# Education on October 13, 2026

The Boston City Council Committee on Education held an October 13, 2026 hearing on English learner services and spending (Docket 0276), alongside discussion of a districtwide multilingual learner plan (Docket 1147). Councilors, Boston Public Schools (BPS) administrators, advocates, educators, and parents discussed bilingual and dual-language access, academic outcomes, family engagement, and special education evaluations for multilingual learners. BPS reported that dual-language programs grew from 8 to 14 over roughly five years, with 2,337 students enrolled this year compared with 1,900 in 2021; councilors and advocates noted that only a small share of the district’s roughly 17,000 English learners receive bilingual instruction and called for measurable goals, disaggregated data, and expanded home-language instruction. Parents and advocates described concerns about delayed IEP assessments and services, while BPS said it follows required timelines and is working to improve language assessment capacity and educator support.

Budget discussion focused on sustaining and expanding bilingual programs, developing bilingual educators, and supporting multilingual learners with disabilities. BPS said FY28 budget planning had begun and that it was forecasting costs to maintain and expand programs, but did not provide a specific expansion commitment; a $126,741,800 figure was cited, though the transcript does not clearly establish what it represents. BPS described teacher-development pathways and program funding, including an additional paraprofessional investment in some bilingual classrooms. No contract awards, bids, vendor selections, or procurement votes were identified. The chair proposed follow-up collaboration with BPS and community advocates, including quarterly discussions and a future accountability hearing; BPS representatives agreed to participate. The hearing remained in committee and was adjourned without a vote on spending.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Education
**Topics:** Grants & Funding
**Published:** October 13, 2026

### Sources
- [Education on October 13, 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gcPjB7pNyE) - Boston City Council