Don’t expect any earthshaking changes in Manteca Unified schools when it comes to teaching students a second language in the aftermath of California voters embracing Proposition 58.
That’s because the district’s existing approach — with one of every four of its 24,000 students falling under the guidelines of being English as a Second Language student as addressed by Proposition 58 — is already paying big dividends.
The effectiveness of the Manteca Unified approach to English as a Second Language instruction now in place was reflected in the 2016 testing results under the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress.
Thirty-nine percent of the students in Manteca Unified met or exceeded standards in English language arts/literacy on the CASPP testing.
The subgroup of students that were the top performers weren’t students that speak English only. Only 41 percent of the district’s English only speaking students met or exceeded the standard.
The top performers by far where students classified as Initial Fluent English Proficient ( IFEP). A stunning 67 percent met or exceeded the standard. The IFEP students are considered sufficiently proficient in English to participate in school even though they come from homes where a language other than English is used. Right behind them are Reclassified Fluent English Proficient (RFEP) students that came in with 61 percent meeting or exceeding the state standard. RFEP students were initially classified as English Leaners (EL) but have subsequently met the criteria for proficiency.
The state results underscore the success Manteca Unified has enjoyed in developing effective programs in the aftermath of the passage of Proposition 227 in 1996 that required English learners to take one year of intensive English instruction before being move moved into English only classes. Prior to that, the state required non-English speaking students to be taught in their language.
The ballot measure as approved:
urequires school districts to solicit parent and community input in developing language acquisition programs.
umandates the offering of  instruction to ensure English acquisition as rapidly and effectively as possible.
uallows school districts to establish dual-language immersion programs — bilingual education — for both native and non-native English speakers.
Manteca Unified has actively engaged parents’ input for years in shaping the English learners program.
It is what has led to English learning coaches to mentor teachers at the various elementary schools to improve the effectiveness of their instruction of students with little or no initial command of the English language. It is a program that the state acknowledged was one of the components that earned Brock Elliott School a coveted Blue Ribbon School Award.
Manteca Unified Superintendent Jason Messer noted passage of Proposition 58 doesn’t require the district to do anything different.
“We already have been actively seeking input from parents,” Messer said.
And just because the district is testing well when it comes to English as a Second Language learners doesn’t mean steps aren’t being taken to improve the program further.
A mentor-style program is in the process of being implemented at the district high schools as well.