School district still struggling with educating English language
learners Students who are learning English as a second language are
still struggling in the Morgan Hill School District, according to a
recent state report.
“We have ongoing efforts to remediate some of the items found
noncompliant in a CCR (Coordinated Compliance Review) that occurred
several years ago,” said Linda Mann, director of curriculum and
assessment for the district told School Board trustees during their
regular meeting Tuesday night. “
We’ve made a great deal of progress; all but four items have
been resolved.”
Students who are learning English as a second language are still struggling in the Morgan Hill School District, according to a recent state report.
“We have ongoing efforts to remediate some of the items found noncompliant in a CCR (Coordinated Compliance Review) that occurred several years ago,” said Linda Mann, director of curriculum and assessment for the district told School Board trustees during their regular meeting Tuesday night. “We’ve made a great deal of progress; all but four items have been resolved.”
The situation for English language learners in the district was discovered in 2000, when Live Oak High underwent a review by the Office of Civil Rights, focusing on issues related to its ELL program. Also in 2000, the district completed the CCR that indicated the district was out of compliance with California Department of Education requirements for English language learners.
The district was notified the following year that Comité, the state English Learner Accountability Unit, would monitor efforts to bring the district into compliance.
Now, Mann said, the problems remaining are the most common noncompliance issues districts face.
“What we have remaining are the most difficult,” she said. “The evaluation piece, access to language development, access to core classes, professional development – these are the most difficult to address and traditionally the ones that remain as districts strive to achieve compliance.”
The next steps the district must take to achieve full compliance in these areas include putting into place a data system that will help district and school staff keep track of the academic progress of English language learner students.
The development programs at each site need to be strengthened, including strengthening the academic interventions, so students can learn English at the rate established by the district’s “catch up” plan, and to ensure that academic deficits are monitored and overcome.
More professional development – focusing on the needs of ELL students – for administrative and certificated staff will also be provided.
Trustee Mike Hickey asked Mann about how much time the district would need to get a program in place to take care of the English language learners’ needs.
“Are these things we can say, we’ll get it done in a year or two?” Hickey asked.
Mann said she hopes to implement the revised plan in place by the end of the year.
“The state consultants have said they are not expecting perfection, not expecting that all ELL students will achieve parity, but do we have a system in place?” she said.
The state imposed a 45-day deadline for the district to revise the plan already in place. Mann said the revised version was returned to the state several weeks after receiving the report.
“What happens if we don’t accomplish what we set out to accomplish? They could look at pulling our federal categorical funding, but that’s probably not going to happen,” said Mann. “They are pleased with the success they’ve seen so far, and they just want us to improve on that.”
Mann said several deadlines have been set for accomplishing certain items throughout this school year, and representatives from Comité would be visiting the district during the year and at the end of the year to review progress.
Donna Foster, president of the Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers, praised the work of the district’s Educational Services department in correcting the noncompliance issues. She said she hoped teachers would be involved in the planning stages.
“I know that Dr. Mann and Ms. Blanar have worked very diligently trying to establish a system and communicate with the sites, and the new administration has joined in that team effort,” she said. “We have task forces in place … That collaborative effort must continue.”
