The Spanish program at Laura B. Sprague School will see changes for the 2023-2024 school year. Ten years after the inception of the Spanish language initiative, a review was conducted to analyze instructional minutes, staffing, financial considerations, as well as the proficiency level of eighth-grade students graduating from D103. The results of the review showed that the minutes of instruction exceeded the recommended allotment for instruction in several grade levels and eighth-grade student proficiency levels exceeded the targeted level set by the district. As a result of this review, program adjustments will be made at Sprague.

The district worked with a World Language consultant to make changes designed to meet the original program goals including the target proficiency levels for our students when they graduate eighth-grade. This plan will see a reduction of minutes of instruction of Spanish in grades K-2.

The plan for the 2023-2024 school year will be:

• Kindergarten - We will no longer offer Spanish instruction in kindergarten.

• First-grade - 50 minutes of instruction per week.

• Second-grade - 75 minutes of instruction per week.

These adjustments are designed to continue the introduction of Spanish in elementary school while aligning instructional time with the original plan, optimizing resource allocation, and maintaining the high proficiency levels reached by our eighth-grade students when they graduate from Daniel Wright.

More detailed information regarding the history and modifications to the program can be found on the Board of Education Meeting agendas for the June 20, July 11 and August 15 meetings.