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Yakima board: dual‑language access exceeds target while participation gaps remain
Summary
District officials reported 85% of PK–5 schools now offer two‑way dual‑language programs, increases in world‑language enrollment, but persistent participation disparities by income, English‑learner and migrant status.
The Yakima School District reported progress toward its bilingual/biliteracy goal on Oct. 21 while flagging inequities in program participation.
Dr. Lucero, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, told the board the district has exceeded its dual‑language goal: 12 of 14 pre‑K through fifth‑grade schools (85%) now have access to two‑way dual‑language programs. The district plans to implement dual language at Nob Hill and Roosevelt in 2025–26 and is phasing cohort expansions; one cohort delayed first‑grade implementation this year due to a 2024 pause.
Lucero said district and STAR/hidden slides show world‑language enrollment rose from about 15.4% (2022–23) to 24.2% (2024–25). However, gaps persist: low‑income students participated at 17% versus 8% for non‑low‑income; English‑language learners participated at 5% versus 20% for non‑ELL students; migrant students participated at 3% versus 22% for non‑migrant students. Lucero said a Goal 4 committee is revising measurements to include sociocultural competence and will return with an update on Nov. 18.
Board members asked whether American Sign Language (ASL) counts as a world language and how sociocultural competence will be measured; Lucero offered to provide the ASL information and described training and next steps for developing metrics.
The report was informational; no board action was taken.
