Recently, discussion around the growing Limited English Proficiency/English Language Learner student population in Lynn at the kindergarten level. Last week, the Lynn School Committee voted 4-3 to not require kindergarten teachers to obtain an ESL certification (that decision received a sharp rebuke from the Daily Item).
Looking at the data, Lynn's LEP/ELL student population at the kindergarten level has increased substantially over the last decade. During the 2011-12 school year, 336 out of 1,235 kindergarten students were LEP/ELL; in 2020-21 that ratio was 695 out of 1,086.
At individual schools, the percentage of LEP/ELL students is much higher than the city rate overall. Below are the schools with the highest number of this student population; these schools represent 55% of the kindergarten population overall and 61% of the kindergarten LEP/ELL population citywide.
As the student population in Lynn continues to change, it will be interesting to see how the School Department responds to changing priorities and needs as a result (and also how the School Committee responds).
All data taken from: www.doe.mass.edu
