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Petition to the South Kingstown School District (SKSD) to provide a pedagogically sound, teacher- and parent-supported plan for the Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Program, Grades K-8.

The DLI program in SKSD has resulted in academic success and high interest from families both inside and outside of the district (nearly a quarter of DLI families moved to SK for the program). In the Spring of 2019, the current school committee (SC) formed a DLI subcommittee to address unintended consequences of initial program implementation and explore equitable solutions for all SK students. By September 2019, community stakeholders and SKSD administration reached a consensus path forward that preserved the integrity of the DLI program and promoted equitable student curricula across the four SKSD elementary schools. Since that time, action on the path forward has strayed from the consensus vision, creating a situation that puts the DLI program goals of biliteracy and bilingualism by 8th grade at risk.

We respectfully request that teachers, parents, and experts are consulted to more thoughtfully plan out a functional model for diverse curricula that benefits ALL students and incorporates ALL teacher experiences in SKSD. 

We, the stakeholders in the DLI community, petition the SKSD to do the following:  

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1. Honor the commitment made to our children and families to continue the 50/50 DLI immersion model in grades K-5 to achieve bilingualism and biliteracy by 8th grade.

The nearly 600 families enrolled in the SKSD DLI program were told at the outset that K-5 instruction would be a 50/50 immersion cohort model, with curriculum content taught in both English and Spanish. Research has shown this model is the most effective way to achieve biliteracy. In the summer of 2020, SKSD administration made a significant change to the model our students understand and teachers execute well. Despite overwhelming dissent from stakeholders, the model changed so that 5th grade elementary students at Broad Rock Middle School (BRMS) would receive only 70 minutes of Spanish language instruction instead of 50% content instruction in Spanish.  Due to recent issues with staffing at BRMS, there are some days that DLI students are not receiving any instruction in Spanish. These changes to the program deprive students of opportunities to interact in the target language necessary for oral fluency development, and threaten the goal of students enrolled in the DLI program – achieving bilingualism and  biliteracy by 8th grade. SKSD must restore the 50/50 immersion cohort model for all DLI students in Kindergarten through Grade 5.

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2. Hire qualified DLI Spanish and English teacher partners on time. 

Effective dual language instruction requires teachers with experience in their content area and heritage-level proficiency in the target language, and English-side partner teachers who can maintain fidelity of the immersion model. All subjects are delivered in two languages throughout the school day. The district has known since 2015 they would have to hire 2 Spanish teachers every year over at least a 6 year period to support DLI students and achieve the DLI program goals of bilingualism and biliteracy by 8th grade. Delayed announcement of the 5th grade Spanish teacher position this summer has left our 5th grade DLI children with only one elementary/ESOL certified Spanish teacher instead of the two Spanish-side teachers required to support the immersion model. Starting the school year without permanently staffed, certified teachers has prevented our children from learning in the immersion model that they thrive in and know well. Going forward, we would like DLI teaching vacancies posted in the spring, to allow time to recruit properly certified, high quality candidates. 

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3. Ensure a healthy work environment for our DLI teachers.

Like all SKSD teachers, DLI teachers deserve to work in a supportive environment where they are respected and valued. Over the last 20 months, all administrators with DLI experience have left SKSD for other districts. Resignation rates among heritage Spanish speaking DLI teachers (which make up only 2% of SKSD faculty) is higher than any other demographic group. Since the inception of the DLI program, 23% of the DLI Spanish positions (8 teachers) and 2 multilingual principals have resigned. In contrast, no English DLI or monolingual teachers at PDES or WKES have left the district. Our heritage-speaking  Spanish teachers are experts in DLI curriculum development and execution, yet their ideas, concerns, and input on educational planning have largely been ignored. Just as the administration values other teachers as experts in their respective fields, we are asking the SKSD learning community to honor the expertise of these teachers and consult with them on how to best develop this program, and to foster a multi-cultural, bilingual environment without prejudice. 

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4. Order and receive learning materials for students in DLI classrooms on time. 

This program began in 2015 and yet DLI students are still without Spanish books to support all levels of reading. Last year the 4th grade students (first DLI cohort) began the school year without appropriate learning materials in their Spanish classrooms. On September 10, 2019, one week after the schools opened, the school committee openly deliberated and questioned the need for and cost (slightly over $10K) of Spanish math texts that had been chosen by teachers and approved by the SKSD Director of Curriculum. No SKSD students or teachers should be left without appropriate instructional materials. The delayed appropriation of funds, and ordering of Spanish texts and reading materials, is compromising the ability of our children to be successful academically and to meet learning standards across the curriculum. 

5. Begin planning for an effective learning model for 6-8th grade DLI students immediately.

There are 11 months until the start of the 2021/22 school year and there has been no public discussion of how the DLI program will be structured for 6th grade. Sixth grade is critical because it is the transition from the 50/50 immersion cohort model to team- or subject-based instruction in Spanish. If planning for 6th grade does not commence soon, our first DLI cohort and the future of the program will be in the same predicament again next fall. Thoughtful, expert-guided, community-driven planning for this transition is even more important this year, given that our children and teachers will be emerging from the global pandemic. Adjustments to the DLI curriculum will be necessary to augment in-person Spanish oral communication development opportunities that were lost due to distance learning, and the inconsistent instruction the 5th graders are currently receiving due to staffing issues.  We ask the SKSD administration and the SC to engage public discussions with DLI community stakeholders NOW to plan the best curriculum for all students going forward.