Honoring Biliteracy and Our Students

1. Honoring Biliteracy and Our Students The Seal of Biliteracy California Department of Education EL Accountability Institute December 2009 Shelly Spiegel-Coleman

2. “You can tell the values of a society by what it counts. We count what matters to us.” Albert Schweitzer Are our schools measuring the outcomes that are important to us?

3. Every era has to ask…… Are our schools preparing our students for the world they are entering? Are we teaching and valuing the skills and type of knowledge students will need in order to function, thrive and lead in this era?

4. Mastery of two or more languages…. • Cognitive benefits (brain research) • Economic benefits (skills needed in corporate and service sectors and international trade) • Societal need (people who can bridge communities, defense and international understanding) • Family strengthening and cohesion • Educational benefits

5. Strong research evidence • National Literacy Panel for Language Minority Children and Youth (mandated by Congress, released in 2008) • CDE Professional Papers “Improving Education for English Learners: Research-Based Approaches” - forthcoming Fall ‘09 • Collier and Thomas study of 360,000 English Learners across five well-implemented models • Proposition 227 evaluation

6. And yet….. • Fastest ever rates of language loss • Less instruction for biliteracy than a decade ago - fewer students taking World Language courses • Persistent achievement gap between English Learners and others • A schooling system that produces monolingualism

7. There are efforts to reach for a vision of biliteracy • Dual language immersion schools (aka Two Way Immersion) • Heritage language programs and FLES • Districts establishing multilingualism as a goal for all students • and…… a move to recognize and celebrate attainment of biliteracy

8. California School Boards Association Sample board policy Sample administrative regulations

9. School Districts with Seals • Albuquerque Public School District • Eastside Union High School District • Glendale Unified School District • Rowland Unified School District • Sweetwater Union High School District • Ventura Unified School District

11. Step One • Decide the levels at which the awards will be given • Preschool • Elementary • Middle School • High school • Creation of Pathway Awards and Seals

12. Step 2 • Purpose of Awards • To encourage students to pursue bilingualism • To certify attainment of biliteracy • To recognize and value the biliteracy skills in all students • To provide universities with a method to recognize and give credit to applicants with biliteracy skills • To prepare students for the 21st Century

13. Step 2 (con’t) • Rationale and Frame for the Award • Strengthening intergroup relations • Affirming the value of diversity • Strengthening skills of literacy and problem solving

14. Step ThreeDetermine the Criteria • Preschoolers • Age appropriate oral language skills and vocabulary in their home language • Demonstrate active engagement in books/text • Age appropriate comprehension in home language • Measure of exposure to second language

15. Elementary School Elementary School Service/Participation Award and Biliteracy Award Both based upon a portfolio system plus language proficiency and academic indicators

16. Portfolio • Completing hours of community service using primary language skills • Ability to translate for specific purposes • Written essays on the value of bilingualism • Reading logs of books read in English and another language

17. Service Award focuses on language proficiency and attitude toward bilingualism Biliteracy Award focuses on academic achievement in English and another language

18. Middle School • Pathway Award – “Pursuit of Bilingualism Award” • Participation in at least two years of Foreign Language class or Native Speakers class with passing grades • Standards test in English at proficient or better level • Oral presentation about 5 careers where bilingualism is important • Personal response essay to having attended two cultural events from second language/culture being studied

19. Biliteracy Attainment Award • Proficient or above in Standards Test in Spanish or district assessment in languages other then English • Oral proficiency in a language other than English • English Standards Test at proficient or above • Average grade of B or above in English classes and World languages/Native language classes • Written and oral presentations about bilingualism or cultural experiences • For English learners – redesignation to RFEP

20. High School-Seal of Biliteracy • Successful completion of required language courses • Bilingual Seal application process • Written and Oral Assessment in both languages with rubric • Reading Assessment with rubric in both languages • Passage of language proficiency test • District developed performance criteria • Proficient or above on standards test in both languages

21. Design the Award

24. The world is richer than it is possible to express in any one language. Ilya Prigogine Nobel Prize winning scientist

25. Be Part of the Statewide Movement • Notify Californians Together to include your district in any media or outreach to others • Use media in your local area • Attend a regional orientation on the Seal of Biliteracy next year and bring a district team • Share the CSBA policy and regulations with your board members and administrators • Get sponsors and community partners to support your Seal Program • Complete Seal of Biliteracy Interest Survey • Complete the Rapid Response Network form

27. Californians Together • 23 Statewide parent, professional and civil rights organizations • Focus on improving policy and practice for the education of English learners • Bilingual Reading First Funds • Reauthorization of BCLAD • Legislation vetoed to include Spanish Standards Test in API and AYP etc. • Monitoring State and Federal Funds Lawsuit