Parent concerns over bilingual education and reports on student
retention and interdistrict transfers were topics at the Hollister
School District Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday night.
During public comment, parents Carmen and Juan Contreras
addressed the Board on behalf of 16 other families who are
concerned over their children’s’ education. Most of the students
primarily speak Spanish and are being bounced between bilingual
classes and English-only classes.
Parent concerns over bilingual education and reports on student retention and interdistrict transfers were topics at the Hollister School District Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday night.
During public comment, parents Carmen and Juan Contreras addressed the Board on behalf of 16 other families who are concerned over their children’s’ education. Most of the students primarily speak Spanish and are being bounced between bilingual classes and English-only classes.
The students’ are confused about both Spanish and English and the parents worry their children will not be able to speak either language very well.
Trustee Dee Brown asked the district staff to look into the concerns and why students would be moved back and forth between bilingual classes and English-only classes.
“How are we addressing the needs and concerns of these parents?” Brown said.
Assistant Superintendent Peter Gutierrez reported on student promotion and retention within the district as well as interdistrict transfers.
In 1999, state officials wanted to regulate student promotion to end social promotion, Gutierrez said. He discussed the regulations for promotion and retention and presented the district’s latest statistics. Promotion relates to skipping grades and retention is when a student repeats a grade.
Last year, 128 students were retained. While the district’s migrant population makes up 25 percent of the total population, 44 percent of migrant students were retained last year. Teachers have the final say about the retention of a student, Gutierrez said.
Regarding interdistrict transfers, the HSD has 299 students leaving the district this school year, 79 percent of which are to other schools within the county. The biggest reasons for transferring to another district are employment and child care. Fifty-four students transferred into the district this school year.
Based on revenue the district receives per student, the district is losing more than $1.3 million because of the transfers.
“We might want to look into providing our own daycare program to look at keeping kids in our own district,” Gutierrez said.
In other business:
– Parent Jennifer Coile invited trustees and district staff to participate in International Walk to School Day, Oct. 8. With 28 other countries participating, the goal is to let adults experience first hand the commute-time conditions in which staff, parents and students approach school.
– District staff reported on the opening of school. Current enrollment is 6,251, down from the funding projection of 6,375. The current attendance rate is 97 percent.
The district has 325 teachers, up from 317 last year. The special education population is at 13 percent of the total population, high compared to the state average of 10 percent.
– The Board approved 5-0 the purchase of a Point-of-Sale computer system for Marguerite Maze Middle School to speed up food service for students. The system is touch screen and allows students to purchase food through accounts instead of using money.
“It’ll get students through the lines faster,” said Cassie Freeman, manager of food services. “And it’s easier for parents.”
Brown asked why the system wasn’t going to be implemented at Rancho San Justo Middle School as well. Freeman said it was basically “because of money.” Food services also wants to see how successful the system will be before expanding it.
The system will cost almost $15,000.
– Anita Franchi, director of curriculum and instruction, presented results of the STAR test. While scores are improving, the 2002 results show students need intervention in writing strategies and number sense.
The next meeting will be Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. at the district office, 2690 Cienega Road.
