Page 43 - Superintendent Annual Report 24-25

MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION

The Department of Multicultural Education manages the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
program, Dual-Language programs, the Welcome Center, and instruction in world languages. The ESOL program
facilitates the development of English language proficiency for over 44,000 non-native English speakers while
promoting their academic progress.

In addition to language acquisition, the department provides comprehensive support to families through
community resources, curriculum materials, and professional learning opportunities for educators.
Furthermore, the department promotes family engagement programs and outreach initiatives to connect
parents with educational resources and support.
The department also provides guidelines for after-school and summer learning programs, including ESOL and
Dual-Language options, designed to maintain and strengthen language skills throughout the year. These efforts
support students’ continued academic growth while fostering confidence in their language abilities. In FY25,
the department provided educational support to schools and assisted in monitoring graduation requirements
for 12th-grade students in the program. The graduation rate for English Language Learners (ELL) has signifi-
cantly improved, with a 14% increase from FY22 to FY24.

Figure 12
Three-Year ELL Graduation Rate

Dual-Language

The District Dual-Language program helps students develop linguistic proficiency and achieve academic
success in two languages. In FY25, there were 35 Spanish-English Dual-Language programs and three
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Haitian Creole-English programs, collectively serving over 10,000 students.

In FY25, the department implemented an accelerated beginning-Spanish reading program for bilingual and

dual-language learners to enhance multisensory instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency.
This instruction aligns with the current English phonics implementation, fostering a cohesive and supportive

literacy environment. To ensure fidelity of implementation, 160 teachers received comprehensive summer
training. Additionally, the Dual-Language team facilitated cadres for over 100 K-5 teachers, focusing on

improving proficiency in biliteracy instruction using the District's core reading curriculum and
biliteracy-focused cohorts for K-2 teachers to strengthen foundational skills.