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Mount Diablo Unified reports 6,000 multilingual learners; district pilots OPTEL, recommends shift from i-Ready to STAR for reclassification
Summary
The district told the board it serves about 6,000 multilingual learners (plus 2,000 monitored reclassified students), highlighted 1,645 long-term English learners and outlined pilot plans for the OPTEL teacher observation tool and moving basic-skills comparisons from i-Ready to the statewide STAR test.
Mount Diablo Unified School District staff presented data and next steps on multilingual learners at the board’s April 16 meeting, saying the district serves roughly 6,000 English learners (TK–12) plus about 2,000 students monitored after reclassification and is piloting new evaluation and reclassification practices for the coming year.
The department described several subgroup counts and program details: about 1,146 students are dually identified (English learner plus special education), 1,853 are labeled “newcomers” (students born outside the U.S. who have been in U.S. schools three years or less), 799 are at risk of becoming long-term English learners (LTELs), and 1,645 were identified as LTELs under the district’s alignment with state reporting (students in the district for seven years or more who have not reclassified).
Katherine (Katherine/"Catherine" in transcript) from the multilingual department explained reclassification requires four criteria: a summative ELPAC score (a federally required English proficiency test), teacher evaluation (currently graded report-card metrics), family consultation, and a basic-skills comparison test. The department said it is phasing out the use of i-Ready as the districtwide “basic skills” comparison and moving to the statewide STAR assessment so comparisons align across all students.
The district also described a planned expansion of the Observation Protocol for Teachers of English Learners (OPTEL), a state rubric that guides teacher observation of English learner interactions and can inform reclassification decisions without relying solely on grades. Staff said they are piloting OPTEL in selected elementary, middle and high schools this spring with a goal to broaden implementation next year.
Staff noted LTELs underperformed on multiple measures in district and state dashboards: for secondary LTELs the presentation showed high rates of “standard not met” on ELA and elevated chronic absenteeism and suspension rates compared with all students. The department said prior factors associated with LTEL status include inconsistent ELD services, teacher turnover, frequent school transitions and socioeconomic challenges.
To address the issues, district staff outlined priorities including focused coaching and interventions at high-need sites, cross-departmental work with special education and elementary/secondary teams, and more intensive early-instruction efforts (starting in TK and kindergarten) to accelerate language and literacy development. Staff described recent professional development emphasizing the science of reading with a language lens and said almost all secondary teachers received “constructing meaning” training to support integrated ELD strategies.
Board members asked technical questions about the shift from i-Ready to STAR and about why some students remain LTELs after multiple years; staff answered with specifics about the state definitions, the timing of dashboard calculations and the need for consistent, early literacy and language instruction. The board took no vote on the report; staff said they would return with formal proposals and requests for approvals (for example, OPTEL implementation and the STAR transition) in coming months.
Ending The multilingual learners presentation spanned data, program pilots and professional development plans. Staff asked the board to expect return items with specific approvals for OPTEL pilots and the move to STAR as the district’s basic-skills comparison for reclassification.
