Consultant recommends consolidating North Shore SD 112 two-way Dual Language program to Oak Terrace

Dr. Sonia Soltero, the consultant hired to review North Shore School District 112’s two-way Dual Language program, told the board May 13 that declining English Learner enrollment threatens the viability of maintaining the program at both Red Oak and Oak Terrace.

"The dual language program uses a two-way program model, aiming for a balanced representation of English Learners and English-proficient students," Soltero said during her presentation, and later recommended considering a phased consolidation to Oak Terrace while prioritizing English Learners’ needs. Superintendent Dr. Michael Lubelfeld introduced the study and said he had "deemed the declining enrollment a crisis and suggested that the Dual Language program be consolidated from two sites to a single site at Oak Terrace." The presentation noted a shift in the district language model over time from 80/20 (1996–2016) to 50/50 (beginning in 2017).

Soltero described enrollment declines since 2020: Red Oak enrollment fell about 13.5% while Oak Terrace saw a roughly 31.5% drop, and transportation patterns leave 67% of English Learners from the Oak Terrace area bused to Red Oak to balance populations. Her report offered four recommendations: prioritize English Learners’ needs; consider redesigning the language allocation (including revisiting an 80/20 model); reset culture and climate; and pursue a phased or planned consolidation with community engagement, facility preparation and metrics to monitor implementation.

Board members pressed Soltero and district staff on possible academic effects of an imbalanced classroom language mix, implications of shifting the allocation back toward an 80/20 model, and the timing of any transition. The board did not take a vote on consolidation at the meeting; Dr. Lubelfeld said he would return to the board with implementation planning next steps.