Contact: Phyllis Hardy, MABE Executive Director 

PRESS RELEASE 

MABE Partners With DLNeM on National Professional Development Grant
Project SEMBRAR To Support Multilingual Educators in MA, RI, CT, NM 

Ashland, MA (September 6, 2024) — The Multistate Association for Bilingual Education, Northeast (MABE) has been awarded a highly competitive grant to collaborate with Dual Language Education of New Mexico (DLeNM) and Educators for a Multilingual Multicultural America (EMMA) on Project SEMBRAR (Sustaining Equity through Mentorship for Bilingual Teacher Recruitment and Retention).  This grant is part of the U.S. Department of Education’s National Professional Development (NPD) program, the Biden-Harris Administration’s $11 million initiative to “support the recruitment and retention of bilingual and multilingual educators,” said the U.S. Department of Education’s Press Office. 

Project SEMBRAR is a Grow-Your-Own (GYO) model that aims to increase the number of certified bilingual and Dual Language Bilingual Education (DLBE) teachers, creating new supportive pathways for both pre- and in-service educators in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Mexico. Through Project SEMBRAR, MABE will further its mission of identifying, promoting, and disseminating research-based programs and practices that support multilingualism and multiculturalism for educational success. Anchored in the National Dual Language Education Teacher Preparation “EMMA” Standards (Guerrero & Lachance, 2018), Project SEMBRAR will employ mentorship and Professional Development (PD) as key levers of change to recruit, support, and retain bilingual teachers. 

“MABE is energized and inspired by the opportunity to collaborate with DLeNM to support the multilingual teacher pipeline through Project SEMBRAR,” said MABE’s Executive Director, Phyllis Hardy. “Our innovative mentorship model creates the conditions for bilingual teachers to be better supported and for experienced bilingual teachers to advance their PD by becoming mentors. Importantly, the project not only addresses the bilingual teacher shortage but also launches the EMMA Standards, which propels our field forward by outlining and defining the competencies that make a quality bilingual teacher. We are honored to have been granted this opportunity and are ready to start work with our partners to continue supporting bilingual educators, and therefore, our English learners.”

DLeNM’s Executive Director, Michael Rodríguez, said, “This grant will help us strengthen efforts to effectively recruit and retain bilingual educators, ensuring that all students have access to the high-quality DLBE programs they deserve.” 

MABE’s involvement in this prestigious consortium is a significant milestone in the organization’s ongoing commitment to inclusive educational practices, and addresses a critical need to equitably serve diverse educational landscapes and the growing number of multilingual learners in DLBE programs.  

For more information about MABE, please visit mabene.org.

   

View PDF Press Release here. 

Protect National Language Education Program Funding

The House and Senate Appropriations Committees have now approved separate versions of FY2025 education and defense funding, and they remain very far apart on spending levels. Let's educate Congress on the value and importance of these critical language education programs!

LEARN MORE AND TAKE ACTION

The House bill’s proposed elimination of Title II-A and Title III would remove all specially directed funding for the more than 5 million English Learners in this country and delete the federal government’s largest investment in professional development for K-12 teachers and school leaders. Similarly, the Senate’s proposed $5 million cut to WLARA would significantly pare back federal investments in innovative world language programs at military-connected public schools. But we have time to push back on these devastating budget cuts!

Check out our advocacy pages for each state to stay up-to-date with our Advocacy efforts: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island.

Email us with any advocacy news.

Registration now open for this year's Special Topic Network...

WHAT: The virtual Bilingual Research Network showcases Dual Language Bilingual Education (DLBE) research occurring across our New England region and beyond. The research featured in these webinars is closely connected to and has clear implications for DLBE practice. WHO: Free to MABE members in good standing (with no outstanding balances). Members can register at any time. Commitment to attending all sessions is not required. If you are not a member, join us to register.

REGISTER HERE

ExcEL New Pathway to Bilingual Dual Language Teacher Certification

The ExcEL Leadership Academy is now offering job-embedded, competency-based professional learning that prepares educators to receive professional certification in English as a Second Language (ESOL) and Bilingual Dual Language (BDL). 

The ExcEL Leadership Academy provides programs for PK12 teachers working with English Learners. This program is approved by the RI Department of Education. ExcEL’s ESOL and BDL programs are integrated, and completion of the BDL program qualifies you for both certifications.

For more information on ExcEL’s pathways for ESOL and BDL educators please reach out to Laureen Avery and Jason Cervone. 

Research consistently shows that students benefit academically and socially when taught by teachers who share their cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Diverse teachers bring different perspectives, cultural knowledge, and languages into the classroom, enhancing the learning experience for all students. Preparing newly certified BDL teachers addresses an urgent need for educators to work in Dual Language Bilingual Education classrooms, and as more teachers are available the number of bilingual programs will grow.