La Porte ISD reports 825 emergent bilingual students, TELPAS progress and reclassification goals
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Summary
The district’s bilingual/ESL facilitator reported enrollment, program models, TELPAS progress rates and a goal to increase reclassifications next year after a small dip in 2025.
Belle Huffman, La Porte ISD’s district bilingual and ESL facilitator, briefed trustees on the district’s emergent bilingual programs, assessments and reclassification numbers.
Huffman said the district serves emergent bilingual (EB) students through a mix of programs: a transitional bilingual program (early-exit through fifth grade), content-based ESL in primary grades where content teachers are ESL-certified, and pull-out ESL services at secondary campuses. She said newcomer programming and English development blocks support students who are new to the country, and bilingual paraprofessionals provide additional assistance.
Huffman reported enrollment figures: 5,572 students were enrolled in ESL programs across pre-K–12 and 253 in the bilingual program (which serves to fifth grade), for a combined total of 825 emergent bilingual students districtwide — about 12% of the student population as presented. "The biggest is Spanish, but we have over 12 different languages," Huffman said, noting increased language diversity in recent years.
On TELPAS, the English proficiency assessment for emergent bilingual students, Huffman said at least 40% of EB students in second, third and fifth grade moved up one proficiency level, and some elementary campuses improved TELPAS progress rates. She said third and seventh grade and Algebra I EOC results also showed improvements for EB students.
Huffman discussed reclassification (exit) criteria: an Advanced High composite on TELPAS, reading scores at the approaches-or-higher level on STAR, and a teacher evaluation indicating the student will succeed in an all-English class without language supports. In 2025, 59 students (7%) met the reclassification criteria compared with 79 students (9%) in 2024. Huffman said the district’s goal for 2026 is to increase reclassifications by 20% and described planned campus-level goal-setting conferences with every EB student to explain TELPAS and set targets.
She also noted that La Porte had no need to file bilingual/ESL teacher certification waivers with TEA for the 2024–25 year because assigned teachers were properly certified.
The presentation was informational; trustees did not take formal action but asked questions about program placement, languages represented and outreach/communication to families.