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Gatesville ISD trustees receive review of emergent bilingual program; district presents supports and next steps
Summary
Trustees heard an informational review of the district's emergent bilingual (EB) program: about 179 EB students districtwide, expanded instructional tools and family engagement efforts, and staffing/threshold considerations for starting a full bilingual program in early grades.
Trustees of the GATESVILLE ISD on a recent evening received an informational review of the district's emergent bilingual (EB) program, including student counts, assessment methods and the supports used to help English learners progress.
The district presenter said the EB population for 2024'5 is about 179 students, including roughly 20 students who are in a two-year monitoring period after reclassification. The presenter explained that TELPAS (Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System) ratings and STAR reading scores factor into reclassification decisions and that students can demonstrate growth in domain scores without moving an overall level.
The presentation highlighted instructional tools and staff supports: Imagine Learning for early grades, i-Ready and Summit K12 for older students, and daily hands-on support from four ESL staff including Carrie Patterson and Julia Martin. Administrators reported 10 ESL-certified teachers districtwide and said Region 12 resources are available for professional development and questions.
Trustees discussed operational thresholds for creating a full bilingual program. Board members noted the district currently has 19 second-grade Spanish-speaking students; reaching 20 in that grade would trigger the option to implement a full bilingual program beginning in pre-K and expanding year by year. Members also praised long-serving staff and discussed challenges in finding certified bilingual teachers.
Presenters described recent family engagement efforts, including an Oct. 8 internet-safety night for EB families attended by about 40 parents, paraprofessional outreach via phone contact, and a summer-school closing fiesta. District goals for the EB program include equitable measurement of academic progress, ongoing staff development and increased family communication.
The presentation was given as an information item for compliance and discussion; trustees were not asked to take formal action on the review at the meeting. The district said it will continue monitoring program enrollment, staffing certifications and readiness to expand bilingual services if enrollment thresholds and staffing permit.
