Language program highlights Hempstead School Board divide
Acting Hempstead Superintendent Regina Armstrong speaks during a regular monthly board meeting Thursday evening. Credit: Danielle Finkelstein
Plans to grow dual language programs in the Hempstead school district elicited a mixed reaction from members of the Board of Education on Thursday night, highlighting the divide between trustees.
“I hope that one day we can do it like in the city. In the city they have close to 98 dual programs . . . ,” board president Maribel Touré said. “It’s going to be an advantage for every child.”
Janet Lovett, the district’s coordinator of bilingual education, highlighted corrective action plans to increase academic success for the growing population of English language learners and make sure the instruction complies with state regulations. There are 2,968 students learning the English language in the district — the vast majority are Spanish speakers, Lovett said. The plan includes teaching a student’s home language in the classroom, increasing professional development for teachers and administrators, and integrating English as a new language workshops for parents.
The district’s plan is looking to expand its dual language programs, starting with having a first-grade dual language classroom in each elementary school and one at the Prospect School kindergarten starting in the 2018-19 school year, Lovett said.
The program places native English speaking students alongside native Spanish speaking students and teaches them both languages at the same time, she explained. The district already offers the program at the kindergarten level at some schools and hopes to expand it to higher grades. Ultimately students could continue the program through high school and earn a Seal of Biliteracy on their diploma, Lovett said.
Touré said the program reflected the growing Latino population in Hempstead, adding that the bilingual education department represented the community now. “The Latino community is the fastest growing in the nation.”
Trustee Randy Stith said he was pleased with the program, but expressed concern about how all students, including those non-native English speakers whose first language is not Spanish, were being educated. He added that the district was catering to students whose native language is Spanish.
“I want to remind Miss Lovett and I want to remind the active superintendent and I want to remind the board, that one of my concerns were that we did dual learning for all students in Hempstead,” he said. “Though we recognize that the community is changing, but we have to recognize that there are some students that are here and we have to educate them as well.”
Members of the audience chimed in, yelling about how the English language learners were receiving preferential treatment. Hempstead historically has had low student achievement on state English language arts exams, as well as low graduation rates.
“All children deserve a quality education,” said Patricia McNeil, community member and president of the co-special education PTA and chair of the community engagement team. “These brown babies . . . they need to be educated properly also.”
Lovett noted that they would like to have more dual language programs, but they need a large group of students who speak other languages at home to work with native English speakers.
