Teachers spread thin in Sussex Co.

The last two weeks before the school year starts are always the busiest for the English Language Learning (ELL) department in the Indian River School District officials say. In actuality, this team of year is the busiest for all ELL programs across the nation according to ELL officials. That’s because a majority of students register in new school districts right before the school year starts. However in the Indian River School District, their above average ELL population spreads ELL teachers thin.

In suburban and rural areas across the nation three to five percent of the entire student body are ELL students according to the National Center for Education Statistics. However in the Indian River School District, that number is closer to 20 percent. School officials say of those ELL students, over 75percent are Hispanic and that percentage is expected to rise.

Lou Ann Hudson, Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Indian River says her ELL teachers provide top level education, but she needs more of them. After searching the country for capable teachers willing to come to her district, and coming up empty, Hudson says they’ve begun training teachers in house.

“We try to provide pathways for (teachers) to complete the certification process so that we can grow our own teachers because we literally can’t find enough ELL teachers to serve our students,” Hudson says.

According to Hudson, her educators must be equipped to take on the challenge of teaching combined classes with ELL students and regular students. Hudson says gaining ELL teachers, whether by finding them or training them, is only half the battle. The other half, Hudson says, is getting the state to pay them.

“For all the additional services that we need to provide to the 1,800 students, 20 percent of our population we receive no additional teacher funding,” Hudson says.

According to a statement from Gov. Jack Markell’s office, the 2016 fiscal year budget includes $15.3 million to fully fund the unit count, meaning teacher per student ratio, within the school district. Hudson says that ratio is 20 students to one teacher, based on the total student population. However, Hudson points out that it does not take into account the number of ELL students a district has.

Hudson proposes that the ELL students be factored in apart from the regular student population at a ration closer to 15:1, in order to increase the amount of ELL teachers they can afford to pay.

Indian River language learning specialists, like Jessica Hazzard, agree with Hudson and believe the ELL program needs increased funding.

“We’re here to help our students and serve our students and we ask that the funding and the commitment from other levels supports us in that,” Hazzard said.

Until that happens, Hazzard says, teachers will be stretched thin and be forced to work past normal hours.