march 23, 2019 bilingual education department role in
TRANSCRIPT
Framingham Public Schools: The District’s Role in Creating and Expanding Dual Language Programming
Genoveffa Grieci, DirectorJennifer LaBollita, Assistant Director
Bilingual Education DepartmentMarch 23, 2019
Objectives and Agenda
Objectives:
● Presenters will share their role and experiences with implementing dual language programs district-wide
● Participants will gain insight that can support/inform their own district’s context
Agenda
● FPS Background and programs● Why dual language?● Advocacy and process● Language Assessment Office and Lottery Process● Long-range vision and planning
Framingham Public Schools- BackgroundSchools:1 Pre-K, 9 elementary, 3 middle, 1 HS, 1 alternative HS campusTotal Students: 8964
ALL students in a dual language program (K-12):
1,111 (12.4% of district)
2077 ELs/8964 (23.1%) 667 FELs (years 1-4)ELs in DL programs: 382 (18% of all ELs)TBE programs (Spanish and Portuguese K-12): 423SEI program: 1,239Opt-out: 31
(as of 3-19-19) (includes preK-12, not therapy/outplaced/AAH)
Framingham Background cont.
Programming:
● All schools have SEI programs ● SEI beginners (low-incidence) K only: McCarthy and Hemenway Elem.● Dual language Spanish: Barbieri (K-5, whole school), Brophy (K, strand),
Walsh Middle (6-8, strand), FHS (9-12, program)● Dual language Portuguese: Potter Rd (K-1, strand) , Wilson (K-1, strand-
coming SY 2020)● TBE Spanish (1-12)-Brophy, Fuller MS, FHS (Elem. TBE flipping to DL)● TBE Portuguese (K-12)-Wilson, Fuller, FHS (Elem. TBE flipping to DL)
Advocacy-Why?
● History-Barbieri Elementary dual language program has been in existence for over 27 years, Walsh Middle School for the past 20 years
● Bilingual Program Evaluation, Conversations, Reflection etc.● Increasing enrollment-lack of programs to meet the specific needs of our
rising demographics● Implementation-District and School level oversight
and ongoing planning
Our Models-Rationale
● Barbieri-whole school, 80-20 model, decreases to 50-50 by grade 3; initial literacy in Spanish
● Brophy-strand, 80-20 model, will decrease to 50-50 by grade 3; includes daily ELD/ESL block for students; initial literacy in Spanish
● Potter Rd-strand, 80-20 model, will decrease to 50-50 by grade 3; includes daily ELD/ESL block for students; initial literacy in Portuguese
● Woodrow Wilson- 50-50 model, literacy in both languages, ESL included in the 50% English side; student profiles and staffing needs led to model (can always be revisited in future)
● District: FPS Strategic Plan 2017-2020● New leadership in 2017● HR and Union/Association meetings
● School: Monthly school and district leadership/planning team meetings with a shared vision
● Before and after school meetings with school staff to include their voice/direct concerns
● Families: Outreach, commitment letters, info sessions, enrollment process
PROCESS: HOW? Two-Way Commitment District, School and Families
District Collaboration and Family Engagement
● Partnerships-district offices and schools○ Special Education ○ CRD-Community Resource Development ○ Parent Information Center ○ Human Resources ○ Office of Teaching and Learning (Curriculum)
● Community and Family Outreach○ Bilingual Family Engagement Coordinator○ Translations Office
Budget and Staffing
● Advocacy on all matters pertaining to the budget process: Funding-staff, materials
○ Operational funds and Title I funds; cannot use Title III as large % are not ELs
● Collaboration with Spanish Ministry of Education and UMASS Boston on Cultural Teacher Exchange Programs, Spanish Conversation Assistants
● Advocacy at the state level, higher institutions and state organizations● District HR and school principals need to work together with Bilingual Dept
to establish processes to either hire new positions, convert current staff, or shift staff based on your contracts (This may shape your program design)
Curriculum and Assessment
● District needed to standardize and fill in gaps in assessment to provide equity for both languages at all schools
Currently being developed:
● Standards-based interdisciplinary units● Standards Mastery Reading Assessments ● Phonics curriculum in Portuguese● Scope and Sequence ● Spanish and Portuguese Language Development Targets have been identified
and action steps will be developed during the summer of 2019.● Oral Language Assessment piloted in March 2019
Professional Development
● Each elementary school has at least a .5 ELD coach. All four dual language elementary schools have a 1.0 coach position to support implementation, coaching, curriculum/instruction, all matters relating to ELs and DL
● District-wide Bilingual Curriculum Coordinator position as a bridge between the Bilingual Office and the Office of Teaching and Learning
● All three new programs/conversions-participated in the two-day MABE DL planning retreat: La Siembra
● Additional opportunities: MABE conference attendance, Summer Conferences, paid PD opportunities to write curriculum and assessment etc.
Language Assessment Office and Lottery
● All incoming K students are eligible to enroll in a dual language program● All students who list any language other than English on the HLS are
screened in English (Pre-las 4 year olds, K W-APT 5 year olds) and Spanish/Portuguese (if applicable) (Las Links-Span/locally developed-Port)
● Lottery process has been updated to balance the numbers across both schools with the same language program and within the school (see next slides)
● Waiting list process has been updated-waiting lists remain until end of grade 1
Assessing students for program placement
Discussions with each bilingualfamily:
Combination of assessment data (English and Partner lang.)and anecdotal family experience
Bilingual Continuum
Getting an ideal program balance
From previous TW DESE guidance:No less than 50% and no more than 70% of the population served in a TWI program should consist of EL/LEP students.
No less than 30% and no more than 50% of the student population served in a TWI program should consist of native English speakers, or bilingual students who are fully English proficient. In order to determine whether a school has the student body composition for a TWI program, the language (oral and written) competencies of students must be properly assessed upon enrollment.
Lottery process (in brief)
● This year families can choose either Spanish OR Portuguese programs● Next year due to transition to online lottery system can choose both● Families rank both schools 1 and 2: cannot opt out of any given school● After all families register, the bilingual office sorts each student into one of
three buckets combining the testing info, bilingual continuum, and family interview
● Lotteries and waitlists developed depending on the numbers-waitlists run until the end of grade 1 and then are dissolved
● Traditionally, all families have either gotten in or declined the seat. May not happen moving forward given the high # of families interested despite new seats
Questions?
Ticket to Leave
On the index card, please write one takeaway for your context from this presentation.
On the reverse side-any other thoughts, comments, and questions are welcome! If you would like a response, please add your name & email address.
Gen: [email protected]
Jennifer: [email protected]
FPS Bilingual Education Department website