About the LEAD Coalition
The Latino Educational Advocacy Directors (LEAD) Coalition is a statewide coalition created to ensure the needs of Latino students in the New York State public school system are being met. LEAD works to increase the educational outcomes of Latino children and youth and to improve their access to a high-quality public education from pre-school to postsecondary levels. The goal is to narrow the achievement gap of Latino students so that their academic outcomes ultimately equal other, higher performing student populations across the state. The coalition is unified in support of a reform agenda that will enhance New York City and New York State’s P-16 public education system, creating a strong college and career access and success pipeline to improve the outcomes of Latino students.
P-12 Education
ALLOCATE $110 MILLION IN FUNDING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS
Earmark Foundation Aid Funding for Multilingual Learners- Minimum $85 million
• Sustain this allocation for each year for the next three years
Increase the Number of Certified English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and Bilingual Education (BE) Teachers in General and in Special Education Settings- $7 million
• $1.54 Million, doubling the current allocation, to address the shortage of bilingual education teachers in general and in special education settings to expand the Clinically Rich Intensive Teacher Institute (CRI-TI) and increase the number of participating CRI-TI institutions in regions of greatest need
• Allocate new funding to provide a pay increase as a monetary incentive for teachers to become certified to teach multilingual students
Fund a Targeted Initiative to Increase Graduation Rates for Multilingual Learners- $3 million
• Provide new funding to support performance and portfolio-based assessments
• Provide funding for out-of-schools time academic supports for high school MLLs
• Provide funding for the creation of a statewide online multilingual credit recovery system for MLLs
Provide Additional Academic Supports for Multilingual Learners- $5 million
• Allocate new funding to districts via grants for extended school-based learning, including afterschool and summer academies, and targeted programming for MLLs performing below grade level
• Provide new targeted supports for Students with Limited or Interrupted Formal Education (SLIFE)
Increase Parent Information and Outreach in Home Languages- $1 million
• Provide additional supports to districts to develop more robust materials and transparent outreach processes that inform parents about school issues, resources, and updates in home languages
• Ensure ESSA parent dashboard is released in 2019 and includes translations in multiple languages and user-friendly features
Increase Socio-Emotional Supports of Multilingual Learners- $5 million
• Pilot a school-based mental health initiative in schools with high MLL populations
• Increase professional development opportunities for counselors and social workers working with MLLs and their families
• Increase the number of bilingual social workers and counselors in schools with larger MLL populations
Form a New York State Commission to Advance the Achievement of Multilingual Learners- $200,000
• The group would develop a best practices report, working backwards from a statement of full equity and high expectations, demonstrating a full commitment to multilingualism as an asset.
• The commission will include experts and practitioners, including NYS Regents and NYSED leaders.
Increase Investment in Pre-K to Meet the Needs of Multilingual Learners- $3.8 million
• Provide funding to support the expansion of integrated classrooms and provide guidance and oversight in implementing and sustaining integrated classrooms in Pre-K
• Fund the professional development of bilingual early childhood staff, via training institutes and opportunities that put them on a pathway to career ladders and certification, so that they have the skills and knowledge to better support MLLs
FULLY RESTORE FOUNDATION AID FUNDING
Allocate $1.4 Billion in Foundation Aid Based on a Three-year Phase-in of the $4.2 Billion Owed
• New York legislators should enact a commitment to fund the Campaign for Fiscal Equity, beginning with allocating $1.4 billion in Foundation Aid for 2018-2019. The coalition seeks more transparency in district reporting and the allocation of items to meet specific needs. In addition, the coalition supports increased engagement of parents in the budgeting process.
INCREASE COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS
Increase Number of College Counselors and Access to Postsecondary Readiness Training
• Invest in funding to create and pilot a college counseling program, that will pay for the training of school counselors in college and career readiness
• Provide funding to allow for more college counselors to access professional development related to college and career readiness, starting in districts in greatest need
Better Support Community-based Organizations (CBOs) in Providing Postsecondary Support
• Create a database of services statewide, by district, for schools to tap into resources
• Provide grant funding for CBOs to receive additional grants for supporting postsecondary readiness
• Increase the number of proven and promising college access programs and practices such as Student Success Centers and College Access Research and Action (CARA)
Increase Parent Knowledge on the College Going Process
• Increase partnership capacity with Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) in order to better address the needs of parents, including those of immigrant youth
• Utilize HESC and community-based organizations via funded train-the-trainer models to lead and increase college application and financial aid workshops
• Provide training to counselors and staff to effectively educate students and parents on financial awareness and the college going process. Ensure that the training is inclusive of the needs of mixed status, undocumented, first-generation and newly arrived students
Increased Data Sharing with Institutions of Higher Education
• Continue to seek transparent data sharing with institutions of higher education to better inform curriculum and practices
Higher Education
SUPPORT THE DREAM ACT
The New York State DREAM Act would help ease the cost of higher education for immigrants in New York State. Passing this bill would allow undocumented students seeking to attend an institution of higher education access to state financial aid. Under the proposal, these students would be eligible for general awards, performance-based awards, and the NYS Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). The legislation would also help immigrant families prepare for the costs of higher education by allowing an individual with a taxpayer identification number to open a New York State 529 family tuition account under the NYS College Savings Program.
ALLOW UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE NEW YORK STATE EXCELSIOR SCHOLARSHIP AND THE PART-TIME SCHOLARSHIP (PTS) AWARD PROGRAM
This would grant college financial aid to students, regardless of immigration status without inquiring about legal status nor requiring that they first qualify for TAP, EOP or HEOP. The effective date would be immediate and would apply to undergraduate admissions to a public institution of higher education for a term or semester beginning with the 2019-2020 academic year.
RESTORE OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM FUNDING
Opportunity Program Funding has been proven to increase retention and graduation rates, especially for first generation college bound students. Many of these students are low-income students of color that need additional academic and financial supports and services to graduate college. These programs include the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), Liberty Partnerships, Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP), and Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP). Opportunity programs at the community college level include the Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge (SEEK) and College Discovery programs.
