Message from Superintendent and CTA President

In light of recent conversations throughout the District regarding a suggested revision to our Board policy about English language development, we wish to share with you the facts.

What is happening?

  • Adams 14 is recommending a revised policy for English language development.

Why recommend changing the policy?

  • The current policy, IHBE/IHBEA “Bilingual/ESL Policy,” is overly prescriptive. A revised, more flexible policy will allow the District to develop a program to best meet the needs of all students who are acquiring English.
  • The results of the CADI report pointed out that the District has been unsuccessful in transitioning students from their native language to English. Rates of student movement up the scale in language proficiency have been extremely low. The majority of students who have been in the District for six years still remain limited in proficiency of English.  In fact, less than one in four students in Adams 14 have transitioned from NEP to FEP in six years. (CADI and Adams 14 analysis)
  • There is little indication of progress in literacy and language during the most important formative years for young students. (CADI) 

If the policy passes, what next?

  • Adams 14 is not yet settling on a particular method of delivering English literacy and language instruction.
  • Adams 14 will retain expert consultants in the realm of English language development to make program recommendations and suggest evaluation measures.

If you have questions or concerns, please know that building leaders are available to address them.
Adams 14 will host two open meetings to discuss the direction of English language development. These meetings are scheduled for March 19 and March 26 at the ESS from 4 to 5 p.m. We encourage all staff who have interest in this topic to attend.

Sincerely,

Sue Chandler                                       Dave Clark
Superintendent of Schools                SD14 CTA President

Posted on Fri, February 6, 2009 by Sue Chandler

14 comments (Add your own)

1. Shari Strider wrote:
Could you please send out the proposed revised policy for English language development?

The CADI report may have pointed out the transitioning statistics you stated, but I was told that it also said that the policy/programs developed for the ELA students were never properly implemented by the district (which would probably cause it to fail.)

Does or does not the CADI program say to KEEP THE PROGRAM?

Can we (teachers) know where to find the state and federal laws/mandates pertaining to ELA education?

Is there a process developed to make sure parents/community are fully aware of any changes that will be made in our ELA programs for our students?

Thanking you in advance for your assistance.

Mon, February 9, 2009 @ 3:18 PM

2. Shari Strider wrote:
Another couple questions...

Who is going to be at the meetings at the ESS on March 19th and March 26th?

Who are the expert consultants you plan to keep?

Thanks again.

Mon, February 9, 2009 @ 3:22 PM

3. A teacher at Central wrote:
Will teachers who have their Master's or an endorsement in Bilingual/ESL education be used as resources in revising the policies for ELL's? Will they be included in the decision making?

Will all schools have an ESL committee? We currently do not.

If we truly do want collaboration in the district, we should use the resources we have right here in our district.

Wed, February 11, 2009 @ 4:51 PM

4. parent wrote:
I am a Parent and I wanted to show my support for the district to working to revise its English language program. John Albright, I agree with the district the current program is not effective, because some teachers they do not teach in english I can said this because one of the spanish teacher in the distric do not spend time teaching in english only spanish and plus this teacher spend a lot of time doing something or to bussy in the cell or computer. The question is who goint to have a problem in the future? The kids because they do not are potential.

Thu, February 12, 2009 @ 9:13 PM

5. Angeli wrote:
I support this very much, let due, Adams 14 is recommending a revised policy for English language development.

Thu, February 12, 2009 @ 9:18 PM

6. wrote:
How is the policy restrictive? Administrators and schools have been able to disregard policy. In the years I have been employed there has never been the conscious, collaborative, and authentic attempt to implement programming to align with policy. The only way that that policy can "seem" to be restrictive is that it advocates for the inclusion and USE of Spanish. This policy would seem to be culturally appropriate, linguistically appropriate, and politically appropriate because the district's constituency is more than 3,500 students that are to be SERVED by the district because the district is not a private organization. It is a public organization that works for the community members of its area. The fact is that the policy DOES ADVOCATE for ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING.

How is it inspiring, empowering, and educational to disrespect the entire voice of almost MORE than half your REAL EMPLOYERS.

Thu, February 19, 2009 @ 11:16 PM

7. wrote:
My opinion as a teacher and a parent: we decide to come to this country where the lejuage is English, good therefore we have to learn to speak English and our children should receive education in English we like or not we live in this country. If our children do not learn the English language and they receive the education in English, one of the problems that our children are going to face he is that they are not going to be able to understand all in their classes when they be in middle school or high school and who they are going to be them affected in their future they same our children because could not understand all in English and the worse thing is that they go It has to be affected in their future upon seeking work because they do not have a good education or because they could not finish the high school because they did not understand all and the qualifications were very low, because therefore by the English language.
As the parents we should support to this school district since is a benefit for our children. As a mother and teacher I have worried about my self to learn the English and I continue learning each day I have, I invite them to that unite and we support to this district which is a benefit in the education for the future of our children. And AS it TOLD we LIVE IN THIS COUNTRY AND we NEED TO LEARN English.

Fri, February 20, 2009 @ 7:36 PM

8. Parent from Central Elementary wrote:
Superintendent and CTA President Adams 14 you're doing the right thing we need a new transitional Model for our children, in my personal opinion and as parent there is little indication of progress in English.For the first time in years our district is, going in the right direction I came to this country knowing my children had to learn English. My recommendation is to train and transition the staff at Central Elementary into English. Teacher instruction as I know from my children is deliver in spanish only.

Sat, February 21, 2009 @ 3:21 PM

9. rudy bustos wrote:
Does SD14 CTA have a website?

Wed, February 25, 2009 @ 8:05 PM

10. Teach 'em English wrote:
I'm from another state where we have several different ELL programs. The only one that truly helps students prepare for a promising future is instruction in English starting in kindergarten with ELL support from teachers and ELL specialists. Bilingual education never works because it becomes too easy to just give up on English and teach in Spanish. I've had students that came from Spanish speaking countries in 2nd or 3rd grade with NO English, yet after one year they have made tremendous growth.

Some parent comments are valid. The parents want them to learn and be successful in English. They know that that's the key for their children's future success. It's why they are living hard lives here, for their children. They can learn Spanish at home, most already do.

Wed, March 25, 2009 @ 8:14 PM

11. Nancy wrote:
Emerse our students in English then they will learn it. If they want a bi lingual education the go to a private school that provides that special instruction. Our English speaking students are suffering because of the ELL programs in this district. Help the citizens of the United States English is the language of our country!

Tue, April 28, 2009 @ 8:21 AM

12. laura wrote:
Im my opinion is good to have the ELL program because the children that speak 2 lenguages have more futer than the other. My experience I have a daugther thats 4 year old and this was her first yeast in prischool and she already knows inglish, even that she is in the spanish table. I would like to aske that before taking any desicion please consider the vote of hispanic people. aobut this program

Thu, May 7, 2009 @ 6:16 PM

13. writer wrote:
For my opinion the ELL program works for every body I know that this country requires the english to move aroud, but that is not the only language they need to learn. they could learned spanish, french, for me the spanish was harder then the english am here in the Unitate States since a was 4 years I tink that they schould require the inglish un till the 3 grade.

Thu, May 7, 2009 @ 6:28 PM

14. Research-based Practices wrote:
For those who are seeking research-based practices that have been proven effective and promising for English language learners and in particular long-term ELLs here are two most recent research studies

http://www.edweek.org/ew/events/chats/2009/09/10/index.html

http://web.gc.cuny.edu/Linguistics/rislus/projects/LTELL/index.html

Thu, September 10, 2009 @ 9:44 PM

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