Chancellor Richard A. Carranza Announces Bilingual Programs Expansion - 48 New Programs Opening This Fall
Over 200 bilingual programs opened or expanded over the last four years. First-ever Albanian Dual Language program opening in the Bronx
NEW YORK – Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza announced the opening of 48 new Dual Language (DL) and Transition Bilingual Education (TBE) programs this fall, including 32 DL and 16 TBE programs, and the first-ever Albanian Dual Language program opening in the Bronx. Over the last four years over 200 programs have opened or expanded Citywide.
“Every family in our City, including immigrant families and undocumented students, deserves a high-quality education, and language should never be a barrier to equal access,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. “When I started Kindergarten, I only spoke Spanish and my parents trusted public schools to teach me English -- I want to make sure every English Language Learner in New York City has the same experience I did growing up.”
In addition to Albanian, the Department of Education (DOE) will open new programs in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Italian, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish and Urdu. The 48 new programs are opening across 42 schools—25 programs in 21 elementary schools, 7 programs in 7 middle schools, and 16 programs in 14 high schools. Three programs are opening in Manhattan, 11 in the Bronx, 20 in Brooklyn, and 14 in Queens, and all 15 programs on Staten Island are expanding to new grade levels. Earlier this year, the DOE announced the launch of 33 new pre-K programs, more than doubling the number of available DL pre-K programs Citywide.
Today’s announcement was made at PS 1 in Chinatown, which currently serves a 26% ELLs population and offers Dual Language Mandarin from grades K-3. Next year, they will offer pre-K and 4th grade Dual Language.
Each school opening a program this fall was selected by the Division of English Language Learners and Student Support (DELLSS) in collaboration with Borough Field Support Centers and Superintendent Offices, who examined data on ELLs to meet the needs of every community. DELLSS worked with school leadership teams to develop individualized program designs, instructional plans, professional development and a family engagement component. Schools will receive grants from the DOE to implement these new programs. On average, schools receive $25,000 to open a new program, and the total cost of this expansion is approximately $1.2 million.
Currently, there are 545 programs Citywide in 13 languages: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, and Urdu. These programs serve over 40,000 ELLs, former ELLs, and non-ELLs. The programs are funded through the Federal Title III Language Instruction for ELLs program – which provides over $1 million annually to ensure schools with the resources, materials and trainings need to provide a high-quality bilingual education to all students enrolled. Schools also receive extra funding Fair Student Funding, helping schools provide additional materials, services and supports to strengthen instruction for ELLs.
“English Language Learners have been a lifelong priority for me, and I’m thrilled to continue expanding bilingual education throughout our City,” said Milady Baez, Deputy Chancellor for the Division of English Language Learners and Student Support. “All students benefit from these rigorous programs, and prepare students for the real world by embracing bilingualism and biculturalism.”
“As a bilingual and bicultural former ELL in NYC public schools, I fully believe every student should have the opportunity to have a bilingual education,” said Yalitza Vasquez, Senior Executive Director for the Division of English Language Learners and Student Support. “We are not only helping students bridge linguistic and cultural connections, we’re developing an understanding among students and the diverse world in which they interact.”
“The over 150 languages New Yorkers speak at home is a great asset to our global city,” said Bitta Mostofi, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “Institutionalizing our strengths through expanding bilingual learning programs in our schools will provide our English Language Learners with an even better education as well as help preserve NYC’s multicultural spirit. Chancellor Carranza and the DOE are continuing to expand opportunities for our ever growing community of New Yorkers.”
Families of ELLs can request placement in either a DL or TBE program in addition to receiving English as a New Language (ENL) services. In DL classes, approximately 50% of students are ELLs and 50% are English-proficient students – both groups of students receive instruction together in English and a target language. In TBE programs, ELLs who speak a common home language receive instruction in that language with intensive support in English. Gradually, students receive more instruction in English and less in their home language, until they reach proficiency in English. Through both DL and TBE, ELLs acquire a new language while strengthening their native language, and the goal of both is to educate ELL and English-proficient students to become bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural.
Families of ELLs can request placement in either a DL or TBE program in addition to receiving English as a New Language (ENL) services. In DL classes, approximately 50% of students are ELLs and 50% are English-proficient students – both groups of students receive instruction together in English and a target language. In TBE programs, ELLs who speak a common home language receive instruction in that language with intensive support in English. Gradually, students receive more instruction in English and less in their home language, until they reach proficiency in English. Through both DL and TBE, ELLs acquire a new language while strengthening their native language, and the goal of both is to educate ELL and English-proficient students to become bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural.
