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Dater Montessori parents urge board to restore ELL coordinator position slated for elimination
Summary
Dozens of parents and staff told the May 5 board meeting that an English‑language learner coordinator at Dater Montessori is vital and should not be eliminated as the school reallocates Title funds.
Dozens of parents, students and community members used the May 5 public comment period to urge Cincinnati Public Schools to retain an English‑language learner (ELL) coordinator position at Dater Montessori that school leaders plan to remove as part of school‑level Title funding allocations.
Several speakers — including Magdalena Netzel, Wasagmi Sanogo and Mario Daoshi — testified in multiple languages through translation that the coordinator provided daily translation, enrollment assistance and a trusted link between families and the school. Parents described the coordinator as essential when families do not speak English fluently and said the role boosted enrollment, attendance and family engagement. One speaker said a child refused to enter school in earlier years until he saw the coordinator at the door.
Assistant Principal and PTN leaders and several teachers also described the coordinator’s role as central to community‑building activities such as a Unity Fair and to routine communications before conferences and events. A parent‑volunteer noted the coordinator handled translation during meetings and helped families navigate school procedures.
Superintendent Murphy said the staffing change at that school originated with the school’s ILT (instructional leadership team). School leaders told the ILT they would allocate Title funding to a reading specialist and a math specialist rather than the ELL coordinator. Murphy said the district is investigating the matter and will provide more detail about which positions at the school are school‑funded versus federally restricted in order to clarify options.
Why this matters: Title III and other federal funds target language access and supplemental services for English learners. Removing an on‑site coordinator can reduce multilingual families’ access to school information and to services that support student attendance and achievement.
What’s next: Parents asked trustees to intervene and asked administration to seek ways to preserve the coordinator role at Dater. Superintendent Murphy and school leaders said they would provide clarifying detail on funding sources and the ILT’s decision and report back to the board.
