As part of the plan to adequately instruct the district’s burgeoning population of English language learners, Covington Independent Schools is bringing in a new English language teacher.
The schools approved the hiring of a new position, which will teach students with a wide range of skill with the English language, from nearly fluent to no understanding at all.
The district’s head of the English language program, Dr. Susan Pastor-Richard, asked the board of education to approve the new position at the board’s meeting Thursday evening. Pastor-Richard pointed to the growing ELL population as necessitating another teacher, and the board both unanimously approved the new position and discussed how to deal with the growing population long-term.
Specifically, the position would augment English language instruction at 9th District Elementary and Latonia Elementary, which currently have only one teacher who travels back and forth between the two schools to teach classes.
That one teacher is currently responsible for nearly 90 students. The ELL population at Ninth District alone has grown from 42 students to 68 students in the last five years. District data shows that the number of ELL students throughout the district has grown to 775 from 736 at the end of January.
"[The teacher] has been struggling to serve every single student," Pastor-Richard told the board on Thursday.
"It's amazing, how fast it's growing, that population," said Superintendent Alvin Garrison.
Once hired, the second teacher will also work with students at both schools. The teacher's salary will come out of the district's general fund.
"Do you just need one additional teacher?" asked board member Kareem Simpson.
"In this situation, yes," Pastor-Richard said. "If I look at the all the ratios of the other schools, we would probably need more."
The ratio she mentions refers to the number of students for which a single teacher should be responsible--the higher the ratio, the more difficult it is for a teacher to provide equitable instruction to every student.
Pastor-Richard had looked at neighboring districts, including Cincinnati Public Schools, for a reference on student to teacher ratios for ELLs. Based on Pastor-Richard's analysis, the ideal ratio for newcomer students (that is, students who speak no English at all) is 20 students to one. For higher-level students, the ratio is 30 to one.
Most of the board members agreed that the district needed to think critically about how to confront the phenomenon long term. Simpson asked Garrison if the district had money for additional positions. Garrison did not speak to the specifics of the numbers, but said if the board granted the district power to seek out candidates, they would do so through "conservative lens," as it related to the district's budget.
"What I would suggest is that you just take a really good look at just what you're saying, and then we can budget it for next year," Simpson said. "This is a problem I feel like we're kind of behind the curve on."
Boardmembers Stephen Gastright and Hannah Edelen agreed. Gastright recommended bringing the matter before the district's budget committee so they could be "proactive" in attracting qualified candidates. Simpson also encouraged Pastor-Richard to be upfront with the board about her department's needs and not to be afraid to ask for more teacher positions or other resources.
Garrison then recommended the board approve Pastor-Richard's request but also allow the district to be more active in seeking teachers and keeping the board informed the district's needs.
"We will keep coming back this year," Garrison said. "I can promise you we're going to be coming back."
The board then voted to grant Pastor-Richards request and allow the superintendent to fill additional positions as needed and as funds were available. They also voted to make staffing the English language program a priority in future budget discussions.