Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein today announced that 110 schools will each receive up to $100,000 in grants to improve instructional services for English Language Learners. The schools were selected through a competitive application process that required them to submit a detailed plan describing how they would create new programs for English Language Learners (ELLs) or enhance existing ones. The English Language Learners Success Incentive Grants are a $7 million initiative funded by the Department of Education and developed in partnership with the New York City Council, the United Federation of Teachers, and the New York Immigration Coalition Education Task Force. The Task Force includes the Coalition for Education Excellence of English Language Learners, Make the Road New York, and the Coalition for Asian-American Children and Families, among other groups.
“The English Language Learner Success Incentive Grants give schools the opportunity to implement new strategies to address the needs of our English Language Learners and improve their academic performance,” Chancellor Klein said. “We are looking forward to seeing the results of the innovative ideas of our schools.”
“I am thrilled that we are announcing today that 110 schools will receive grants that will provide up to $100,000 each to help English language learners,” City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn said. “English language learners have some of the lowest graduation rates of any group of students in school, and this initiative is a great step forward in ensuring that schools have needed resources to create new and improved English language learner programs. I want to thank Chancellor Klein and the Department of Education for their partnership in supporting these grants and helping schools develop important programs and services for English language learners.”
“Our educators work very hard to help English language learners, and these grants will go a long way toward providing the curriculum support and professional development necessary to structure programs to address the particular needs of this student population,” said United Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten.
“The English Language Learner Success Incentive Grants represent one of the benefits of our ongoing collaboration with education advocates to review methods that support our English language learners,” said Deputy Chancellor for Teaching and Learning Dr. Marcia Lyles. “The plans submitted show that schools are motivated and working to develop innovative solutions to meet the needs of their students.”
“With nearly 150,000 English language learners, making up 14 percent of the student population, this $7 million in grants for 110 schools will go a long way in helping English language learners grow and thrive in our public schools,” City Council Education Committee Chair Robert Jackson said. “Enhanced English language learner programs are critical in ensuring that students are provided with the best opportunities to succeed and graduate. I would like to thank Chancellor Klein, the Department of Education and English language learner and education advocates for working so hard with the City Council to develop these important grants, and issuing them to schools in need.”
“These grants are a great example of how the Department of Education, the City Council, and immigrant communities can work together to address the dropout crisis facing English language learners and immigrant students,” said Chung-Wha Hong, Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition. “Congratulations to the 110 schools that will have the opportunity to use this funding to make a real difference in the lives of some of our most vulnerable students. We're confident that these grants will get us off to a strong start in improving educational opportunities for the 148,000 English language learners in our school system.”
“It is encouraging that in the midst of difficult budgetary realities the New York City Department of Education has kept the promise it made to the City Council to fund incentive grants to schools seeking to expand or improve educational services to English language learners,” said Luis Reyes, Coordinator of the Coalition for Educational Excellence for English Language Learners. “We need to deliver on this promise now more than ever.”
“Recent immigrant students need special services to thrive in school,” said Ana Maria Archila, Co-Executive Director of Make the Road New York. “This initiative is an important investment that will help all New York City schoolchildren have a shot at realizing their dreams.”
“The English Language Learner Success Incentive Grants will help strengthen existing language learning programs for students,” said Choua Vue, Policy Coordinator for Education and Child Welfare for the Coalition for Asian-American Children and Families. “We hope the awards will help identify promising practices that can further enhance and expand English language learner programs. Since 20 percent of English language learners are Asian Pacific-Americans, these awards will have an impact on our communities.”
The grant application process was open to all New York City public schools that could demonstrate a need to improve programs and services to English language learning students. Of the 249 schools that submitted applications, 110 schools were selected to receive grants. The amount of funding given to each school was determined by the scope of each plan. Each school will receive a grant of at least $30,000. The Department of Education’s Office of English Language Learners oversaw the application process and designed grants for plans that will supplement existing programs and services. Schools can use funding in three areas proven to increase the academic performance of English language learners: expanding support for struggling English language learners, including recent immigrants and students with disabilities; creating or enhancing bilingual programs; and improving teacher quality.