Parents and Experts Weigh In on the Value of Bilingual Education Amid School Closures

Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Consolidates Bilingual Education Programs Amid Budget Pressures

EVANSTON, Ill. — Evanston/Skokie School District 65 is consolidating two of its bilingual education programs at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year, a decision that has drawn criticism from parents and education experts who argue the move undermines long-term academic and social benefits for students.

The district will merge the Two-Way Immersion (TWI) program at Willard Elementary School and the Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies into two strands at the newly designated Foster School. The consolidation is part of Phase 3 of District 65’s Structural Deficit Reduction Plan, which aims to reduce spending by $16 million to $18 million by fiscal year 2030.

Parents Express Disappointment Over Program Closures

Marc Zarefsky, a parent whose son participated in Willard Elementary’s TWI program, said the district’s decision to scale back bilingual education was a step in the wrong direction. Zarefsky had advocated for expanding such programs after observing his son’s progress.

“For Zarefsky, the district’s decision to close two bilingual programs was a step in the wrong direction.”

Daily Northwestern, April 23, 2026

Kaitlin Bowker, a parent at Kingsley Elementary School—which is also closing under the deficit reduction plan—described the decision as “absolutely devastating.” Bowker submitted a permissive transfer request to send her children to Lincolnwood Elementary School instead of their newly assigned school, Willard Elementary. She said her daughters ultimately chose to attend school with their closest friends, reflecting the emotional toll of the district’s reassignments.

Research Highlights Benefits of Bilingual Education

Advocates for bilingual education point to a growing body of research supporting its academic and social advantages. A 2024 study by the American Educational Research Association found that native English-speaking students in dual-language immersion programs scored higher in reading and math from first through fourth grade compared to peers who did not participate in such programs.

Bradley Hoot, director of the linguistics and Spanish programs at DePaul University, emphasized the broader benefits of bilingual education.

“Bilingual education is really great in basically every way.”

Bradley Hoot, DePaul University

Hoot noted that bilingual programs support language development in both English and a secondary language while fostering social and academic growth. A 2023 survey cited in the Daily Northwestern found that approximately two-thirds of Latino families in the U.S. Would enroll their children in bilingual education programs if available.

Challenges in Maintaining Bilingual Programs

Despite the demand, experts acknowledge that bilingual education programs face significant operational hurdles. Joao Goebel, chair of ESL/bilingual education at National Louis University, said that closing such programs can displace students and disrupt community ties. However, he also noted that maintaining them often requires higher costs and specialized staffing, which can strain district budgets.

District 65 has not publicly detailed how the consolidation will affect staffing or program structure at Foster School. A district spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment from the Daily Northwestern regarding the number of permissive transfer requests or the long-term impact on bilingual education offerings.

Families Await Final School Assignments

Parents and guardians received initial determinations on permissive transfer requests in March 2026 and had until April 1 to accept or decline placements. Final school assignments were scheduled to be confirmed via email on April 24, 2026, as families adjusted to the district’s restructuring.

The consolidation of Willard’s TWI program and the Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies reflects broader tensions between fiscal constraints and educational priorities. While research supports the effectiveness of bilingual education, districts like Evanston/Skokie 65 face difficult decisions as they balance budgetary pressures with community demands for specialized programs.

For now, parents like Zarefsky and Bowker are left navigating the consequences of a district-wide realignment that has reshaped their children’s educational paths.