English Language Learners make up nearly 30 percent of the Lynn Public Schools student body, and next month programming and curriculum for those students will undergo a mandatory state review.
During the week of Nov. 16, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) and Office of Language Acquisition (OLA) will conduct a Tiered Focus Monitoring of Lynn Public Schools.
The OLA reviews districts’ and charter schools’ English Learner Education (ELE) programs every six years to monitor compliance with federal and state laws and regulations.
Areas of review include initial identification of English Language Learners (ELLs) and former ELLs; administration of standardized tests to those students, such as the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) and ACCESS testing for ELLs; ELE programming; licensure requirements and exit procedures of English learners from ELE programs.
Rania Caldwell, director of English Learner Education, said the city’s school district was due for its state review last year, with DESE staff scheduled to come last May, but the visit was pushed to this fall because of coronavirus-related school closures.
Ahead of the on-site review, the district completed its self-assessment in the 2018-19 school year, which includes 17 areas of review, or compliance indicators, that will be evaluated during next month’s visits, Caldwell said.
Since Lynn’s last compliance review in 2014, Caldwell said the district has drastically increased secondary services for English Language Learners, particularly at the high school level, developed dozens of new programs, added English language development for all report cards, and implemented a dual language program, seal of biliteracy and EL parent advisory council.
“Our last review indicated that we did need to increase ELE services across the district,” said Caldwell. “We spent the past couple of years really focusing on the secondary level and have more than doubled services for grades 6-12 for every English learner. We’re excited for us to get some feedback on the work that’s been done and to learn the next steps for us to continue on the path we’re on.”
Lynn is among the state leaders in terms of the amount of ELLs in their public school district. This school year, there are 4,928 English learners and 1,320 former ELLs, or students that have exited that programming in the past four years. Both groups of students are evaluated as part of the compliance review, Caldwell said.
Challenges remain as the number of ELLs has been on the rise in Lynn in recent years, said Caldwell, noting that in the past three years, the percentage of those students has increased from making up 19.8 to 29.8 percent of the total enrollment. When she started with the district four years ago, there were 3,300 ELLs in the district, Caldwell said.
Although the district’s middle school ELLs are on pace with the state average in terms of English language development, Lynn’s elementary and high school students are below average. Overall, Lynn’s percentage of ELLs making progress in language development is 44 percent, below the state average of 49 percent, Caldwell said.
“I think the biggest potential for growth we see is in that program evaluation,” said Caldwell. “(We) still have groups of students who aren’t making adequate progress in English development.
“(Superintendent) Dr. (Patrick) Tutwiler always says change is a process and not an event. We’ve seen some progress but raising those numbers of adequate progress is really in the forefront of our (mind).”
The Office of Language Acquisition will gather parental input by sending a survey to the parents of randomly selected students. All of the data, including student records, parent surveys, staff interviews and documentation submitted by the district will be reviewed to determine the district’s compliance with ELE criteria.
Parents and other individuals may call Sibel Hughes, public school monitoring chairperson, at (781) 338-3569 to request a telephone interview. If an individual requires an accommodation, such as translation, to participate in an interview, the department will make the necessary arrangements.
Within approximately 60 business days after the on-site (virtual) visit, the review chairperson will provide the Lynn Public Schools with a report with information about areas in which the district meets or exceeds regulatory requirements and areas in which the district requires assistance to correct or improve practices. The public will be able to access the report for English Learner Education at http://www.doe.mass.edu/ele/cpr/
