The Denver school district has settled on a new road map to help students who aren’t native English-speakers overcome language barriers and fully participate in school.
Federal prosecutors and the Congress of Hispanic Educators had expressed concerns about whether the 82,000-student district was living up to a 1999 court order outlining steps it would take to adequately serve English-language learners as required under federal law.
Prosecutors said last week that the district had agreed to a proposed consent decree requiring such steps as implementation of comprehensive measures for identifying and monitoring students who need help; translation services for parents who speak limited English; and tailored services for English-language learners who have disabilities or who are refugees. Help also must be offered in the district’s charter schools.
A judge must still approve the consent decree.
