Three of the district’s five English Language Learner positions have been cut for next school year.
Dr. John Morris, Shaker Heights Teachers’ Association president, confirmed that the three ELL teachers have been reassigned to other roles in the district.
The ELL department provides English language instruction to students whose primary home language is not English. Every building in the district provides ELL instruction.
In a March 19 email and video message to the community, Dr. David Glasner, superintendent, stated that the district is currently experiencing deficit spending, which means that “our expenditures are outpacing our revenues,” and that the district has not placed a full operating levy on the ballot since 2014.
“The District is in the process of identifying opportunities for cost reductions, particularly in the area of personnel, since personnel costs and benefits make up the vast majority of District expenses,” he wrote.
There are currently 48 students enrolled in ELL classes across the district. Thirteen ELL students are enrolled at the high school; five at Lomond; two at Onaway; 17 at Boulevard; five at Mercer; and six at the middle school. No ELL students are enrolled at Fernway this school year. In addition, there are 18 students in the district being monitored for ELL eligibility based on test scores and academic performance. In the past three weeks, the district has enrolled 11 students who were identified for eligibility.
Michael Wells, who teaches ELL students at the high school and at Lomond Elementary School, provided this statement:
“The English Language Learner department and our respective students exist under the educational umbrella of ‘Exceptional Students’ for a very important reason: the needs and instructional methods required to support our ELL students are simply exceptional. Imagine being a new student in a new country learning a new language and adapting to a new culture. Now you’re thrown into classes which include Shakespeare, Biology, U.S. History, and four other courses while trying to make friends and advocating for yourself. This is ONE student among more than 50, not including the double-digit numbers of new ELL students already enrolled for the upcoming school year. The number of students our department serves simply does not reflect the assistance required. Cutting the ELL department by 60 percent, leaving two teachers to teach in eight buildings, will leave many students without essential language and academic support. It is inequitable and a disservice to students and their families. This decision goes against the values Shaker Heights Schools uphold. Fiscal responsibility is important, but precedence must be given to supporting the success of students on the margins of our community.”
In his email message, Glasner wrote that based on current staffing projections for next year, the district has already identified approximately $1 million in cost saving and that “our priority has been to make staffing changes as far away from the classroom as possible.”
Glasner was not available for comment at the time of publication; he is in Singapore for the International Baccalaureate Global Conference.
Ingrid Holda contributed reporting.
