Weber district reports EL growth, hires staff and wins state recognition for growth rate

District English Learner (EL) staff told the board the program now serves about 1,300–1,400 students and that the district has stepped up supports to accelerate growth and exits from the WIDA exam.

"We have anywhere between 1,300 I checked today. It's a little over 1,400 students who are classified as EL," the EL lead (Speaker 3) said. Staff reported hiring two dedicated positions to support secondary and elementary EL work (Priscilla as Title III facilitator overseeing secondary; Arlette Federico overseeing elementary). The program carried out roughly 50 job-embedded coaching sessions last year, 75 class observations and created a digital float roster to monitor student progress.

Staff highlighted that the district received state recognition in 2025 for its growth rate: the state average growth rate was about 33% while the district saw close to 38%. To build capacity, the district will offer a 12-month ESL endorsement (free to staff) beginning in spring and continuing into the next year.

Trustees thanked staff for the work; staff said sustained coaching and progress monitoring will remain priorities to translate growth into long-term proficiency.