SALISBURY, Md.- Changing demographics in Wicomico County are requiring more resources from Wicomico County Public Schools, according to superintendent Dr. Micah Stauffer.
According to Stauffer, 5 years ago there were 1100 multi-lingual or non-English speaking students in the public schools. Today there are 2200, over a 100% increase. Compared to 15 years ago, the schools have seen a 15 percent increase.
"We have more than 20 other languages that our students are coming to us with that we are trying to provide resources and technology is one of those resources to meet the needs that they have," said Stauffer.
"Resources is probably the biggest challenge so we've had to of course hire additional ESOL teachers to work with our growing population of multilingual learners. We've hired additional interpreters so as a result of that we've brought in more technology," said Stauffer.
Stauffer says it is imperative to give all students the resources that they need to succeed.
"If you think about the high school classes that we all took, they were challenging enough in English as we knew that certainly for someone coming from another country that may be speaking another primary language it takes a lot of resources," said Stauffer.
Stauffer says demand for more resources is particularly challenging given the school district’s already tight budget. Stauffer says state funding is insufficient because the amount of funding is based on student population numbers from the previous year, which Stauffer says are lower than this year’s population.
Additionally, funding from the county is also insufficient. Wicomico County had given the schools a 2% increase of funding, but Stauffer says that figure does not keep pace with inflation.
Despite the challenges, Stauffer says diversity enriches the school and their students' lives.
"That's a positive. It's something that our students are typically from here on the Eastern Shore speaking English they get to meet all kinds of other students that come from different backgrounds and cultures," said Stauffer.
Associate Professor Dr. Amber Meyer of Salisbury University says the trend is a reflection of families seeking a better life for their children.
"It's people basically looking for opportunity, for safety, for a good education for promise, in the lives of their children," said Meyer.
In a statement to WBOC, County Executive Julie Giordano said,
“Ensuring that all students in Wicomico County have the resources they need to succeed is a priority for my office. We recognize the growing needs of our public schools, particularly with the increase in non-English speaking students, which requires additional support in terms of translators, technology, and other resources. While the current budget reflects a 2% increase, we are always open to discussions with the district to make sure our schools are equipped to handle these changes. Our goal is to strike a balance between fiscal responsibility and ensuring every child in Wicomico County receives a quality education, regardless of background or language barrier.”
