GUSD uses federal funds to support English learners

During the most recent school year, the three most common foreign languages out of the dozens spoken by English learners in Glendale schools were Armenian, Spanish and Korean.

Of the 26,200 students enrolled in Glendale Unified during the 2015-16 school year, 7,180 students were learning English, according to state data.

About 3,800 students were native Armenian speakers, while 1,617 spoke Spanish and about 620 were native Korean speakers.

An emphasis by educators to help students become skilled in English is backed up with federal Title III funds.

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Glendale Unified will receive $646,000 in federal funds for the upcoming school year beginning next month.

The funds will help pay teachers who will work extra hours to tutor English learners or cover the cost of substitute instructors to fill in for teachers who are participating in job training, said Travis Collier, director of categorical programs for the district.

The money will also help pay the salaries of teacher specialists, who coach their colleagues in instruction methods.

While in past years educators focused merely on improving students’ communication skills, the objectives in helping students become proficient in English have expanded, said Kelly King, assistant superintendent of Glendale Unified, during a recent school board meeting.

“There used to be just a focus on basic communication skills, and we know that to truly prepare our students for college and career…our English learners, in particular, there has to be a focus on academic proficiency,” King said.

Many students are ultimately reclassified when they test as proficient in English.

Each year, the number of students who are English learners fluctuates, King said.

There were 6,268 students learning English in Glendale schools during the 2014-15 academic year and 6,381 the year prior, according to state data.

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Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @kellymcorrigan