The Increasing Number of ESL Learners in Jefferson Parish by

The Increasing Number of ESL Learners in Jefferson Parish by https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780 Accommodating the needs of every child and learner en-us 2018-10-11 02:03:35 UTC 2024-10-15 10:14:27 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Apple.png Jefferson Parish Schools Demographics lterranova1 https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/291534323

In the 2013-2014 there was increase of students with limited English proficiency. This lead to problems in the Jefferson Parish School District. Jefferson parish experienced a lack of funding and resources to accommodate these students.

Jefferson Parish currently has 49,491 students enrolled.

The percent of students with limited English proficiency is 13.53%

This is an increase from previous years. State data show that 12 percent of Jefferson public school students, about 5,630 children, were not fluent in English in the 2014-2015 school year (Dreilinger; 2015) This is an increase of 1.53%. According to Ms. Karina Castillo, Executive Director of English Language Learners, the number of ESL students has been a steady 7,500 for the last two years.

In 2014, Jefferson the highest proportion of students with limited English-proficiency among all Louisiana school systems.

]]> 2018-10-11 02:06:43 UTC https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/291534323 Spike in Hispanic Immigrants After Hurricane Katrina lterranova1 https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/292580110 There are many reasons for the increase of ESL students in the Jefferson School District. According to Martin Gutierrez, vice president of community services for Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans, "numbers (Hispanic population) in Jefferson Parish began to grow more rapidly as immigrants came for rebuilding jobs after Katrina " As seen in the chart below, the number of the Hispanic population has nearly doubled in 13 years.

This has put a strain of the Jefferson Parish Public Schools. "In 2015, they enrolled 6,295 students in English language learner programs -- geared toward students with limited English-speaking ability. That's a 40-percent increase from 2008 enrollment, said Karina Castillo, who was appointed to head up the ELL program last year (Grimm; 2015). ]]> 2018-10-14 19:22:19 UTC https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/292580110 Civil Rights Complaints lterranova1 https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/292581246 In addition to the lack of funding, there has been two civil rights complaints filed against the Jefferson Parish School System since 2012. The first complaint said that "Louisiana's largest public school system illegally sought Social Security numbers -- which undocumented children do not have -- and did not communicate with parents in their native languages" (Dreilinger; 2015). A complaint was filed in 2013 which charged that English-language learners were neglected and were promoted despite not mastering the English language.

According to an article published in The Times- Picayune, "The school system (Jefferson Parish School System) was not providing adequate numbers of ESL-certified teachers, and that Latino students were being pulled from ESL classes before they were fully proficient in English. It also alleged that some Jefferson schools had created a "hostile learning environment" for some Latino students" ( Tan; 2013).

]]> 2018-10-14 19:30:57 UTC https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/292581246 How Much Are Illegal Minors Costing Jefferson Parish's School District? lterranova1 https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/292586788 The increase of immigrants results in more money needed by schools.

It was estimated that the Jefferson Parish School district paid 4.6 million in 2014 to accommodate its increase in ESL learners.

27 new ESL teachers were hired
20 new "ESL para-educators
19 regular education teachers
3 special education teachers

The state did not receive any additional funding or money to deal with the increase.

]]> 2018-10-14 20:10:36 UTC https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/292586788 Complaint Resolved lterranova1 https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/292594483 The 2013 complaint against Jefferson Parish was resolved when administrations reached an agreement with the federal government. Jefferson Parish was required to make the following changes:

Revise enrollment materials to ensure they don't discourage a student from enrolling because of citizenship or immigration status. Administrators shouldn't require that a child present a Social Security card in order to enroll or graduate.
Create a bilingual parent advisory committee to make recommendations on servicing English language learners. Provide updates on potential harassment and bullying.
Train faculty, staff and students at West Jefferson High School, where the alleged bullying of these students occurred, on anti-bullying, harassment and diversity.
Annually administer a school climate survey at West Jefferson to monitor bullying.
Implement translation and interpretation policies, to ensure parents of these students receive essential information in a language they understand.
Revise current policy to ensure that all complaints of discrimination are appropriately investigated.

