What kind of services and programs does the school have to help my child learn English and all the other subjects he/she is studying?
How well is my child learning English and do you have an educational plan for him/her?
What activities do you use in class to encourage him to practice his English with his/her peers?
Will my child’s progress reports and other communication items be available in Spanish? Will we go over his/her academic as well as social development progress during our parent-teacher conferences?
How can I request special accommodations, such as extended time during high-stakes assessments, for my MLL student?
How long do you think it will take my child to transition to a mainstream classroom?
Will my child be on track to graduate from high school and apply to college? If not, what else does he/she need to do to graduate?
How are you helping my child prepare for courses that determine if he/she will earn a high school diploma?
How many exams will my child take this year and what will they be used for? How do I request copies of my child’s exam results in Spanish?
How can I support my child’s learning English at home?
What flexible volunteer opportunities do you have for parents to get involved in this school?
10 Tips for Parents of MLL Students
As a parent of an MLL student, these tips will help you to better understand your rights and your options to make sure both you and your child receive available support.
It is possible that the school will offer online courses to your child. If they do, you should make the completion of these online courses a priority. This will help them catch up or advance academically.
If you do not speak English, you have the right to have a translator present during a parent-teacher conference. You can have a friend or neighbor present to translate during parent-teacher conferences. You can also request that the school provide a translator. It is best to have someone other than your child serve as the translator. You also have the right to have translated materials sent home.
During conversations with teachers, you will learn about your child’s academic performance and behavior in class. Your child’s teacher will share their expectations for your child. Make sure that you ask how you can support their learning at home. Also share your child’s family background and other information that will help the teacher know more about his strengths and challenges.
When speaking with teachers, learn about resources that the school provides to overcome academic challenges. If your child is doing well, make sure that you ask about programs for students that excel. Help the teacher to know more about your child’s academic experiences in their native country. Use the Teacher Communicator tool to improve dialogue with your child’s teacher.
You should learn how the United States school system works because it might be different than in your native country. Find out about workshops, parent meetings where you can learn more.
If possible, it is important to have a computer, a printer, and Internet access at home. Investing in these tools will help your child to be successful in school. But monitor your child while he is using them to ensure safe use of social media.
Schools are required to help children who don’t speak English to learn English in the same way they are required to teach the same curriculum as they teach to other students.
Students who are learning English might be able to take advanced courses in their native language. Ask the school what might be available.
If your school does not offer many services in Spanish, find out if the school district offers more. Also ask if they have an English Language Learner or Bilingual Liaison available.
If you are caring for a child that has not been in school regularly for some time, such as an unaccompanied minor or a foster child, ask their school for ways to help them beyond learning English. They may need more than one year to catch up to the other students in their grade, as well as counseling and other supports. Some younger students may benefit from repeating a grade to give them more time.
Champions Senator Jackson and Assemblywoman Arroyo Were Instrumental in the Latino Education Advocacy Directors Coalition’s Multilingual Learner Commission Bill Becoming Law
Friday, December 20, 2019
For Immediate Release
New York, NY – The Latino Education Advocacy Directors (LEAD) Coalition launched a statewide campaign in February of this year to push for an increased investment from New York State in its Multilingual Learners (MLL), to ensure that their academic needs are met. MLLs refers to students who speak and understand other languages and are learning English.
Currently, multilingual students fall staggeringly behind their English-speaking peers, in academic achievement, and even more so when it comes to graduation rates. In 2017, the four-year MLL dropout rate was higher than the four- year graduation rate.
The campaign led by the LEAD Coalition, called “Invest in Our Future,” outlined the challenges and a series of recommendations aimed at closing the achievement gap among this high need student population. Included in these recommendations was a bill that would create a Commission for the Educational Advancement of Multilingual Learners (S4031/A8211).
Sponsors, Senator Robert Jackson (SD 31) and Assemblywoman Carmen Arroyo (AD 84) were instrumental in the passing of this bill and believe it is is needed for the advancement and success of many New York students.
On December 12th, Governor Cuomo signed this bill into law, which will create a Commission meant to inform the New York State Department of Education, the legislature, and the Governor on how to close the achievement gap between MLLs and their native English-speaking peers.
We are proud to have worked with these amazing legislators who prioritize the interests of the communities they serve.
