LOOK Act Updates from DESE

LOOK Act Implementation Documents
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has posted documents related to LOOK Act implementation in the English Language Learners section of the website:

In Resources: http://www.doe.mass.edu/ell/resources.html

  • ELE Program Proposal Reference Guide & Proposal Forms
  • Parent information in multiple languages:
    • District Response to ELE Program Transfer Request 
    • ELPAC Information for Parents 
    • Parent Notification Regarding English Language Education
    • English Language Education (ELE) Program Placement

In Guidance: http://www.doe.mass.edu/ell/guidance/default.html

  • Guidance for English Learner Parent Advisory Councils

English Learner Education Updates 
Update from the Commissioner to the Board of Education, Oct 30, 2018: http://www.doe.mass.edu/bese/docs/fy2019/2018-10/item5.html (Scroll to the PPT flie at teh bottom of the page.

  • New process for starting ELE programs
  • Training and Technical Assistance
  • State Seal of Biliteracy
  • Bilingual Education Endorsement
  • Seal of Biliteracy

Seal of Biliteracy Criteria
The Commissioner has announced his decision regarding the levels and criteria for the State Seal of Biliteracy, establishing a two tiered award, the Seal of Biliteracy and the Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction, starting at a minimum of Intermediate-High level on the ACTFL proficiency guidelines for world languages. Read the statement form the Language Opportunity Coalition’s statement and plans to support additional “pathway” awards at the local level.

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Seal of Biliteracy Pilot Project: 2019 Data Report
The Language Opportunity Coalition published a report on the third and final year of the Seal of Biliteracy Pilot Project in Massachusetts. View report…

Report on Seal of Biliteracy Pilot Project

sobl-hs-2018The Language Opportunity Coalition published a report on the third and final year of the Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy Pilot Project. The pilot ended in June 2018 with approval of the official State Seal of Biliteracy, with implementation beginning in the 2018-19 school year.*

  • 26 school districts made 1,339 awards in 2018.
  • Languages included Spanish, French, Portuguese, Hebrew, Mandarin, French, Arabic, Marathi, Urdu, Haitian Creole, Polish, Latin, German, Italian, Tagalog, Urdu, Cantonese, Korean, Bengali, Arabic, Hausa, Thai, Russian, ASL, Hungarian, Dutch, and Luganda.

View the report…

* We are awaiting the Commissioner’s decision on key aspects of the state award, as well as release of the guidance document by DESE.