This is a major mistake.

Hispanic students, like all multilingual learners, deserve to be recognized and valued year-round. There are in U.S. public schools, making up more than 10% of the student population — and . If states and districts are serious about recognizing and honoring Hispanic heritage, they must consider the content and instruction they put in front of students every day. And specifically, how their instructional materials integrate and celebrate multilingual learners’ culture and languages.

For many students, culture and language are completely intertwined. Language isn’t just a form of communication; it’s a vital link to their heritage. Unfortunately, language loss across generations has been quite common in the U.S. Even states with large Latino populations, like California, Texas, and New Mexico, have experienced some erosion as each generation conforms to an English-dominant society.

Multilingual learners often have to negotiate a delicate balance between embracing cultural pride and bowing to societal pressures. School is still seen by many of these students and families as a place where they are supposed to put aside their home languages in exchange for learning “better” English. Unfortunately, many states and districts — including those with high multilingual learner populations — utilize curricula that support this perception by ignoring diversity in language and culture.

This perception must change. that students who feel connected to their cultural identity are more likely to be motivated in school, develop higher self-esteem and graduate at higher rates than those who don’t. That’s because when students see their languages and cultures reflected in their learning materials, it fosters a sense of belonging and validates their experiences. 

Schools should be places that acknowledge, respect or even build on their students’ home languages for greater learning. ; speaking more than one language has shown positive effects on cognitive brain function and . And as early as first grade, bilingual students have monolingual students in mathematical reasoning and problem-solving, as well as on math tests. 

The collective failure of schools to truly honor the home languages of multilingual learners doesn’t just devalue their heritage, it keeps them from reaching their full potential. Schools also miss out on the opportunity to introduce all students to the diverse perspectives and cultures that speakers of other languages bring to the table. that when students have those experiences, they develop greater tolerance for differences as well as an understanding and appreciation of other cultures.

A revealed that 70% of teachers do not feel prepared to teach multilingual learners. Additionally, a staggering 80% reported that their instructional materials don’t do enough to improve outcomes for multilingual learners.

Without the proper , even the most dedicated teachers are placed in an impossible situation as they struggle to provide the instruction their multilingual students deserve. Given that, it’s not surprising that many teachers spend time developing their own materials. By implementing curricula that are designed to support multilingual learners, districts can help educators spend more time doing what they do best: helping students grow. 

For both teachers and students, education should be about more than just surviving the school year. It should be about thriving academically, socially and culturally. For too long, multilingual learners have been denied the opportunities they need to succeed. Every student — regardless of home language or background — will have a greater chance to succeed in school and retain their heritage for generations to come if they have access to thoughtfully implementing inclusive curricula. Schools must give teachers the instructional materials that actually maximize their students’ bilingual superpower, and commit to honoring the languages and cultures of Hispanic students, and all multilingual learners, year-round.

The reported late last month there was a 78% increase in multilingual students for the 2023-24 academic year compared to the last two years.

“From 2020 to 2023, the District has witnessed a staggering 78% surge in the Multilingual Learner population,” according to a press release.

District spokeswoman Nancy Deering told ĂŰĚŇÓ°ĘÓ the majority of new multilingual students come from Spanish speaking countries.

District officials would not say if the influx of multilingual students come from migrant families, but immigration cases have increased in the . 

And reported in the last year it has doubled the number of families they have helped, with about half migrating from Ecuador, Haiti, Mexico and Chile.  

In the 2022-23 academic year, there were more than , with 9,000 multilingual students and 6,000 — about 24% and 15% respectively.

With a 78% surge, the previous 9,000 multilingual students comes to more than 16,000 for the 2023-24 academic year, with Latino students comprising the majority of the district’s enrollment. 

In the 2022-23 academic year, there were nearly 23,000 Latino students, about 55% of the student population — compared to 36% of Black students and 7% of white students, according to the .

Newark superintendent Roger LeĂłn told ĂŰĚŇÓ°ĘÓ the district hired close to 1,000 teachers in the past two academic years but currently has 80 vacancies mostly for multilingual and special needs teachers. 

English Language Learners

LeĂłn said educators must be certified to teach multilingual students, slowing down the hiring process.

To ease these staffing shortages, LeĂłn said the district has created incentives for current teachers to get the certification.

“We have a pool of staff members that are in route to get the endorsement and once they’re done that’ll be how we solve our problem,” said LeĂłn.

Neither LeĂłn nor Deering would elaborate on what the incentives were. 

The district also held its in August for more than 250 teachers to help English language learners pass an English proficiency test and transition out of needing multilingual services.

Special Education

One parent said staffing issues in the district has prevented her two high school children with special needs from fully thriving, oftentimes needing occupational therapy among other services that aren’t always available.

“I just see the district harboring kids on the spectrum from high functioning to low functioning all in the same classroom which is not a good idea,” she told ĂŰĚŇÓ°ĘÓ anonymously to protect the identity of her children. “My kids have a different level of learning and they need to be with that particular group.”

Another parent added how staffing problems prevented her 6th grade son from attending a specialized district school. 

“It’s been issue after issue after issue,” she told ĂŰĚŇÓ°ĘÓ anonymously to protect the identity of her son. “Every single thing, all the support I’ve been advocating for, has been a fight.”

León believes the district wouldn’t have to worry about finding special education teachers if Newark’s charter schools didn’t contribute to the problem.

“Students that have an IEP are not afforded an opportunity to have an education in Newark charter schools because they get kicked out,” said León. “So if we want to help solve this problem, the charter schools need to get it together.”