Our Federal Way Public School (FWPS) district has removed our English Language Learners (ELL) newcomers class for the 2021-2022 school year. This removal has been inadequately substituted with a combined newcomer and emerging ELL class.

Before, students were provided a double-blocked class, where both Periods 1 and 2 were dedicated to language acquisition. However, now, it has become just one combined class where beginning English students are now only provided about 25-30% of the instructional time compared to their peers within the FWPS district's High Schools- who still have the double-blocked class

This reduction of instructional time is inequitable: Any other High School students in the FWPS district are able to take the original double blocked class — so why can’t Decatur students?