"Hispanic Federation is deeply grateful for the Multilingual Learner Commission being signed into reality. The information and recommendations that will be written by this commission of experts will help New York State better support students who have been habitually undeserved. Senator Jackson, Assemblywoman Arroyo, and Governor Cuomo were integral parts in this bill’s success" said Frankie Miranda, President of the Hispanic Federation. "Understanding the true need of multilingual learners and how New York can ensure these students' needs are met, will be invaluable and is a great step forward in closing the achievement gap."
"The Latino Education Advocacy Leaders (LEAD) Coalition was created to improve Latinx educational outcomes. This Multilingual Learner Commission will help the most vulnerable group of Latinx students, as well as all diverse multilingual learners across the state” said Diana E. Cruz, Director of Education Policy of Hispanic Federation. “Senator Jackson and Assemblywoman Arroyo are true champions of immigrants and multilingual learners and for that we are thankful. We hope to continue our work together along with the Commission, legislators and the Governor to implement recommendations that ensure our multilingual students will thrive and reach their potential."
"Zone 126 is pleased that the educational needs of multilingual learners are going to be addressed through the work of this commission and thank everyone who helped make it happen,” said Anthony Lopez, Executive Director of Zone 126.
"Congratulations to state leadership for passing this landmark legislation to advance the achievement of the New York State's multilingual learners. The establishment of a commission to evaluate policies, practices, and investments in the state's multilingual learners (MLLs) is a first step in ensuring that more MLLs graduate from high school and are prepared for postsecondary success,” said Marissa Muñoz, Northeast Director for Young Invincibles and former Education Policy Director at Hispanic Federation.
“We commend the Governor for signing legislation to establish the Multilingual Learner (MLL) Commission—an essential step towards closing education gaps and providing New York’s multilingual students with the supports they need to thrive,” said Kim Sykes, Director of Education Policy at the New York Immigrant Coalition. “Across the state, our students speak over 200 languages and the MLLs population has grown over twenty percent in the past decade. We know that when immigrant New Yorkers get the resources they need, our communities are stronger and more equitable. We look forward to working with the Commission to boost the graduation rates and support the educational attainment of multilingual learners across New York and know the Commission’s inclusion of New York’s diverse immigrant communities is critical to its success.”
Senator Jackson, said, “As a longtime parent advocate with roots in the immigrant-majority neighborhood of Washington Heights, I was proud to introduce this bill and I’m even more proud that the governor has signed it into law. Multilingual learners in our public schools deserve to be fully supported among their English-dominant peers. This commission will help us create learning environments that unlock the potential of students in New York who come from all over the world. I thank Assembly member Arroyo for her leadership on this issue in the Assembly and look forward to reading and implementing the commission’s recommendations soon!”
“The graduation rate for English Language Learners has seen some gains over the years but remains disturbingly low and in need of focused attention. The Governor clearly understands these dynamics and his signing of this legislation into law is a monumental step forward in improving the education of all our children,” stated Assemblywoman Carmen E. Arroyo, member of the Assembly Education Committee. She added, “I am proud to have collaborated on this new law with State Senator Robert Jackson, a life-long advocate and leader on improving the education of our children. His leadership in the State Senate on this major education issue will lead to a better life for countless students.”
Within Our Reach: An agenda for ensuring all New York students are prepared for college, careers, and active citizenship
New report shows New York’s education system denies students of color access to courses that prepare them for college, careers, and active citizenship.
Addressing New York State’s Certified Bilingual Teacher Shortage
Since 1990, New York State has reported a teacher shortage for certified bilingual teachers. It, along with Texas, are the only two states that have faced a shortage for the last quarter of a century. The shortage is so dire, that in serve its multilingual learners, schools are placing teachers that are not certified to teach bilingual education in bilingual classrooms, jeopardizing the quality of education multilingual learners receive.
According to a 2017 report by the New York State School Boards Association, over 10% of teachers in bilingual education classrooms in NYS, excluding New York City (NYC), were not certified. In fact, in regions such as the Genesee-Finger Lakes area, uncertified bilingual education teachers in bilingual classroom settings were as high as 25%
Note: The years listed are the start of the school year. Teacher types include ESL, bilingual education, and dual-language education. Each MLL indicates that the percentage of the State’s proposed teacher shortage areas may not exceed the automatic designated limit of five percent of all unduplicated full-time equivalent (FTE) elementary and secondary teaching positions in the State.
Multilingual Learners in New York State: Increasing Access, Achievement, and Outcomes
Education Policy Recommendations
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
