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Albany officials, RISE and community partners report growing newcomer population; EL enrollment now about one‑fifth of district
Summary
District presenters and community organizations described expanded English‑learner services, summer newcomer programming and community partnerships. The department reported roughly 762 new EL registrations this year and total EL enrollment of about 1,821 students (roughly 20% of district enrollment).
District English‑learner staff and community partners told the board that Albany’s newcomer population continues to grow, that the district’s summer newcomer programming received positive parent feedback, and that community partners are providing health, food and case‑management supports.
Department leaders said the district recorded 762 EL enrollments during the school year to date and reported total English‑learner enrollment of about 1,821 students, roughly 20% of district enrollment. The department said the top home languages and sending countries reflect recent migration patterns, with many arrivals from Venezuela, Ecuador and Afghanistan and substantial secondary migration within the United States.
The presentation listed instructional work this year: rollout of a National Geographic‑based curricular resource in stand‑alone E and L courses, coaching cycles at elementary and middle levels, and professional development about reading instruction tailored for students learning English. The district also rolled out Elevation, a data‑management tool the department said will allow teachers to connect rosters, monitor progress and access embedded professional learning strategies for EL instruction.
Speakers detailed summer newcomer programming funded partly through a refugee school impact grant and other sources. Staff said summer feedback from families indicated students learned English and key school routines; families requested more take‑home instructional materials and strategies to help children practice at home.
Community partners described services they provide: Whitney Young Health runs school‑based clinics and a mobile clinic (Whitney on Wheels) for newcomers and said services are available without out‑of‑pocket costs; Capital District Latinos described culturally responsive food pantry services, halal options and volunteer support for immunizations and other needs; RISE (Refugee and Immigrant Support Services) described after‑school programs, employment assistance and an immigration clinic and said RISE is operating on‑site after‑school programming at Albany International Academy.
Board members thanked partners and asked about attendance trends and family outreach. District staff said overall attendance for EL students has been stable compared with last year; staff noted one community‑wide day of protest that reduced attendance on a single day. Presenters offered to share family‑preparedness templates and legal‑rights materials to support vulnerable families.
Instructional priorities for 2025–26 included continuing Elevation implementation, targeted coaching, work on literacy across content areas and student progress reporting that is easier for parents to read. The department said it intends to finalize a simplified EL progress report form by the end of the school year and test import into Elevation for district‑wide monitoring.
