District outlines expansion of dual-language immersion, cites gains and gaps in Spanish literacy

Hueneme Union Elementary School District officials provided a detailed update Monday on the district’s Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program and the work of its Multilingual Learner Support Teachers (MLSTs), saying the initiative is expanding while staff move to shore up Spanish reading and writing supports.

Director Nazimian told the governing board the district is scaling a model it described as a “gold standard,” noting legacy campuses and newer sites: Bard and Green (longstanding programs), Parkview (added eight years ago), Larson and Sunpist, APOCS launching this August, and Blackstar scheduled to begin DLI in 2028. “We aren’t just maintaining a program, we are scaling a proven model,” Nazimian said.

The presentation placed professional development at the program’s center: teacher-created biliteracy units, integrated curriculum (the district uses WONDERS and MARAVILLAS systems in tandem), and a three‑pillar strategy of curriculum design, instructional rigor and direct support through an external DLI consultant. Jennifer Papien summarized districtwide professional learning, saying nearly 5,000 students have benefited from DLI‑aligned teaching during the past five years and 188 teachers have received additional training.

Michelle Mills, the district’s lead data strategist, presented assessment data showing both strengths and areas for growth. In upper elementary grades the DLI cohorts showed competitive or stronger English reading outcomes — Mills noted an example where about 64% of older DLI students met the English benchmark versus roughly 58% of non‑DLI peers — but she said Spanish reading proficiency remains a concern, with only about 42% of DLI students at benchmark on one Spanish assessment and nearly 40% in the highest‑risk tier. “These results confirm that our shift toward intentional bridging and specialized writing instruction is necessary,” Mills said.

Staff gave additional metrics. The multilingual support team currently works with approximately 2,418 multilingual learners districtwide; district materials showed a broader figure of more than 3,700 individuals in multilingual programs across sites. Reclassification outcomes were raised as a positive trend: the district’s reclassification rate moved from 15% in 2024 to 17% in 2025, and reclassified students exceeded state standards in English language arts across multi‑year monitoring.

Presenters described changes to assessments and local supports — for example, expanded LPAC examiner training and a plan to monitor reclassified students for four years — and emphasized efforts to build coherent biliteracy pathways (district “seals” or awards at earlier grade levels to recognize progress, while noting the statewide seal remains a 12th‑grade credential).

Staff signaled next steps that include a district DLI handbook, a common intake assessment to improve placement accuracy, refined teacher‑created biliteracy units, and expanded training capacity at secondary grades. Board members acknowledged the work and the presentation concluded with an invitation to a Bridges to Multilingualism celebration on June 11 at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center.

The board did not take an action to change program policy at the meeting; the presentation was informational and the district identified implementation tasks and additional supports to be developed.