Date

Winter 2023

ESRP 9000 Professor

Georgina Arguello, Ed.D.

ESRP 9001 Professor

Gina L. Peyton, Ed.D.

Executive Summary

The focus of this Strategic Research Project is on the need to increase dual language immersion programs in Polk County Public Schools. The organizational background, history, mission, and vision are highlighted which essentially focuses on educational excellence, and providing a high-quality education where students come first. A SWOT analysis was conducted which identified a total of 40 factors, with 10 identified as strengths, 10 as weaknesses, 10 as opportunities, and 10 as threats. An Internal Factor Evaluation was then conducted, which highlighted four strengths and four weaknesses. The four strengths were a dedicated staff of teachers of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), supportive school board, caring principals, and passionate ESOL teachers. The four weaknesses were culturally relevant and responsive classrooms, communication, audit findings, and no ESOL handbook. An External Factor Evaluation was also conducted, and it identified four opportunities and four threats. The four opportunities were to increase ESOL support staff, ensure ESOL compliance, increase parental involvement, and increase community engagement. The four threats were compliance and audit findings, ESOL students not exiting the program, unclear procedures, and poor tracking of ESOL students.

This strategic research project features the chosen factor from all the forty factors, which is to increase dual language immersion programs in Polk County Public Schools. An increase in dual language immersion programs is needed to effectively provide equitable learning environments for over 12,000 English language learners so that they can become academically and linguistically proficient. The possible solutions included the hiring of bilingual certified teachers, identifying school-based leaders for dual language immersion programs, selecting the type of dual language immersion model, and ensuring that there is parental and community support. After extensive research and reviewing the barriers, the selected solution to help increase dual language immersion programs is to gain parental and community support. The strategies to accomplish the selected solution were to host an informational town hall meeting; or conduct a parent survey. Once an evaluation of the strategies was conducted using the Quantitative Strategic Plan Matrix, the Internal Factor and External Factor Evaluation; it was determined that the strategy of conducting a parent survey had a total attractiveness score of 4.27. This indicated that it surpassed the 2.50 threshold, making it a feasible strategy that can positively influence the action plan, which is to assemble a committee, identify the survey tool, and present the survey results. In essence, conducting a parent survey can help garner parental and community support for the increase of dual language immersion programs in Polk County Public Schools, which can positively impact student achievement and language proficiency.

Document Type

Strategic Research Project-NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

College

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education

Language

English

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