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Students and teachers tell Lodi Unified board testing takes class time; district showcases successful ELD summer program
Summary
Sixth-grade students told the board diagnostic tests such as i-Ready and STAR Reading take excessive classroom time; district staff presented an English Learner summer program that teachers said produced notable gains in three weeks.
Two sixth-grade GATE students from John Merrill Elementary addressed the board about the time required for district diagnostics. Student presenters said their class spent substantial hours on testing and told trustees, "This diagnostic takes so much time from our school work and learning." They asked the district to consider reducing overlapping assessments, recommending use of a single shorter measure when possible.
The board then heard a spotlight on the English Learner (EL) Summer Success program. Catherine O'Gardnick, identified in the meeting as TOSA at Woodbridge Elementary, described the model'two teachers per classroom, daily professional development, and science-based units of study'and said the program "has yielded extraordinary results with students demonstrating a significant transformation from limited English speaking to subject matter expertise in just 3 weeks." Analia Puga, a migrant summer-school teacher, described hands-on projects (dioramas, masks, advocacy posters) that built student confidence and engagement.
Trustees asked about program funding and sustainability. Staff acknowledged financing is a challenge and said they would share strategy lists and documentation with the board and superintendent. The presentation included praise for partnerships with the San Joaquin County Office of Education and for bilingual paraeducators who support student engagement.
