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District outlines expansion and outcomes for dual language immersion program
Summary
Principal Nelson told the board the district’s DLI program begins in TK with a 90/10 model that phases toward 50/50 instruction; staff reported 162 TK–2 students enrolled, plans to add third-grade classes, and targeted interventions to address a second-grade reading 'rate' measure.
Principal Nelson told the Galt Joint Union Elementary School District board that the district’s dual language immersion (DLI) program will continue expanding and emphasized both academic and sociocultural aims.
Nelson described the program’s vision and three pillars — bilingualism and biliteracy, academic achievement, and sociocultural competence — and explained the 90/10 instructional model that starts with 90% Spanish instruction in the youngest cohorts and shifts progressively toward a 50/50 balance in upper elementary grades.
The district currently operates DLI in TK through second grade with two classes per grade and a total of 162 students across two sites, Nelson said. The district plans to add two third-grade DLI classes next year, filling one with a bilingual teacher from Valley Oaks and hiring an additional credentialed teacher for the second class. Nelson said recruitment is steady; staff had received 39 TK applications for the coming year at the time of the meeting.
Nelson addressed reading assessment results and a notable drop in second-grade pass rates after introduction of a 'rate' (reading speed) subtest. He said eight second-graders failed only the rate portion and that, if rate were met, the cohort pass percentage would rise to roughly 84 percent. To address rate skill, Valley Oaks and other sites plan targeted small-group practice and use of programs such as Read Naturally.
Board members asked about mid-program entries and cross-boundary participation; Nelson said students who transfer with prior DLI experience may be admitted early, but the program generally limits late entry because of cumulative language instruction.
Nelson and staff said the LCAP draft will incorporate changes to metrics and actions tied to DLI, and the district will continue public hearings and adoption steps in June.
