The Shaler Area School District will have to expand its English as a Second Language next year, as a result of a recent audit by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
Bill Watson, director of pupil personnel services for the district, said the district's ESL programs did not meet the state's criteria in an audit done in January.
The district will add a half-time teacher to accommodate its 16 ESL students. The program has one full-time teacher, Jo Ellen Duckett, who has students in all eight of the district's schools.
State auditors "weren't pleased with how thin we were spreading Jo Ellen among the eight schools," said Superintendent Donald Lee.
Watson said the state's ESL requirements are better suited for districts with large ESL student populations, like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
"These regulations are hard to deal with (in) districts like ours with only 16 students in the district," said Watson.
Because the vast majority of the district's 5,500 students are native English speakers, teachers and other staff don't focus much on those who don't speak English as a native language.
Watson said teachers will receive special sensitivity training on the barriers faced by ESL students. In addition, all district bus drivers, secretaries, and cafeteria workers will receive pointers on helping students whose native language isn't English.
Charles Bennett, director of business affairs for the district, said the half-time position will cost around $23,000. That money likely will come out of a state accountability grant the district is to receive this year, he said.
