U-46 to expand dual language program

The dual language program will be introduced at Ellis Middle School next August, Elgin Area School District U-46 officials said this week.

The program, which now exists solely at Channing Elementary School, was established seven years ago, splitting a select group of school days and subjects between Spanish and English.

"At the time, we established it as a one-site program for the district," U-46 spokesman Tony Sanders said.

Channing parents have long urged U-46 to expand the program -- citing test score improvements, confident kids and a multicultural atmosphere.

With 72 percent of Channing's students coming from low-income homes and nearly 85 percent of students identified as minorities, the majority of Channing's students have been labeled "at risk" of educational failure.

High test scores from dual language students helped bump Channing off the state's academic warning list in 2005. It has not returned.

The percentage of students, according to 2007 state report cards, making Adequate Yearly Progress at Channing in reading is 66.3 percent; in math, it's 76.6 percent. Both are well above the No Child Left Behind benchmark of 55 percent.

On April 2, a group of parents met with interim Superintendent Mary Jayne Broncato and outlined a list of hopes and concerns.

Surveys were sent home to Channing dual-language parents, measuring interest in the program being expanded at Ellis.

Sixteen of the 18 sixth-grade parents surveyed voted in favor of expanding the program, Broncato said.

Sixth-grade dual language students also were tested for reading and writing levels in Spanish.

Besides parental advocacy, Broncato said U-46 considered expanding the dual language program for a number of reasons.

"We've been focusing on the English Language Learners program these past few years. One of the options that has come to the forefront has been dual language," she said.

Ellis was chosen to offer the new program, Broncato said, because it is the middle school most Channing students feed into.

Next year, dual language will be offered for the school's seventh-graders who have graduated from Channing's program. If successful, it will likely be continued at the eighth-grade level in 2009-10, she said.

The Ellis school program will operate differently than the program at Channing, where students are taught in both languages in most daily classes. At Ellis, students will attend one language arts class conducted in Spanish.

Quite a bit of work is ahead, Broncato said.

"We have to look at what we want that class to involve ... to frame out the curriculum and identify a staff member to teach it," she said.

Ideas will be hashed out before the district's instructional council.

A feasibility study looking at the dual language program on a larger scale may be conducted in the future, she said.

"We've wanted this for a long time," said Kristen Webb, whose first-grade son is in Channing's dual language program.

"It's not an us-and-them type of education. The bigger picture of it is that it brings the community together. … I think the district's finally seeing that."