Eighteen Coronado students who proved their mastery of English on the state proficiency exam received certificates and applause at a district breakfast Wednesday, Nov. 4.

Coronado Unified School District (CUSD) hosted the Reclassification Breakfast for students from its elementary, middle and high schools who officially earned Fluent English Proficient status, the Coronado Times reported. Families joined the ceremony.

Reclassification means a student has demonstrated grade-level English proficiency on the state's English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC), according to the Coronado Times.

Dr. Maylen Sullivan, CUSD's K-12 World Languages Teacher on Special Assignment and ELD/ELPAC Coordinator, told students and families that the milestone marks a beginning, not an ending.

"Reclassification is not an endpoint; it is a major milestone on your path toward full academic success and biliteracy," Sullivan said. "Multilingualism is a true superpower, and our district will continue to support and monitor your academic progress over the next four years to ensure you keep thriving in every classroom."

Sullivan tied the achievement to the district's Portrait of a Graduate framework, which envisions students as "confident, multilingual communicators and resilient, empowered learners."

Superintendent Karl Mueller also addressed the honorees. "We are immensely proud of your hard work, your growth, and your success," Mueller said. "Keep reaching high, stay curious, and always remain proud of your language capabilities and achievement."

The 18 students honored were Xaviera Barrantes Rodriguez, Lucia Cassis Aguirre, Gabriela Goldberg, Emiliano Kladt-Castro, Cristina Villalobos Rivero, Jacinta Barrantes Rodriguez, Roman Buelna Garces, Shouly Djamus Brucilovsky, Georgina Hernandez Manzano, Zedrik Lobo Rubio, Liat Milstein, David Mizrahi Cohen, Joselle Quiroz, Sebastian Spathe, Elias Djamus Brucilovsky, Cristina Rodriguez Orvananos, Danila Schreiber and Juan Carlos Vizcarra Medina.

English Learners make up about 5% of CUSD's student body, according to the district's Local Control and Accountability Plan. That plan, published in 2023, put the English Learner count at 139 students districtwide. The district reclassified students at a rate of 12.1% in the 2021-2022 school year, per the same document.

Sullivan said the district will track each reclassified student's academic progress for the next four years.