Parent Engagement and Education through Co-Location of ESL on Elementary School Campuses

The Program of Practice

Saugus Union School District (SUSD), located in Los Angeles County, California, identified parent engagement as a critical area of need and district goal as reflected in its 2023/24 Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). In addressing this need, SUSD identified the parents of English Learner students as a core demographic with lower family engagement as compared to non-English Learner students, particularly at their Title I school sites.

At the same time, Golden Oak Adult School (GOAS), part of the William S. Hart Union High School District (WSHUHSD), located in the same community as SUSD, identified expanding daytime ESL class availability, particularly in the eastern part of the city as a critical area of need. This expansion required the acquisition of space for classes at satellite locations.

The Response

Saugus Union School District and Golden Oak Adult School undertook collaborative project between the K-6 elementary school district and 7-12 high school district’s adult school to provide ESL classes to family members of elementary school students on two elementary campuses during the school day. Program development required consideration of multiple factors including security concerns, adult campus access, and technology access for faculty and students. The districts also developed a new recruitment and enrollment process to ensure students met the criteria for inclusion in the classes.

The Unique Features of the Program

This program allows parents and family members of elementary-aged students to drop their children off at school and attend ESL classes at the same location. Because it is located at a neighborhood school, the adult students have built a strong sense of community both in and out of the classroom as they carpool and walk to class together. The adult students and elementary students enjoy their proximity and parents feel a sense of security in knowing that in the event of an emergency they are available to the school and their children. The ESL classes are multi-level and uses the Burlington Core curriculum that allows the teacher to teach thematic units while differentiating for diverse student levels.

The Outcome

The students enrolled in the class on the elementary campuses demonstrated higher attendance rates and measurable skills gains than the ESL students enrolled in the other ESL classes offered by Golden Oak Adult School. The attendance rate for the class on the elementary campuses was 66% in contrast to an overall attendance rate of 41% for other Golden Oak Adult School ESL classes. The students at the elementary school campuses had an average gain of 7.4 points on their CASAS pre and post tests and 62.2% completed an NRS level, compared to a 5 point gain and 38.5% NRS level completion in other ESL classes.

Feedback from the parents, children, school, and teacher have been overwhelmingly positive. The parents appreciate feeling a closer connection to the school and have become more comfortable and confident not only in their English skills but also in volunteering in classrooms and participating in parent-teacher conferences and other school events. The children are overwhelmingly proud of their parents for learning English. They are excited to share their campus with their parents. They shared that their parents' improved English comprehension has allowed them to talk more about their school day and share their own learning with their parents. School site staff and administrators enjoy the parent presence on campus and the positive influence the classes have had on the school community as a whole.

Demand for the program prompted an expansion of the program in the Spring of 2024, and Saugus Union School District maintains an interest/waitlist of parents hoping to enroll in the program in the Fall of 2024.