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Reports
Seal of Biliteracy Resouces for Implementation
The resources listed below are available for anyone working on establishing a Seal of Biliteracy recognition program for their school district or school. Feel free to use any of the samples as a resource for your work. In addition, please submit any materials that are developed in your district to Shelly@californianstogether.org
Seal of Biliteracy Brochures
Below are samples of brochures that districts and schools have developed to publicize their Seal of Biliteracy Program.
In the News
The attachments below are some of the local press that districts have received for the adoption and awarding of their Seal of Biliteracy
NEW RESEARCH AND POLICY REPORT - LONG TERM ENGLISH LEARNERS
Systemic issues in California’s public education have created a majority of high school English Learners who despite many years in our schools are still not English proficient and have developed major academic deficits, according to a recent study authored by Californians Together and funded by the California Community Foundation.
The report, Reparable Harm: Fulfilling the Unkept Promise of Educational Opportunity for California’s Long Term English Learners, calls upon state policymakers and leaders to provide solutions and outlines basic principles and promising approaches for school districts to meet the needs of English Learners more effectively.
ESEA Reauthorization Recommendations
Californians Together submitted the attached recommendations for the reauthorization of Elementary and Secondary Education Act to both the House Education and Labor Committee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. These recommendations focus on what the reauthorization should address for improving schools for English learners.
ESEA Reauthorization Recommendations
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Californians Together Announces the Seal of Bilitereacy
 The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by a school, school district or county office of education in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation. Appearing on the transcript of the graduating senior, the Seal of Biliteracy is a statement of accomplishment for future employers and for college admissions.
We are looking for school districts and schools that want to implement the Seal of Biliteracy Program. The attached brochure gives direction and support for establishing this program. Contact our office for more information 562-983-1333.
2008 Reading/Language Arts Adoption Recommendations
During the spring and summer of 2008 representatives of the
Californians Together attended two California Department of Education
trainings for the Instructional Materials Advisory Panel members and
had over seventeen experts observe the textbook deliberations. Each of
the observers learned much about the process and the materials and was
impressed with the commitment of the panel members, the commissioners
and staff. More importantly, the observers walked away with a better
understanding of the adoption process, and the challenge of selecting
instructional materials that best serve the instructional needs of all
students, including English learners.
Based upon our
observations of the work of the advisory panels, Californians Together
offers the attached findings on the process, criteria and content of
the materials with recommendations.
Supplanting versus Supplementing - Categorical Program Integrity
Twelve organizations are urging the State Superintendent of Instruction and the President of the State Board of Education to clarify the intent of categorical funds. State law and court cases lay the legal foundation for guaranteeing that categorical funds are to supplement the base program and not supplant the services guaranteed to English learners. The following letter should be shared with all stakeholders.
California English Learners State and Federal Accountability Systems Survey
We are interested in knowing how the implementation of No Child Left Behind and state
accountability measures for schools that are identified as
low-achieving, are placed in Program Improvement Status, or in a High
Priority Schools Grant Program may be impacting English Learners and
English Learner programs. Please take a moment to complete one of our
on-line surveys listed below. Please share this with colleagues who
could help provide us with this information. Thank you for your
valuable input.
DISTRICT LEVEL SURVEY
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=763132959205
SCHOOL LEVEL SURVEY
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=466072959293
SPANISH SURVEY
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=18913078180
New Report: Successful Bilingual Schools: Six Effective Programs in California
Norm Gold Associates and the San Diego County Office of Education
This report profiles successful bilingual education programs at six schools in San Diego, Los Angeles, and Ventura, California. It was designed to show that bilingual schools are capable of providing opportunities for students to achieve and sustain high levels of academic excellence even when faced with challenges such as poverty and a lack of students' English proficiency upon entering school.
Policy Statement for Reclassification of English Language Learners
This document provides rationale, a position and criteria for guidelines for state reclassification criteria.
Californians Together Reclassification Policy Paper
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Reclassification of English Learners, Dr. Jim Grissom, College of Education, Arizona State University, Education Policy Analysis Archives
A report published by the Education Policy Analysis Archives and authored by James Grissom of the California Department of Education challenges the assumption that improvements in the reclassfication rate and academic achievement of English learners has taken place since the passage of Prop. 227. The report is based on statewide data from three different cohorts tracked across four years. Based on the data, Grissom concludes that Prop. 227 has had no effect on reclassfication rates or test scores. To read the full report, visit
Premature Identification of IFEPs
Not until significant numbers of CELDT tests were administered to new students for initial assessment did the problem of prematurely identifying IFEPs materialize. This document makes recommendations for modifying aspects of the CELDT to produce accurate language proficiency designation.
Policy Paper to Improve CELDT Language Proficiency Designation
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English Learners in California Schools: Unequal Resources, Unequal Outcomes
This article reviews the conditions of schools for California’s English learners and argues that there are seven aspects of schooling of ELs where students receive an education that is demonstrably inferior to that of English speakers.
Inferior Resources for Educating English Learners
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National and State Issues Effecting the Education of English Learners. Over 151,000 English Learners Foreclosed From State and Federal Programs and Resources
These two reports document policies promulgated by the California State Board of Education and legislature that were hostile to the continuation and support of bilingual programs and appropriate resources for all services to English learners.
EL National and State Issues
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ELs Foreclosed from State and Federal Services
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Equity, Achievement and Diversity - Powerpoint Presentation for Latino Legislative Caucus Retreat
Dr. Maria Quezada, CABE
This presentation calls for bold new leadership in leadership and resources for programs for English learners.
Presentation to Latino Legislative Caucus
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Position Paper on California English Language Development Test (CELDT) – The Need for and Value of CELDT
This document underscores the need for a statewide English Language Proficiency test and makes recommendation to improve content and administration of the CELDT.
Californians Together CELDT position paper
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Three Years of Policy Erosion for English Learners 1998-2001
Since the passage of Proposition 227 new education policy has affected every aspect of schooling for English learners. This is a brief chronology, by category, of the challenges and barriers to implementing an equitable and accessible education for English learners.
Chronology of Challenges and Barriers to Education for ELs
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The Redesignation Dilemma: Challenges and Choices in Fostering Meaningful Accountability for English Learners
Dr. Robert Linquanti, Policy Report, UC Linguistic Minority Research Institute, Volume 10, Number 4, Summer 2001.
This report documents the important role of the reclassification criteria as a monitoring tool for services to English learners.
Reclassification and Monitoring EL Programs
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Bilingual Schools Make Exceptional Gains on the State's Academic Performance Index (API)
Dr. Norm Gold, Californians Together
This document reports that 63 schools with bilingual education programs did better on tests of academic achievement in English than over 1,000 similar schools that provided instruction to most of their students only in English.
Schools with Large Enrollments of English Learners and Substantial Bilingual Instruction are Effective in Teaching English
Dr. Norm Gold, Californians Together
A review of Spring 2000 Math and Reading SA -9 data from ten elementary schools with large enrollments of English learners (ELs)
Bilingual Instruction Effective in Teaching English
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