The Examiner U-46 News Feed

Dual language electives approved by District U-46

By Seth Hancock
  The Board of Education in School District U-46 unanimously approved a curriculum proposal to provide expanded dual language elective options to high school students at its meeting on Monday, Jan. 25 which was virtual due to COVID-19 restrictions.
  The taxpayer expense, estimated to be $91,966 to purchase Spanish language resources, is due to the expansion of the dual language program, according to the proposal.
  “As the Dual Language (DL) program continues to roll up through the high school, students continue to express interest in Social Studies elective courses in the Spanish Language,” the proposal states. “In an effort to provide more elective options for Dual Language students, next year schools will be running Dual Language Psychology and Dual Language World Geography.”
  The proposal adds: “Being able to offer these courses in Spanish helps DL students meet the [language] allocation requirements of their program with more choices and flexibility in their schedule and perhaps allows them to take other electives or pathway courses that are only offered in English. The curriculum for all these courses is already in place and (board) approved. This proposal is only to fully resource each course with Spanish materials.”
  Dual language elective options were available in 2020-2021 in Advanced Placement Psychology and World History. This will provide options in Intro to Psychology and World Geography in 2021-2022.
  The proposal states student enrollment was used to determine these new courses.