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District reports growth, assessment gains in bilingual education program
Summary
District bilingual program leaders said enrollment in dual-language programs remains strong (732 students districtwide) and reported rising assessment scores, AP Spanish results above state averages, and new data-tracking in the student information system to monitor long-term outcomes.
Stacey Lee, the district curriculum coordinator and bilingual education administrator, briefed the board Wednesday on the scope and results of Greater Albany Public SD 8J’s bilingual education programs.
Lee told trustees the district now has about 732 students in its bilingual education program and highlighted steady or rising participation at several schools, including an increase at South Albany High School from 162 to 201 students. She said the program follows dual-language immersion principles (literacy in both English and Spanish) and cited national research showing long-term academic benefits for students in high‑quality bilingual programs.
On assessment, Lee described the district’s use of the STAMP assessment and AP Spanish results. "Our score went our mean score went down slightly last year, but we convinced a lot more students to test," she said, adding that 94.4% of those who took AP Spanish scored a 3 or higher — well above the Oregon average cited in her presentation.
Lee also said the district recently enabled a Synergy flag to identify students in the bilingual program, which will make it easier to track students across years and analyze long-term outcomes. She described plans to expand family and community outreach, increase bilingual staffing where possible, and refine the program framework and master schedule for next year.
Board members asked about hiring challenges — especially at the secondary level — and about how bilingual instruction timelines compare to English-only sequences; Lee said some skills in dual-language settings can show a short delay but typically catch up by fifth grade and exceed peers by eighth grade.
The presentation included student-survey quotes and examples of cultural and community activities (partnerships with Oregon State University performing-arts events and other local programming) that staff said build program visibility and student engagement.
Next steps: Lee said the district will continue work on program metrics, pursue bilingual hiring where possible, and update the board as Synergy analytics yield longer-term results.
