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MCPS outlines expanded professional learning for 32,000 emergent multilingual learners, board presses for more staffing
Summary
Montgomery County Public Schools staff told the Board of Education committee that EML enrollment has climbed to roughly 32,600–32,800 students and described a districtwide push to train classroom and ELD teachers using WIDA-aligned, content-focused professional learning. Board members repeatedly pressed for more ELD staffing and grade‑level breakdowns of exits and reentries.
Tamara Hewlett, director of the Department of English Learners and Multilingual Education, told the Board of Education’s Committee on Special Populations that Montgomery County Public Schools is seeing rapid growth in its emergent multilingual learner population and has prioritized professional learning to improve outcomes.
Hewlett said MCPS recorded 32,841 EMLs on the district’s June 1 count and reported 32,587 as of Dec. 31, with roughly 1,000 additional students joining the program each year. She described WIDA ACCESS for ELLs proficiency bands (ELP 1–4) and explained that Maryland practice exits students from the ELD program at an overall score of 4.5. District data show large cohorts at beginning levels—more than 17,000 at early proficiency levels—and that growth often slows at ELP 3 and 4, driving the need for targeted, content‑embedded instruction (presentation; Tamara Hewlett).
Why it matters: The district’s scale—more than 32,000 EMLs—means that modest changes in staffing and training can affect large numbers of students. Hewlett argued that training must reach general education content teachers as well as ELD specialists so students get language supports inside math, science and social studies classes.
What the district is doing: Hewlett outlined a multi‑tiered professional learning approach. For new ELD teachers the district runs onboarding cohorts focused on planning, instruction and assessment for designated ELD instruction. About 800 ELD teachers receive district-level learning on a functional language approach to academic content; the office also provides direct school support through a small team of instructional specialists and coaches, life coaches for students with interrupted formal education, and partnerships with outside experts and Delmi/Delmy training consultants (presentation; Jennifer Russian; Elana Carr).
School examples: Principals and specialists from 7 Locks Elementary, Montgomery Village Middle and Magruder High described school‑level application of the training: 7 Locks reported nearly 30% growth for EMLs in math on the state report card after implementing language‑focused planning and co‑teaching models (Elana Carr). Montgomery Village described data‑driven cohort planning, monthly data chats and a locally funded ELD content specialist funded via Title I to support implementation (Roy Liburd). Magruder staff described a site‑level adult learning progression and early signs of shared responsibility for EML instruction (Megan Campbell).
Board questions and data requests: Board members pressed the district for more granular data and follow-up metrics. Questions centered on monitoring students after they exit the ELD program, reentry rates, grade‑by‑grade starting proficiency for students who later exit in grades 3–5, and the number and certification of school‑level ELD staff. Hewlett said MCPS monitors exited students for two years and will provide requested breakdowns (including grade 12 ELP levels at graduation), reentry counts and the rubric for ELP level descriptors as follow-up (Q&A).
Staffing and resources: Several board members stressed that professional learning alone will not be enough without additional staffing. Hewlett confirmed the office currently deploys two district ELD coaches and a small instructional specialist team that cannot reach every school daily; she noted caseloads of about 41 ELD students per ELD teacher in some places. School leaders said targeted staffing—ELD content specialists, co‑teaching supports and school‑level PLC time—helped produce improvement but are not widespread (Hewlett; Roy Liburd).
Budget and funding: Hewlett said Title 3 and operating budget funds support some training and targeted school supports, but Title 3 is limited and cannot fund systemwide teacher training alone. Board members asked that staffing requests and funding needs be explicit in upcoming budget conversations.
Next steps and follow-ups: The district agreed to provide the board with the ELP rubric, grade‑level exit breakdowns (including grade 12), dual‑code (IEP + ELD) breakdowns by race and grade, and data on exited students’ academic outcomes and reentry counts. Schools will continue to pilot functional language approaches and scale successful school‑level models where resources allow.
Ending: Board members thanked presenters and emphasized that further progress depends on pairing professional learning with additional staff and resources; Hewlett and school leaders said they would return with the requested data and continue implementing cohort and school‑level supports (closing).
