 students reached proficiency on the statewide ELPA21 assessment in the most recent testing window.
The district described how it screens students: families complete a home language survey; if a language other than English is indicated, students are screened with the ELPA21 screener. Presenters noted that students classified as "emerging" (level 1) require more intensive academic supports and that language acquisition can take five to seven years, especially for reading and writing.
District staff highlighted family literacy programming that began under a 2021 grant and now includes adult ESL classes offered in partnership with Metro Community College (evening classes from September through May), parent time sessions, and a parent leadership track that will offer a 10-module Activate curriculum to help multilingual parents advocate in school settings. The district said it added another EL teacher this year and has kept EL teachers assigned to only one or two schools to improve continuity.
Administrators named local partners and outcomes: a Sarpy County DHHS grant funded swim lessons for 38 students after local drowning incidents; Whispering Roots and others helped distribute about 475 boxes of food; the Bellevue Fire Department installed new smoke detectors for eight families after outreach during parent sessions. Bellevue East and Bellevue West were identified as having the largest EL populations among secondary schools (61 at Bellevue East and 55 at Bellevue West). The district also described a teacher endorsement cohort in partnership with Midland University that began a cohort in March 2025 and will run through March 2026 to expand staff qualifications for working with EL students.
A parent and program participant, Gabby Garcia, spoke to the board about her experience: she described starting in district programs, earning a GED and U.S. citizenship, participating in parent leadership and serving as vice president of her school PTA. The district lauded Garcia's participation and noted she had been invited to represent Nebraska at state-level family engagement meetings.
