District 95 immersion language program to end

The Carbondale Elementary District No. 95 Board of Education told a packed meeting room Thursday that the Two-Way Immersion language program in the district would cease after this school year, at least for a time, and be replaced by the more traditional English as a Second Language (ESL) sheltered program.

TWI is a form of dual- language education in which native English speakers and English learners are taught together, with both groups serving as language learners and models. The program usually begins in pre-K, kindergarten or first grade and runs at least five years.

ESL programs place English learners into classrooms away from English speakers.

Several parents whose children are a part of the district's language program spoke during the "public comments" portion of the meeting in support of the TWI program, calling it a "unique and positive language experience" for students and a "jewel in the crown of the district."

Interim Superintendent Elizabeth Lewin said the decision was entirely data- driven, test scores of English learners were lower in the TWI program than in the ESL program, and that the number of Spanish-speaking students is down.

"Our English learners are better served by expanding our sheltered English program," she said.

She said the TWI program was not being eliminated outright, but that it would "be evaluated and may be eliminated."

"The motivation of the board and administration is to do a better job with English learners," said board member Natasha Zaretsky, whose fourth-grader is in a TWI class. "The information is clear; English learners are being shortchanged. We have to look at the bigger picture. Sheltered English programs are serving our students better."

Board member Carlton Smith told the large crowd that the district would continue to have a bilingual program.

"But we have to do it right," he said. "We need to make some changes according to the data."

Lewin made a point of saying that the incoming superintendent, Daniel Booth, "has been involved with all district ogram changes for the 2018-19 school year."

In other news, the board voted Thursday to change the orchestra program.

Starting in the 2018-2019 school year, students will not be able to participate in the strings program until they are in fourth grade.

Currently, students in second and third grades take the course.

"This makes the string program's requirements the same as the band program's," Lewin said. "The younger students were needing more instructional time than we could provide."