Family engagement is a critical component of successful bilingual programs. Last year we expanded translation and interpretation services for families, resulting in a record number of interpretation services provided to families. The DOE offers over-the-phone interpretation services in over 200 languages, and Native Language Parent Conferences for ELL families in Spanish, Haitian Creole, and Korean in Staten Island, Brooklyn, and Queens. The Family English Initiative (FEI) is also available for families of ELLs K-2. The initiative takes a two-generation approach to learning English, and equips families with tools to continue to develop proficiency skills at home.
LIST OF SCHOOLS IN EXPANSION
Manhattan
The Riverside School for Makers & Artists—Chinese DL
The Young Diplomats Magnet School—Italian DL
High School for Media & Communications—Spanish DL
Bronx
PS 5 Port Morris—Spanish DL
JHS 125 Henry Hudson—Spanish TBE
Thomas C. Giordano Middle School 45—Spanish DL
JHS 80 The Mosholu Parkway—Spanish DL
Fordham Leadership Academy for Business and Technology—Spanish TBE
The Senator Abraham Bernstein School—Albanian DL and Spanish DL
High School of Language and Innovation—Spanish TBE
New World High School—Spanish TBE
PS 214—Spanish TBE
PS 595—Spanish DL
Brooklyn
JHS 50 John D. Wells—Spanish DL
Juan Morel Campos Secondary School—Spanish TBE
Jose Diego School—Spanish DL
Green School: An Academy for Environmental Careers—Spanish DL
Sunset Park High School—Spanish DL
PS 896—Spanish and Chinese DL
PS 5 Dr. Ronald McNair—French DL
PS 7 Abraham Lincoln—Spanish DL
High School for Civil Rights and Law—Spanish TBE
PS 186 Dr. Irving A. Gladstone—Spanish TBE
New Utrecht high School—Arabic and Spanish TBE
Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School—Chinese DL
Abraham Lincoln High School—Urdu TBE
James Madison High School—Spanish and Russian TBE
Bushwick Leaders High School for Academic Excellence—Spanish DL
PS 721 Brooklyn Occupational Training Center—Spanish and Chinese TBE
Queens
PS 7 Louis F. Simeone—Chinese and Bengali DL
PS 13 Clement C. Moore—Chinese DL
PS 71 Forest School—Polish DL
IS 77—Spanish DL
PS 71 Forest Elementary—Polish DL
Learners and Leaders—Spanish DL
PS 330—Spanish DL
PS 22 Thomas Jefferson—Spanish DL
IS 25 Adrien Block—Korean DL
PS/IS 268—Spanish DL
PS 92 The Harry T Stewart Sr School—Spanish DL
PS 148 Queens—Spanish DL
William Cullen Bryant High School—Bengali TBE
PS 384—Spanish DL
LIST OF SCHOOLS IN EXPANSION
Manhattan
The Riverside School for Makers & Artists—Chinese DL
The Young Diplomats Magnet School—Italian DL
High School for Media & Communications—Spanish DL
Bronx
PS 5 Port Morris—Spanish DL
JHS 125 Henry Hudson—Spanish TBE
Thomas C. Giordano Middle School 45—Spanish DL
JHS 80 The Mosholu Parkway—Spanish DL
Fordham Leadership Academy for Business and Technology—Spanish TBE
The Senator Abraham Bernstein School—Albanian DL and Spanish DL
High School of Language and Innovation—Spanish TBE
New World High School—Spanish TBE
PS 214—Spanish TBE
PS 595—Spanish DL
Brooklyn
JHS 50 John D. Wells—Spanish DL
Juan Morel Campos Secondary School—Spanish TBE
Jose Diego School—Spanish DL
Green School: An Academy for Environmental Careers—Spanish DL
Sunset Park High School—Spanish DL
PS 896—Spanish and Chinese DL
PS 5 Dr. Ronald McNair—French DL
PS 7 Abraham Lincoln—Spanish DL
High School for Civil Rights and Law—Spanish TBE
PS 186 Dr. Irving A. Gladstone—Spanish TBE
New Utrecht high School—Arabic and Spanish TBE
Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School—Chinese DL
Abraham Lincoln High School—Urdu TBE
James Madison High School—Spanish and Russian TBE
Bushwick Leaders High School for Academic Excellence—Spanish DL
PS 721 Brooklyn Occupational Training Center—Spanish and Chinese TBE
Queens
PS 7 Louis F. Simeone—Chinese and Bengali DL
PS 13 Clement C. Moore—Chinese DL
PS 71 Forest School—Polish DL
IS 77—Spanish DL
PS 71 Forest Elementary—Polish DL
Learners and Leaders—Spanish DL
PS 330—Spanish DL
PS 22 Thomas Jefferson—Spanish DL
IS 25 Adrien Block—Korean DL
PS/IS 268—Spanish DL
PS 92 The Harry T Stewart Sr School—Spanish DL
PS 148 Queens—Spanish DL
William Cullen Bryant High School—Bengali TBE
PS 384—Spanish DL