The presentation given by Superintendent Gormley has been made available online. You can find it here.
During last night’s School Committee meeting Superintendent Gormley introduced the option of capping enrollment in the French Immersion program for the fall of 2013 school year. For the first time in the history of the program a lottery would be used for admission for the program. The demand for the program is exceeding the supply of seats. The recommendation comes as a result of the program’s popularity. This fall 66% of incoming Grade 1 students opted for French Immersion.
The increasing popularity of the program over the years has introduced logistical challenges on the system and is having a number of impacts on the English program. Ms. Gormley reviewed metrics for both programs over the years, the impacts of the enrollment trends, and the effects that capping the French program would have.
Ms. Gormley began her presentation by noting that when the World Language Committee, a group of administrators, faculty,and parents, formed to develop and evaluate assignment plans for the two programs in 2010, they included an option that would cap enrollment. The report states, “If more students select the French than seats are available, a lottery would be held to determine who was enrolled into French Immersion.” That has happened.
Gormley presented the following metrics last night regarding enrollment. From 2008 on French has been the preferred program of the majority of incoming 1st graders. In 2008 it was 56%, 59% in 2009 & 10, 54% last year and 66% for coming 2012-13 school year. This has required that the district add auxiliary class rooms to accommodate the demand. It is not a perfect solution as it means students need to attend a school other than their neighborhood school. The demand for French has had other impacts: class sizes are larger. The average class size for an English 1st grade is currently 16.4 vs 24.6 for French. In 2012 – 2013 it will the difference will be greater, 14.9 vs 25.1. The demand has resulted in removing an English “strand” from Cunningham for 2012. As a result there will be 1 English 1st grade class at Cunningham in fall 2012 and 2 French,; Glover will have 2 English and 1 French. Overall this fall there will be more French 1st grade classes (8) than English (7).
Gormley identified some of the ramifications of the increase in French enrollment. The “limited enrollment in English creates a higher ratio of students in special education in the English program.” It also “results in a limited number of role model students for the co-taught program.” The co-taught program is one that integrates special needs students into a regular classroom.
Additional challenges presented by increasing French enrollment are finding qualified teachers, the budget implications of staffing classes with low enrolments, and maintaining organizational consistency. By capping enrollment the English program would enable all elementary schools to have at least two strands (classes in English which would provide more opportunities for inclusion (i.e. placing special needs students in more than one classroom). and provide more stability and predictability in planning for both programs. With more predictability in class size would come consistency in staffing, curriculum and climate.
The suggestion was to begin capping with the 2013 school year. Communicating the procedure and defining the lottery system are the next steps.
Ms. Kelly was the most vocal in response to the announcement. She noted that the committee formed in 2010 focussed on assignments not the programs (The committee’s report on assignment can be found here). She mentioned in reference to French class size that “It’s not correct educationally to start a class at 26.” In general she pushed for more data to support any decisions going forward. “Capping is a starting point.” There was an acknowledgement that they need to hear what parents think. Mr. Walker also mentioned that they should be cautious in solving one problem not to create 2 or 3 more. Both Walker and Kelly expressed some surprise that this issue was brought up in the “Happenings” section of the agenda.
Gormley said “This is a huge issue . . .single strands in English [at the elementary schools] are a problem.”
She committed to working on a timeline to review with the committee at their next meeting.
I would be opposed to capping French Immersion enrollment. The program has been very successful; that’s why there is high demand. When something is successful you should encourage it not limit it.
The FI program is a significant reason why young families decide to move to Milton. Why would someone choose to invest in our community when their children could be shut out from the reason they came.
Please study the options further.
I wholeheartedly agree with Pete. Other options must be explored to address the concerns expressed by Ms. Gormley. Limiting access to a popular and highly successful program should be a last resort.
Oh mon dieu ! Save the French Immersion Program. Its success should not kill it.
