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District ESL teacher says English‑learner population is rising; program is one‑person operation needing more resources
Summary
The district's ESL teacher reported growth in English-learner screening and reclassification results from ACCESS testing; the teacher and committee discussed staffing, SEI endorsements for classroom teachers, translation costs, and limited eligibility for federal Title 3 funding.
Christine Masterjackimo, the district’s English Learner (EL) teacher and mentoring coordinator, updated the Freetown Lakeville School Committee on ACCESS testing results and the district’s EL population and services.
Masterjackimo told the committee that 17 students took ACCESS testing in January and that roughly 30 percent of those tested were reclassified as no longer eligible for EL services; she reported later in the meeting that the district’s identified EL count had risen to 18 as of that afternoon. She said 10 of 11 tested students made notable progress toward proficiency, and she described one student with disabilities who did not show progress on the ACCESS measure.
Masterjackimo explained that the district currently functions as a department of one for EL direct service, with identified EL students spread across multiple schools. She said DESE (Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) rules determine the amount of direct service required based on ACCESS scores and that she is not always able to provide the DESE‑specified amount of weekly direct service because of staffing limits.
Committee members and administrators discussed workforce and budget implications. The committee was told that roughly 77 staff members currently hold the SEI (Sheltered English Immersion) endorsement; the district has expanded local SEI offerings to enable more staff to meet certification requirements. Masterjackimo said translation and interpretation costs—rare languages such as Gujarati and novels in Brazilian Portuguese for a newcomer student—are ongoing and not covered by a dedicated budget line. She noted Title 3 federal funds are available in some districts but said the district does not qualify for Title 3 this year because it is low incidence.
Members urged that the district include EL staffing and translation/interpretation costs in upcoming budget planning; several members said they view additional EL staffing as a priority to meet DESE requirements and to sustain gains. Masterjackimo and the administration agreed to provide a map showing direct‑service targets and current delivery, and the committee asked for budget estimates to reflect likely increased demand going forward.
