Weber School District staff told the board the district has expanded a study of its dual language immersion programs and will distribute a survey to parents and teachers after the holiday break, with a comprehensive report expected at the district’s February session.
Presenters said the study aims to assess program health, access and alignment with the district’s Elevate 28 goals. Staff said recent state funding reductions have affected DLI budgets and that the study will gather quantitative and qualitative data to guide decisions about placement, staffing and program maintenance.
The district said the upcoming survey will use skip logic to tailor questions for parents and teachers and will be sent broadly so people in areas without current DLI offerings can share views on access and demand. Staff also plan student focus groups and analyses of secondary enrollment patterns to identify when and why students leave DLI programs.
Board members asked about qualitative measures. One board member, Janice, said she planned to include open‑ended questions: “At the end of the day, has this been worth it to you? Are you glad you did the immersion?” Janice said she was interested in whether families valued language proficiency or other outcomes such as peers and teachers.
Staff said the study will look at costs and enrollment thresholds that inform whether a secondary program remains viable; they will present recommended guidelines to the board. The board did not vote; staff said they will circulate the survey instrument to the board before distribution and return with summarized results after analysis.