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Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs

FY2020 Found Code: 187A

Bilingual Education programs for ELs -All Levels

Funds Allocated:$122,000 (State)
Funds Requested:$122,000
Purpose: The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has completed its solicitation for the Bilingual Education Programs for ELs- All Levels Grant, a competitive grant program that was open to all districts in the commonwealth. Bilingual education programs are programs that involve teaching academic content in two languages, English and another language. Program types determine the varying amounts of each language used in instruction. Bilingual education programs include dual language education or two-way immersion and transitional bilingual education programs, as defined in M.G.L. c. 71A, § 2, and any other bilingual program types that may be approved by the Department (603 CMR 7.02). The Language Opportunity for Our Kids (LOOK) Act creates a new opportunity for districts to consider the programmatic needs of English Learners (ELs). Under the LOOK Act, districts interested in opening new bilingual education programs may submit proposals to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for review (603 CMR 14.04(4)).

Districts may consider the following bilingual education programs, as described in the LOOK Act:
  • "Dual language education" or "2-way immersion" programs are designed to promote bilingualism and biliteracy, cross-cultural competency and high levels of academic achievement for both native English speakers and English learners from a single language background; provided, however, that students shall develop and maintain their first language while adding a second language and shall receive the same core curriculum as all students in the state; provided further, that the instruction for such students shall be provided in 2 languages throughout the program; and provided further, that "2-way immersion" programs may begin in the early grades, including pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, and may continue through the secondary level.
  • "Transitional bilingual education" programs are designed to allow English learners to achieve long-term academic success through English-medium instruction in general education classrooms; provided, however, that the native language of the English learner is used to support the student's development of English and content learning and is then gradually phased out of instruction as a student's English proficiency increases; and provided further, that "transitional bilingual education" may be initiated at any level, including middle and high school, but shall not be intended as a method of instruction for a student's entire academic career.
  • Other research-based bilingual education programs that include subject matter content and an English language acquisition component.

The Bilingual Education programs for ELs- All Levels is a competitive one-year grant, and it is not re-occurring. DESE received five proposals; two grants for $122,000; one for $38,000 and one for $84,000 are recommended.


Number of Proposals Received:3
Number of Proposals Recommended:3
Number of Proposals Not Recommended:1
Result of Funding: Two recommended recipients of $122,000: one for $38,000 and one for $84,000.

Proposed programs must be based on best practices in the field and the linguistic and educational needs and the demographic characteristics of English learners in the school district. Furthermore, a school district may join with other school districts to provide an English learner program. The intended outcomes of this competitive grant program are as follows:
  1. Develop a proposal for a new alternative program and successfully complete DESE's review process;
  2. Create (and cultivate) a variety of approaches to train, recruit and retain bilingual education program educators; and
  3. Implement culturally responsive teaching practices that promote equity and social justice;


RecipientsAmounts
Amherst (Holyoke partnership with Amherst)$38,000
Fall River84,000
Total State Funds$122,000

Last Updated: July 9, 2019

 
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