Research-to-Practice Bridge Event

Implementing Biliteracy Seals to Strengthen Bilingual Education and Support Cultural Awareness

Public schools in the United States serve students who are increasingly diverse, both linguistically and culturally, and whose rich heritage is an asset in our society’s quest for multilingualism and global competitiveness. To recognize this diversity, many states offer a seal of biliteracy. Currently, districts in 40 states, including New Mexico and the District of Columbia, offer a seal of biliteracy (or seal of bilingualism–biliteracy) to their graduating high school students. The biliteracy seal is one way for schools to recognize a student’s college and career readiness and is an example of how states can publicly acknowledge a student’s specific skill set or knowledge that equips them for the transition out of high school.

In this webinar, Samuel Aguirre of WIDA Español will provide an overview of bilingual education, biliteracy seals, and national trends. Brenda Arellano, PhD, will discuss REL Southwest’s work on biliteracy seals in New Mexico. Kadriye El-Atwani, PhD, of the New Mexico Public Education Department will describe New Mexico’s State Seal of Bilingualism–Biliteracy (SSBB). In addition, a panel of bilingual and tribal education leaders from Albuquerque, Clovis, and Cochiti Pueblo in New Mexico will discuss empowering students to engage with their communities and heritage through the SSBB and its benefits, how local stakeholders became involved, and the benefits for students after graduation.

Speakers and panelists:

• Samuel Aguirre, Director of WIDA Español and Assistant Director of Consortium Relations, WIDA
• Brenda Arellano, PhD, Senior Researcher, REL Southwest
• Kadriye El-Atwani, PhD, Multicultural Education Specialist, New Mexico Public Education Department
• Tracey Cordero, Director, Indigenous Montessori Institute, Keres Children’s Learning Center
• Jessica Villalobos, Senior Director, Department of Language and Cultural Equity, Albuquerque Public Schools
• Santi Gutierrez, Bilingual Multicultural Education Coordinator, Clovis Municipal Schools

Partnership sponsor: Southwest English Learners Research Partnership

Who will benefit: This webinar is designed for a broad national audience of state education agency staff, district administrators, principals, and researchers. District staff, instructional coaches, and teachers also may be interested in this topic.

Contact:
Lacy Wood
lwood@air.org