Boston Public Schools expands multilingual education with new programs at seven schools

Boston Public Schools (BPS) will introduce new multilingual education programs at seven schools for the 2025-2026 school year. This marks the largest single-year expansion of language offerings in the district's history. The new programs, approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, will serve over 200 students initially, with plans to increase capacity by 30% each year. The programs include dual language classes in English and Spanish, a Mandarin bilingual program, and transitional bilingual education. This expansion follows a controversial "Inclusive Education Plan" launched in fall 2023, which faced criticism and led to resignations from the English Learners Task Force. The new programs aim to better support the district's English learners, who make up about one-third of BPS students.