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Professors and parents urge board to preserve dual-language program as staff and safety concerns surface
Summary
Two university professors urged the board to preserve the district’s Dual Language Immersion program; public commenters and a paraprofessional read statements alleging understaffing, safety incidents and payroll errors that some said were prompting families to leave the district.
Speakers at the Beloit School District board meeting on May 19 used the public-comment period to press the board on program and staffing decisions the administration has proposed.
Professor Andrew Heiri of the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater said he came "on my own accord" to "unequivocally voice my support for the dual language immersion program," arguing that Spanish-English bilingual programs in Wisconsin have a 60-year history and extensive research demonstrating academic and social benefits. "Cutting the program at the middle school level would invite these parents to open enroll out of your district," he warned.
A fellow UW–Whitewater professor who identified herself as Julie described an accelerated, asynchronous licensing program the university offers to help produce more bilingual and ESL-certified teachers. She offered to partner with the district to support teacher training and implementation.
During read public comments and live testimony, a district paraprofessional (comment card from "Ari") described workplace injuries allegedly caused by violent behavioral incidents, and said the district was operating with "approximately 18 fewer paraprofessionals than were needed to meet IEP requirements." The writer alleged repeated lockdowns and administrative errors involving payroll and said they were withdrawing four children from the district because of safety concerns.
Superintendent Dr. Anderson acknowledged the public comments and the board discussed staffing levels and special education resourcing during the budget debate. The board did not take an immediate action to change program status or staffing levels at the meeting but asked administrators to include program impacts in the budget scenarios and for further discussion with community committees.
The record of public comment is in the board minutes and will be part of the committee discussions on enrollment, staffing and program preservation.
