Hillside, New Jersey Development News

District Presentation Details Multilingual Learner Proficiency and Program Initiatives

The presentation detailed the English language proficiency levels for multilingual learners (MLLs) in the district, ranging from Level 1 (little to no English) to Level 6 (native speaker proficiency). The data showed an increasing number of students moving into Level 4 (expanding) and Level 5 (proficient) over the last four school years, attributed to the efforts of bilingual and ESL teachers. Specific data was presented by grade span, showing a general progression from emerging to developing stages in primary grades, and continued development in middle and high school. Growth was observed across various domains including listening, comprehension, reading, and speaking, though speaking scores showed a slight dip potentially due to accent consciousness. The district also highlighted its efforts in exiting students from the bilingual ESL program, with a plan to monitor their progress in advanced pathways. The presentation also touched on literacy and writing proficiency, noting areas for professional development. Data on gender and ethnicity showed no significant statistical differences in performance among groups. Key points for the 25-26 school year included acknowledging the doubling of the multilingual population in the last four to five years, continuing ESL parent engagement, and providing training for General Education teachers in Sheltered English Instruction (SEI) to support MLLs. The district plans to conduct a deep dive into the numbers to identify areas for targeted interventions and professional development.