Southbridge school district unveils dual language program

SOUTHBRIDGE – In a statement written in English and Spanish Wednesday, the state-run school district unveiled a dual language program to begin in August.

“There’s a lot of research that shows dual language programs improve student outcomes,” district Receiver Jessica L. Huizenga said in an interview. “Students who take part in dual-language programs outperform their general education peers.”

The leader of the district of about 2,200 students said the program isn’t just for the district's growing Latino population.

“We’re going to have a 50-50 program. It’ll be taught 50 percent in Spanish, 50 percent in English, with the end result of students coming out biliterate and bilingual when they graduate high school," she said. "It’s a pathway that we’re creating, starting in kindergarten and Grade 1, and we will be adding a grade every single year so the students will experience school in both languages throughout their entire experience in Southbridge.”

Mrs. Huizenga said the student population is presently about 51 percent Latino. “They are the majority now,” she said.

Asked if the new program could be considered a way of leveling the playing field, she said, “I guess that’s one way that you can look at it.” But it is more about “raising the bar” for all students, she said, and creating bilingual students regardless of race or background.

“Students being able to speak two languages is going to give them a step up no matter where they go,” Mrs. Huizenga said.

Dual language programs aren’t specifically measured on state standardized assessments, but other assessments exist for the district to monitor students’ progress in both languages, Mrs. Huizenga said. All students will continue to be expected to pass their state assessments.

Mrs. Huizenga, who was appointed receiver of the chronically underperforming district last year and began the job in May, said she immediately convened a committee to explore dual language programming, which is mentioned in the district’s turnaround plan.

The development process began in June, she said. The district’s dual language steering committee consists of community members, teachers and other stakeholders, and they have met regularly, visited other schools, attended conferences, and developed an action plan for rollout in 2017-18.

The dual language program is headed by Kelly Cooney, director of English Language Learning in Southbridge.

Citing the Massachusetts Association for Bilingual Education, there are 18 dual language programs in Massachusetts, the district said. Southbridge will carry the second program in Worcester County. Two schools in Worcester offer a dual language opportunity up to sixth grade.

“It’s not something I know is readily available in a lot of school districts around us,” Mrs. Huizenga said. “So we feel like this is something that’s going to set Southbridge Public Schools apart. We hope people will want to ‘choice in,’ and keep their kids here because this is a skill that’s really going to set them apart as they compete in the 21st century.”

The program will be housed at Eastford Road Elementary School.

Ms. Cooney said the program anticipates 20 students from Spanish-speaking homes and 20 students from homes where English or other languages are spoken, in both kindergarten and Grade 1.

Information sessions for incoming kindergarten and Grade 1 students will take place over the next several weeks, Southbridge said. Times and locations will be posted online at southbridgepublic.org.

Families will be selected using a lottery system and will participate in a selection process. Southbridge students will be given preference, but families from other school districts are welcome to apply.

In January 2016, Southbridge joined Holyoke and Lawrence as the state’s only chronically underperforming districts run by a state-appointed receiver.

The receivership came on the heels of a report that said the district was beset by high administrative turnover, low student achievement and problems with discipline and addressing the needs of students who don't primarily speak English, and those with advanced social-emotional needs.