MISD gets “District of the Year” for work with bilingual students

MIDLAND, Texas (KOSA) - Midland Independent School District was named “District of the Year” in Texas for the progress made with their bilingual students. The school district works with a software program called Summit K12 to help students learn English. The principal of De Zavala Elementary School said the teachers not only teach the lessons, they model the lessons.

“They use the program with fidelity with the students and they even came up with some pretty neat strategies in using it in order to encourage our bilingual students to really progress,” said Javier Aguilera, the Principal of De Zavala Elementary School.

The Executive Director of Student Programs said they work with students on their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. From 2019 to 2021, MISD increased its English language proficiency score almost 20 percent.

“We’re very excited about the progress that they have made. It wasn’t just my department, it was really principals, teachers, students and parents helping with our students progressing at the level that they did,” said Lety Amalla, the Executive Director of Student Programs at MISD.

Amalla said it’s not about the award. It’s about the progress the students are making everyday.

“The purpose and the goal of the bilingual program is to make our students fully bilingual, biliterate and bicultural. Being able to integrate to the mainstream and still keep their heritage,” Amalla said.