180 Days of Learning : SAVANNA

When school starts next month, classes across the district will be in English only, without help from bilingual teaching assistants.

The elementary school district in March became the third in Orange County within the past two years to receive a waiver to the state’s bilingual education requirement.

The 2,400-student Anaheim-based district has not had any certified bilingual teachers for several years, although it has a sizable population of students who aren’t fluent in English. The waiver means the district will face no sanctions from state regulators.

Districts in Westminster, Anaheim and Orange have won similar waivers; unlike Savanna, they continue to have bilingual classroom assistants.

Sue Johnson, director of curriculum, said Savanna’s priority is hiring people with good teaching skills: “We always look for the best teacher we can find. . . . If they are proficient in another language, that is wonderful.”

Johnson said teachers are trained in other methods, such as visuals, to teach children English. She said such methods may be more efficient because teachers can use the same techniques with all children, whatever their native languages.

“Sometimes a child doesn’t understand until they see something,” she said.