School Committee launches task force on English Language Learners

BOSTON – The Boston School Committee has launched a Task Force on English Language Learners to help improve the academic achievement of students whose first language is not English. Mayor Thomas M. Menino, School Committee Chair Rev. Gregory G. Groover, Sr., and Superintendent Carol R. Johnson attended the first meeting of the task force today to welcome the members and outline their charge.

“The population of Boston is changing every day, thanks in part to people coming to our city with different languages and different cultural backgrounds,” said Mayor Menino. “One of our most important responsibilities is to offer these families a first-rate public education, particularly by helping children learn English.”

“This is not a typical task force whose work is only to produce a report and recommendations,” said Rev. Groover. “Given the urgency of this important issue, we expect this to be an action-oriented group that works very closely with district staff to bring about short-term and long-term improvements in the services we deliver to English Language Learners and their families.”

At its meeting last night, the School Committee unanimously approved the formation of the task force and its purpose. The 16-member task force is co-chaired by Claudio Martinez, a School Committee member and Executive Director of the Hyde Square Task Force, and Klare Shaw, senior advisor at the Barr Foundation. The panel will work closely with Assistant Superintendent Dr. Eileen de los Reyes and other staff from the BPS Office of English Language Learners.

Mr. Martinez said, “We are proud to have such a distinguished and diverse group of professionals ready to work closely with the Boston Public Schools to address these critical issues. We have a unique opportunity to bring together a wide range of experience and expertise to ensure that all children reach their full potential.”

The members of the task force are:

· Co-Chair, Claudio Martinez, Boston School Committee Member; Executive Director, Hyde Square Task Force;
· Co-Chair, Klare Shaw, Senior Advisor for Education, Arts, Culture, Barr Foundation;
· Janet Anderson, Associate Director, EdVestors;
· John Barros, Executive Director, Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative;
· Maria Brisk, Professor, Chair of Teacher Education, Special Education, and Curriculum and Instruction, Lynch School of Education, Boston College;
· Yoel Camayd-Freixas, Professor, School of Community Economic Development, Southern New Hampshire University;
· James Caradonio, former Superintendent, Worcester Public Schools;
· Melissa Colón, Assistant Director, Mauricio Gaston Institute, University of Massachusetts Boston;
· Olu Crayton, Assistant Director, Boston Parent Organizing Network;
· Samuel Hurtado, Coordinator, Latino Education Action Network, Massachusetts Advocates for Children;
· Abdulkadir Hussein, CEO, African Community Education Development of New England (ACEDONE);
· Diana Lam, Head of School, Conservatory Lab Charter School;
· Mandy Lam, student, Quincy Upper School;
· Suzanne Lee, former principal, Josiah Quincy Elementary School;
· Theresa Perry, Professor, Departments of Africana Studies and Education, Simmons College; and
· Sir Joel Theodat, Haitian Education Coalition; former program director, Boston Public Schools.

Superintendent Johnson cited a new report from the Council of the Great City Schools, a national coalition of the 66 largest urban school districts, about progress and challenges in educating English Language Learners.

“We must think and work differently in order to eliminate achievement gaps between native English speakers and English Language Learners,” said Dr. Johnson. “Every child – whether Boston-born or new to this country – must have full access to opportunity, including a rigorous education that leads to college and career success.”

The task force will examine disparities in academic performance among ELL students – such as MCAS, dropout and graduation rates, and other measures – and develop recommendations to ensure that all students are placed in appropriate programs and provided the necessary resources and support to achieve at high levels. The group will also explore, among other issues, strategies for greater family and community engagement, funding, and accountability. The task force will report its progress on a quarterly basis to the School Committee and Superintendent.

Dr. Johnson noted recent efforts to improve services to ELL families in the Boston Public Schools, including:

· Hiring of the first Assistant Superintendent for English Language Learners, Dr. Eileen de los Reyes, who reports directly to the Superintendent.

· Investment of $8.4 million in stimulus dollars (American Reinvestment and Recovery Act) over the next two years to expand ELL services;

· Redesign of the Newcomers Counseling & Assessment Center, to assess all new ELL students, pre-kindergarten through high school, in reading, writing, listening and speaking, and to provide counseling about appropriate placement options;

· Opening of Newcomers Academy, a transition program for high school students who arrive in Boston during the school year with limited English proficiency, to prepare them for successful entry to high school;

· New summer programs for ELL students in middle school in need of additional academic support;

· Additional program options for English Language Learners, such as a new dual language Spanish/English immersion program at the Dever Elementary School in Dorchester;

· Hiring of 24 additional English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers, particularly to serve more ELL students who are in general education classrooms;

· Reorganizing of every school this summer and fall to increase students’ learning time with teachers trained and certified in ELL instruction; and

· Training of hundreds of teachers in ELL/ESL instruction, including Saturday sessions.