New dual language program at Farley Elementary School highlights Hudson schools fiscal 2021 budget

Students in the program will receive their lessons in a combination of English and Portuguese to increase bilingualism and biliteracy.

HUDSON – Superintendent of Schools Marco Rodrigues’ proposed $42.3 million spending package includes a new dual language program at Farley Elementary School and resources to keep average class sizes low.

Selectmen on Monday signed off on Rodrigues’ proposed budget, which is a 0.76% increase from the slightly more than $42 million fiscal 2020 budget. Town Meeting will vote on the full fiscal 2021 budget in June.

The schools’ fiscal package includes $33.3 million for personnel, $6.7 million for general expenses and $2.3 million for transportation. The administration will use the town’s $40.3 million appropriation, along with $996,184 in circuit-breaker money and slightly more than $1 million from the district’s School Choice account.

The major highlight of Rodrigues’ budget is the implementation of a new dual language program at Farley Elementary School. The program – a learning method that will have students receive their lessons in a combination of English and Portuguese – will launch in the 2020-21 school year for two kindergarten classes at the school.

The classes follow a 50-50 model, in which students will have half their instruction in English and the other half in Portuguese.

Dual language programs provide students with more access to 21st century skills – including bilingualism, biliteracy and global awareness – and help develop language proficiency. Students in dual language programs perform as well or better on standardized tests in language arts and math, even when they are administered in English, Rodrigues wrote in his budget introduction.

“Our students will become proficient in both languages and have stronger bicultural identity and self-esteem,” he wrote.

About 11% of Hudson students speak a first language other than English, with the number at Farley School at 17%. Portuguese was selected because of the town’s large number of Portuguese families.

“The town of Hudson possesses a strong history and connection with the Portuguese community and our dual language program will preserve and enhance the Portuguese speaking heritage while preparing out students for the highly competitive diverse work places in the 21st century global fields of study and work,” Rodrigues wrote in his budget executive summary. “The program goal is to promote bilingualism, biliteracy, cross-cultural competency and high levels of academic achievement.”

The budget also calls for relocating $230,000 from the general expense account to hire personnel that target critical needs. A Portuguese teacher, English language learner teacher, school adjustment counselor, special education teacher and applied behavior analysis therapist will be hired at the elementary level. The district will hire a school psychologist and world language teacher at Quinn Middle School, while a technology integration specialist, special education teacher and science lab technician will be hired at the high school.

Those moves will help maintain the district’s goal of an average class size of 20 students.

“This budget maintains desired average class sizes and it provides all essential services to support our students,” Rodrigues wrote.

For the first time in several years, the district did not have to cut or freeze its adopted budget.

“This is a significant milestone toward the district’s financial stability,” Rodrigues wrote.

To view the budget visit https://go.boarddocs.com/ma/hudsonma/Board.nsf/files/BN9MP85C28A7/$file/School%20Budget%20Book.pdf.

Jeff Malachowski can be reached at 508-490-7466 or jmalachowski@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @JmalachowskiMW.