Hispanics grow fastest in numbers
Education: More pupils in schools

By Beth Gollob

Published: February 7, 2007

More students than ever before are attending Oklahoma public schools, with Hispanics making up the fastest-growing ethnic group, state officials said this week.

Enrollment grew this year by more than 4,500 students, according to the state Education Department. But among Hispanics alone, enrollment grew more than 7.5 percent, an increase state officials called dramatic.

"It is a large change over time for schools because of two major things, and that's language barriers and poverty,” said Wendy Pratt, communications director for the state Education Department. "Those are challenges to success in the classroom, so schools have to devote resources to that, particularly in teaching students to read and write in English.”

Oklahoma City Public Schools' Hispanic enrollment has boomed in recent years, growing from 25.2 percent in 2001-02 to 38 percent this year. Hispanics make up the largest portion of district students, followed by blacks at 30.5 percent and whites at 23.4 percent.

About 68 percent of students are Hispanic at Westwood Elementary School, 1701 Exchange Ave., said Principal Jan Borelli. Though students generally do well with learning English, notes for parents are written in both English and Spanish, since many are not English speakers, she said.

Earlier this school year, parents and teachers at Van Buren Elementary School, 2700 SW 40, asked district officials to look into crowding at the 6-year-old school. Nearly 490 students were enrolled in October at the school, which was built by MAPS for Kids funds and designed to hold 350 students.

Glenda Roberts, who teaches English language learners at Van Buren, said most of the growth there has been among Hispanic students, a phenomenon common throughout south Oklahoma City.

Language is a barrier, she said, but not as much as the lack of classroom space.

"MAPS for Kids didn't take into consideration the rapid growth, so we're getting desperate for space. One of the problems is that because we didn't expect so many, we don't have enough school to house all the population, so our schools are just overflowing with students and we don't have the room we need,” Roberts said.

Many school districts across the state reported increases in Hispanic enrollment. In Guymon, where 58 percent of the 2,400 students are Hispanic, the school district had an increase of about 2 percent in that ethnic group alone, said Superintendent Doug Melton.

The district has seven teachers who teach English to Spanish speakers. Guymon's Hispanic enrollment had its largest spike between 1996 and 1997, when it increased by more than 6 percent.

Much of the growth has been prompted by Seaboard's pork processing plant. To meet the needs of its Spanish-speaking students and parents, notes are sent home in English and Spanish, and some school programs are in Spanish, Melton said. The district also has started soccer and folkloric dancing programs to help get Hispanic students and their parents involved in school activities.

Hispanic enrollment in Poteau has increased steadily, with the most growth in the primary grades, said Alice Smith, superintendent. About 10 percent of children in the elementary grades are Hispanic, Smith said.

"Our greatest increase,” Smith said, "has been in very young children, ages 4 through second grade.”

In Frederick in far southwestern Oklahoma, Hispanic enrollment increased by one student, according to district figures. Of the 980 students in the district, 28.6 percent are Hispanic, said Shannon Vanderburg, director of finance.

Because the Hispanic growth came so fast, Oklahoma City Public Schools have not developed systems to best help them, said Chris Brewster, principal of Santa Fe South High School.

Contributing: Julie Bisbee and

Judy Gibbs Robinson, Staff Writers