COLDWATER, MI — With nearly 30% of students at Coldwater Community Schools not proficient in English, the district is looking to increase the number of teachers qualified to teach multilingual learners.

The district currently has six certified staff to work with the 868 of the 1,128 multi-language students who are not proficient in English.

The number of non-proficient students needing help learning English increased from 807 in 2024 and 701 in 2023, Director of Multilingual Learners Becky Heaton said.

Additionally, there are adult students, 77 in Coldwater night classes, 56 in Kellogg Community College Grahl Center, plus 20 at the Lincoln Center daytime classes.

Heaton said the largest group of multi-language learners speaks Arabic, followed by Spanish and Haitian Creole.

Each of Col

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