Lubbock ISD reports drop in students served by bilingual/ESL programs; district now reports 48 languages

Sara Garcia, Coordinator for Bilingual/ESL Programs, presented the district’s annual bilingual update during the Dec. 11 workshop. She reported a decline in the number of students being served compared with the previous school year after four consecutive years of increases; the district now reports students speaking 48 languages. Garcia said the district partners with Texas Tech University's foreign language department to provide many non-Spanish language services.

Garcia outlined program models: most emergent bilinguals are served on their home campus by an ESL-certified teacher; Newcomer students (in the U.S. three years or less) have classes at each middle and high school and at Honey, Ramirez and Centennial elementary schools. Families at other elementary campuses may transfer to one of three dual language campuses; Harwell, Bean and McWhorter elementaries offer dual language programs. Garcia noted that 77 teachers are currently on an ESL waiver — meaning they serve emergent bilingual students but are not yet ESL certified — down from 119 last year. The district offers an ESL academy and exam fee reimbursement upon passing. She also described a dual language committee formed to align models across the three dual language campuses and longstanding adult Latino Family Literacy/ESL classes.