PIERRE, S.D. (KELO.com) — The latest South Dakota Education Report Card shows a sharp increase in the successful teaching of English to non-native speakers.
The number of students on track to English language mastery grew from 33 to 45 percent.
State Education Secretary Ben Jones says it’s great news for one of the state’s quickly growing student populations,
“It means that schools recognize the growing diversity of our communities and are taking steps to support these students in order to facilitate their learning.”
Jones says several factors may be contributing to the increase, including greater awareness among educators about the challenges English-learners face and the strategies needed to make course content understandable. South Dakota also has seen an increase in individuals who have specific training to teach this group of students.