Maybe they can use the Community Preservation Act to preserve French Immersion…
If we were to expand taxpayer-supported programs because of their success, we also would expand the Town’s programs to repair dangerous sidewalks and to rebuild and resurface Town streets. We would increase the size of our police department because increased funding for police has been shown to increase public safety. We would increase our spending for the Department of Public works to improve citizens’ quality of life and possibly figure out if our extraordinary amount of water use is because of leaky Town pipes. We would have a library in East Milton not only for the children but for adults of our Town, too. With limited resources, someone has to make difficult decisions and I’m glad to learn there is a discussion as to whether or not the FI program should be limited. I’m an educator and think that government investment in education should always be the first choice for tax dollars; I will have grandchildren applying for the FI program in the years to come. However, there are other needs and others-in-need in Milton and these should be part of the conversation whenever limitations or expansions to Town programs are considered.
Ms. Christiansen, I believe that you misunderstand that offering the French Immersion program does not cost additional money. The cost per pupil is the same. The question is how many teachers and classrooms do you have for each program and what is the class size in each.
Mr. Jackson – I was interpreting the words in the article “Additional challenges presented by increasing French enrollment are finding qualified teachers, the budget implications of staffing classes with low enrolments ,…”, both of which I believe add costs. If I’ve misinterpreted these words and should have concluded from my read of the article that there is no increase costs incurred by program expansion, then I agree with you.
Mr. Christiansen,
The French Immersion program has faced opposition by certain members of this commmunity since it was introduced in the mid 1980′s. The primary charge, leveled for many years, is that it increases the costs of educating some of our children. This charge was made by people who did not understand the difference between adding and staffing a French “language” class from K-5, and offering a complete program in the curriculum in one of two languages.
These claims reached a crescendo in 2008. A committee appointed by the Superintendent studied and dismissed the claims of additional costs. I wrote a couple of articles on my blog at the time on the French Immersion Program. You can read them, and the comments, here:
http://miltonview.blogspot.com/2008/02/french-immersion.html
http://miltonview.blogspot.com/2008/03/french-immersion-ii.html
The difficulty in finding qualified French teachers (with a long time requirement of native French ability) is not primarily a financial one. The budgetary impact involves very small classes that develop when the number of students selecting the English program becomes a significantly smaller minority than historically.
I’ve been an ardent advocate of the Immersion Program for many years and will continue to defend it against unwarranted attack. But it has been clear for some time that the growing popularity for Immmersion could reach a point at which a low enrollment English program, spread over 4 elementary schools, results in classes with a less than ideal mix of Special and Regular Education students.
I haven’t seen the latest statistics on class sizes and mix. Certainly we need to look at this carefully and seek any and all alternatives to capping the program. However, if that is not possible I’m afraid we need to consider it.
I think the point Mr. Jackson made is an important one. French Immersion is not an added cost to our educational budget. You can learn the curriculum in French or in English. Either way, there’s a teacher standing at the front of the class performing one of the most important functions of any profession we have.
Mr. Mathews and Mr. Jackson are absolutely correct regarding the French Immersion Program.
Limit its enrollment – and that process began two years ago when the Miss Gormley began to grandfather brothers and sisters who were already in the program first refusal – and you will begin a domino effect throughout the Milton school system.
Many parents who would normally enroll their children in private or parochial schools have chosen to keep their children in the Milton Schools because of French Immersion. Remove that program, limit it or continue to place roadblocks such as grandfather clauses in the program and those students – often the brightest and most studious – will be gone.
Miss Gormley must not tinker with success.
Mr.Yovino, Mr.Matthews and Mr. Jackson,
What do you propose is the best solution to this unusual “public” school scenario? How can Ms. Gormlet solve the issue at hand without increasing the school budget. Also is it not fair that all Milton children deserve a level playing field to start. Mr.Yovino your attitude and threats agaianst the superintendent are a reason the program should come to a halt. The myth about the French students – often the brightest and most studious- is unjust and unfair. Also if there is truth in what you say that in itself is a reason to “tinker” with the program. Many wonderful families move to Milton due to it’s wondeful infrastructure and proximity to Boston. It is not fair that these families should feel forced into a program not for the language aspect however more for the absurd notion that the “brightest and most studious” enroll in the French immersion program. The two programs create a great divide among the students and families. Our town would be better off in a community that supports one another and our most precious children.
The French immersion program has created a form of segregation that is unethical.