District reports early gains and strong parent satisfaction in Stowell DLI kindergarten cohort

Merced City School District staff reported midyear progress for the district's dual language immersion (DLI) kindergarten cohort at Stowell Elementary, citing meaningful gains in Spanish literacy, high parent satisfaction and plans to expand the program next year.

Multilingual Coordinator presented data for the 43‑student DLI kindergarten cohort: beginning‑of‑year English assessments showed a large share of students below benchmark, while Spanish assessments indicated a stronger starting point and midyear growth (benchmarks and above increased and well‑below categories declined). The coordinator said the Spanish midyear distribution improved substantially, with increases in students meeting or exceeding expectations.

Parent survey results were largely positive: the presentation cited that 62% of families reported their child is "very happy" in the program and that 67% reported being "very satisfied" overall. Surveyed families also reported confidence in program communication and high levels of involvement. Staff noted that Spanish language development was an area of strength and that continued translation and outreach would improve clarity for some families.

Operational next steps include expanding to two first‑grade DLI classrooms next year, offering multiple parent information sessions in February and setting an enrollment window for incoming kindergarteners that begins March 2. The district also discussed teacher credentialing and local recruitment strategies to grow bilingual staffing capacity.

Trustees expressed strong support for program growth while asking staff to consider access and transportation issues for eligible students across the district.