Parents and community members press board on DLI enrollment, CP overcrowding and loss of Black staff leadership

During the public comment portion of the meeting, parents and community groups raised several concerns tied to the Spanish dual‑language immersion (DLI) program at Community Park (CP), class sizes there, curriculum continuity in the DLI pathway, and departures of Black staff and administrators.

Bilingual‑program concerns and CP overcrowding: Parents and DLI advocates said the district has an artificial cap on kindergarten DLI enrollment at CP (described in public comments as 44 seats), which they asked the board to raise to 60 and to open a third kindergarten section so families are not excluded. Speakers said last year nine families were placed on a wait list. Several parents asked the district to create parity across elementary schools, noting that CP classes were reported in public testimony as 22 students per kindergarten class versus district averages of about 13–16 in other schools.

Specific requests included immediate searches for a middle‑school bilingual social‑studies teacher whose leave was not replaced and development of clear, vertically aligned curriculum maps from pre‑K through high school so families can see the DLI pathway and expectations (including how the district now handles biliteracy recognition after removal of the seal of biliteracy referenced in parent remarks). One parent said, “These students cannot afford to lose another year of language acquisition due to inadequate programming.” Another asked the board to commit to program leadership and curricula that parents can use to hold the district accountable.

Class‑size and program‑quality concerns: A parent and several speakers noted that CP’s art teacher position was converted from full‑time to a 0.6 FTE and argued this reduced the quality and continuity of instruction; one parent reported that classroom teachers rarely saw the art teacher because of the reduced schedule. Community commenters urged restoring full‑time arts coverage at CP to match other elementary schools.

Equity and staff departures: Princeton Parents for Black Children (PBBC) read portions of a letter describing concern about an “exodus” of Black staff and administrators over recent years, including recent resignations. PBBC said the district has lost several Black leaders — positions that previously included superintendent and other principal and supervisory roles — and questioned what the district is doing to replace and support Black staff and leaders. The group asked when leadership vacancies that serve Black students and programs (for example, student affinity groups and minority achievement initiatives) will be filled and how the district will ensure continuity for students who relied on that staff.

Other points raised in public comment: Speakers urged safe planning for upcoming construction projects and warned that active construction sites present safety risks if not properly managed. One parent who is a licensed civil engineer stressed that construction attracts children and urged the district and contractors to provide strict safety measures during expansions.

Board response and next steps: Board members acknowledged the comments, thanked speakers, and several said they would follow up with staff. The personnel and curriculum issues (middle‑school bilingual staffing, DLI maps and class‑size adjustments) and the equity questions about staff departures were raised publicly and identified as matters the board and administration will need to address in near‑term personnel and program planning.

Provenance: Public‑comment remarks from parents, DLI advocates and community organizations were recorded during the meeting’s public‑comment period.