Earmark Foundation Aid Funding to 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)
• Provide additional funding to districts to increase the number of CTE programs for all students including MLLs
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
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 NY 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 Early Childhood 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 rolling out and sustaining integrated classrooms
• Fund the professional development of bilingual early childhood staff, via training institutes and other opportunities that also put them on a pathway to career ladders and certification, so that they have the skills and knowledge to better support MLLs
