Nearly 500 Palm Springs Unified students reclassified as English proficient

 Nearly 500 Palm Springs Unified School District students were officially reclassified as English proficient Saturday, marking a milestone that families and district officials say represents years of dedication both inside and outside the classroom.

Raymond Cree Middle School eighth grader Maximo Serna was among the hundreds of students recognized at the ceremony. For him, the achievement was also a matter of family pride.

"My parents told me how my brother reclassified at a very young age, and how my sister reclassified when she was in eighth grade," Serna said. "So I thought, 'What if I did better?'"

English learner students earn reclassified status after successfully passing the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California, a standardized test measuring reading, writing, listening and speaking skills.

At Saturday's ceremony, nearly 200 elementary students and nearly 300 secondary students were reclassified. 

"I am kind of proud of myself too," he said.

His mother, Rocío Serna, said watching her children reach this milestone has never gotten less meaningful.

"It's been a pretty frustrating experience at times because the test is not easy to pass," she said. "But once they finally do, it feels really rewarding."

She also credited the support of school district staff, including bilingual office specialist Lorena Ortiz, who works to connect English learner families with resources and guidance throughout the reclassification process.

For Ortiz, the work is personal. She was an English learner herself.

"It's really important to see that all these kids that come from a different place, they don't know the language, they're reclassified faster," she said.

Ortiz said the district's goal extends beyond English proficiency, it's about nurturing students who can thrive in two languages.

"We want to emphasize that it's important to keep both languages if they know another one," she said. "Our job as a parent is to keep our Spanish or native language, and the teacher's job is to teach them English."

Rocío Serna echoed that sentiment, saying bilingualism will open doors for her children long after the ceremony ends.

"It's going to open a lot of doors for them, both in their careers and in their education," she said. "And it also gives them something to feel proud of, being bilingual."

Following reclassification, students are monitored for four years to ensure they remain on track academically.