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District to shift newcomer ELL programming into neighborhood secondary schools to save busing and align instruction
Summary
District leaders proposed moving newcomer English‑learner programming from central sites into every secondary school to reduce transportation costs, create consistent instruction and prepare for a future single high school; families will be contacted and asked to submit placement decisions by Feb. 13.
Dr. Simona, presenting an update on the district's English‑learner plans, told the board the core change for next year is to have every secondary school absorb newcomer programming based on attendance boundaries and enrollment. She said the change is driven by three objectives: reduce significant busing expenditures, establish a consistent instructional approach across buildings, and proactively prepare the district for eventual consolidation to a single high school.
Dr. Simona said newcomer students are already enrolled in secondary buildings and that district ELL staff are qualified to support them. The plan includes a communication sequence (administrators, ELL teachers, other staff, then families), home visits and phone outreach. The district will track parent responses in a form and collect decisions by Feb. 13; staffing assignments and student ratios will be finalized after that deadline.
Board members asked clarifying questions about languages served and building capacity. Dr. Simona said the district serves roughly 45–46 languages across buildings and will provide a list of languages to the board. She acknowledged space constraints at some buildings and identified Hoover as a site of concern that the district is monitoring.
Implementation steps presented include professional development modules in 2025–26 and 2026–27, progress monitoring using language‑acquisition metrics, and collecting student attendance and grade data to confirm instructional outcomes. Board members welcomed a follow‑up work session and asked for the presentation materials to be circulated ahead of that meeting so trustees can prepare questions.
