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El Paso ISD reports large rise in bilingual reclassifications; rolls out 70/30 kindergarten plan and teacher-certification push
Summary
District staff told trustees that 1,457 students were reclassified non-emergent bilingual in 2024 (up from 46 in 2023), explained stricter criteria for biliteracy credit, and outlined a multi-year rollout that includes 70/30 kindergarten next year, expanded parent engagement, and targeted teacher certification and waiver training.
El Paso ISD staff updated the board on the district’s bilingual and dual-language programming, reporting a substantial increase in student reclassifications to non-emergent bilingual status and laying out an implementation timeline that shifts younger grades toward a 90/10 (PreK-3) and 70/30 (kindergarten next year) model en route to a full 50/50 dual-language model by 2027 in early grades.
Veronica and Jesus Mendoza Acosta, director of Connecting Languages, presented reclassification counts and the criteria used to reclassify students: an advanced-high TELPAS composite score, an appropriate STAAR/STAR (or EOC) level (approaches/meets/masters, as applicable), and a teacher subjective evaluation. The district reported 544 elementary, 492 middle and 421 high-school reclassifications in 2024 — a total of 1,457 students — compared with 46 reclassifications reported for 2023. "When we say they're reclassified, that just means that they're eligible to leave the dual language program if they so…
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