English Learner Education

Seeking New Members for the English Learners/Bilingual Education Advisory Council

Under Massachusetts General Laws (c. 15, §1G), the Department is required to establish and maintain a bilingual education Advisory Council. The English Language Learners/Bilingual Education Advisory Council's role is to advise the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Commissioner on matters pertaining to the education of English Language Learners (ELLs) in Massachusetts' public schools. Specifically, the Council will:

• assess statewide trends and needs
• seek public and professional input
• analyze information regarding education of ELs
• advise and make recommendations regarding legislation, regulations, and program guidelines
• provide other programmatic recommendations as it deems necessary to fulfill the goals established by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Reports from prior years are embedded in the Annual Reports located on the BESE Advisory Council webpage.

For the 2024-2025 council, there are several at-large vacancies. The council recommends filling these vacancies with individuals with the following areas of expertise:

• Bilingual program educators/teachers
• Teachers/educators of multilingual learners with disabilities
• Multilingual parents and caregivers
• Multilingual students
• Teachers/educators of multilingual learners

The Department is in the process of recruiting new members, including agency designees, and reviewing applications. If you are interested in being considered for council membership, please submit a letter of interest and resume to David Valade, DESE liaison to the EL/Bilingual Education Advisory Council, at David.Valade@mass.gov by Friday, July 26, 2024.