]]> 2018-10-14 21:05:12 UTC https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/292594483 Spike in Central American Immigrants lterranova1 https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/292620530 According to an article written by Jessica Williams and Julia Kumari Drapkin in The Times-Picayune ,"More recently, gang violence and the impact of a coffee fungus in Central America encouraged new immigrants to seek out long-lost New Orleans relatives" (2016).

In August 2014, "Close to 730 public school students enrolling this summer listed a Central American country as their place of origin" (Drapkin & Williams; 2014).

]]> 2018-10-15 00:39:23 UTC https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/292620530 References lterranova1 https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/292631819

Calder, C. (2014, December 19). Honduran students swell Jefferson Parish public school enrollment. Retrieved from https://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/communities/east_jefferson/article_bb5a0ef0-67fb-524c-ad42-e42bf96c3629.html

Dreilinger, D. (2015, October 31). For Hispanic students, a new pact to improve Jefferson public schools. Retrieved from https://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2015/10/jefferson_schools_esl_complain.html?ath=4beb2dd0cf3489eb213015fdb06d3e38

Grimm, A. (2015, August 27). Hispanic immigration post-Katrina finding permanent roots in metro New Orleans. Retrieved from https://www.nola.com/katrina/index.ssf/2015/08/katrina_latino_immigrant_new_o.html

Home. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://jpschools.org/about-us/facts-figures/

Illegal Alien Minors to Cost One Louisiana School District $4 Million. (2014, September 18). Retrieved from https://freebeacon.com/issues/illegal-alien-minors-to-cost-one-louisiana-school-district-4-million/

Times-Picayune, N. |., Williams, J., & Drapkin, J. U. (2016, January 26). Spike in Central American immigrant students posing challenges in Jefferson Parish. Retrieved from https://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2014/08/spike_in_immigrant_students_po.html

Williams, J. (2016, November 24). Immigrant students need more federal aid, James Meza writes. Retrieved from https://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2015/09/immigrant_students_need_more_f.html

]]> 2018-10-15 01:43:01 UTC https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/292631819 How does Jefferson Parish Plan to Accommodate ESL Students? lterranova1 https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/292633075 A 2014 article from The Advocate states that the Jefferson Parish School System will put about $1 million into the English Language Learners program to try to raise its students’ test scores to the level of English-speaking students by 2018.

It will hire more teachers, support specialists, social workers and an interpreter.

Jefferson Parish currently has 209+ ESL teachers and 247+ ESL Para

An immigrant welcome center will be established and will work more closely with students’ families.

In my research I could not fine the immigrant welcome center. It was scheduled to take over the old Milestone Academy school in 2015 but that appeared to fall through.

The School Board also has voted to offer stipends and bonuses to teachers who speak Spanish, Vietnamese and Arabic to help boost recruitment.

]]> 2018-10-15 01:49:48 UTC https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/292633075 Problems with the Increase in ESL learners lterranova1 https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/292639344 Gerardo Lopez, previously a professor of political science at Loyola University, was quoted in a The Times-Picayune article in 2015 ,"The current number of teachers on the books is insufficient to staff these classes," The article goes on to say ,"He counted 81 second-language teachers, 41 additional teachers designated to work with those students and 59 aides" (Dreilinger; 2015).

Former Jefferson Parish public schools Superintendent James Meza Jr. wrote in a 2015 New York Times article that "schools need more federal money to educate the thousands of undocumented immigrant children who entered the United States in 2014 (Williams; 2015).

Many schools need extra classrooms, counselors, and teachers to accommodate these learners. Unfortunately, the state's limited budget can not provide the necessary money needed.

]]> 2018-10-15 02:35:30 UTC https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/292639344 Current Data of ESL Learners in Jefferson Parish lterranova1 https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/293034738 2018-10-15 19:26:47 UTC https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/293034738 Exit Ticket lterranova1 https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/293043266
1. Have you noticed an increase of ESL students in your classroom and or school?

2. Do you think that the Jefferson Parish Public School System has done a good job raising to the occasion of providing better services to ESL students?

]]> 2018-10-15 19:46:27 UTC https://padlet.com/lterranova1/pebl7wn9h780/wish/293043266