With school officials aiming to add five English Language Learner positions across the district in the coming school year, Mayor Arthur Vigeant spoke against the expansion saying it would continue to grow as people move into the district for the services.
“I can't continue to attract people to the program, because if we have it they will come,” said the mayor, who chairs the School Committee, during a budget meeting Tuesday night. "I can’t continue to absorb what we are absorbing now."
The mayor said the students that are in the district now need to be served, but that by expanding the services it will continue to draw people into the district, requiring the additional expansion of the program in coming years.
“You are going to give me the same request next year," said Mayor Vigeant. "I'm not saying we shouldn't have good services."
The addition of five positions to the ELL program was proposed in Interim Superindent Steven Dlott's FY '14 budget. These positions would help bolster a population that is increasing and needs assistance especially in the lower grades, he said during his budget presentation. He categorized them as very important during a second budget discussion Tuesday.
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The mayor said he has been convinced of the benefit of putting resources into early education for these students. However, he said, he still has concerns about expanding a program to have to expand it even more in coming years.
“I’m looking to take care of the 39,000 people we have and the 21 square miles we have," said Mayor Vigeant who stated that he does not have the answer to the issue.
Other committee members voiced their disagreement with the mayor during the meeting.
"People aren’t moving to Marlborough for our ELL services,” said Committee Member Michelle Bodin-Hettinger.
Committee Member Jennifer Hardy warned that not providing additional services to ELL students could result in students leaving the district.
The budget discussion is set to continue in two weeks.
Kathy
8:28 am on Thursday, March 14, 2013
How do you know "people aren't moving to Marlborough for the ELL services", have you actually asked them?
Had It
9:38 am on Wednesday, March 27, 2013
How do you know people are moving to Marlborough for the ELL services? Have you asked them?
arnold
10:45 am on Thursday, March 14, 2013
"Committee Member Jennifer Hardy warned that not providing additional services to ELL students could result in students leaving the district."
So what's not to like about that? You are suppose to looking out for the CITIZENS and taxpayers of Marlborough and not part of the State Department's Foreign Aid program.
It should be the responsibility of those who have already assimilated to provide the needed language education.
Had It
9:43 am on Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Every students that leaves takes the per-pupil expenditure with them. Districts prefer to keep the money in the district than pay it to another district.
Ellen T
10:53 am on Thursday, March 14, 2013
It is very naive for a School Committee member to believe that 'people aren't moving to Marlborough for ELL services.' She ought to do her homework and realize that families DEFINITELY move to Marlborough as we have services other towns do not given our population demographics. We need to fund our current population of students and I agree with Mayor Vigeant that funding these new positions is setting a precedent we do not want to set.
Had It
9:40 am on Wednesday, March 27, 2013
"families DEFINITELY move to Marlborough as we have services other towns do not"
What evidence of this can you provide?
Damon Michaels
11:39 am on Thursday, March 14, 2013
I am with the Mayor. As far as Jennifer Hardy worried that students will leave the district... that sounds just fine to me.
Do people come here for our SPED and ELL? Yes. I've heard directly from people who have come here because of our good reputation with SPED and ELL.
Paul Bishop
2:41 pm on Thursday, March 14, 2013
I think we can all agree that SPED and ELL really don't belong in the same category. ELL is supposed to help teach a language to an otherwise academically okay child, while Special Education services those kids that have specific extra needs academically. Two very different functions.
Donna J.
8:32 am on Friday, March 15, 2013
Wow, for once I agree with our Mayor. If we are going to add 5 teachers, then lets add them so to bring back programs cut by previous boards and administration. In particular programs for advance learners in k-4 and city kids program. Both are gone due to previous budget cuts and currently there are no advance learning programs in lower grades. 6th grade is when you can start the STEM program (which is also not an academically advanced program but entry based on if you'll be the first in family to attend college..thank you Dr. Pope!). Smart kids need to be challenged and need programs too. The school committee should worry less about losing ELL students from our system and concentrate more about losing the advanced students to the charter school, which was evident last year with a record number of marlboro students applying to AMSA for 6th grade.
Suzie
10:32 am on Friday, March 15, 2013
I also wholeheartedly agree with the Mayor. Let's take care of the students already in the district and get back to challenging the advanced students, whose needs also deserve to be met. Great comments from Donna J.
Had It
9:37 am on Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Wow. By that logic, we should insufficiently staff the SPED department, so that parents of SPED kids send them to other districts.