Our monthly information sessions include professional learning for district leaders of multilingual learner programs as well as timely information with clock hours provided! 

The final session for this year focused on using WIDA Assessment Results to Inform Instruction. Slides are available now, and the video will be posted soon! 

For previous resources please go to the Education Webinars and Newsletters page.

ELL/Bilingual Endorsement & First People’s Grant for 2024-25:

• FP 264 in EGMS due June 17
• No interest form needed
• Awards will be granted according to rank order until all funds have been used
• Application requires certification number or para-educator district ID number
• Bilingual teachers could also add other content endorsements (e.g. Social Studies, World Language, Math)
• Funds can be used through August 31, 2025

Work with local universities to support candidates!

OSPI's Multilingual Education office will be hosting a Multilingual Program Directors' convening in August. Topics will include:

• Multilingual Learner Statewide Strategic Plan
• Civil rights obligations for multilingual learners
• Identification of multilingual learners & AI/AN students 
• Program models and the Title III and TBIP grants
• Effective services for multilingual learners
• Use of WIDA Standards to integrate content, language, and literacy
• Strengthening and improving programs for multilingual learners
• Language-focused family engagement 

Multilingual and Federal Program Directors and Superintendents are strongly encouraged to attend.  Please reach out to your Multilingual Education Program Supervisor if you have any questions.

Dates and Locations – click on the link to register

Westside: August 12, 2024, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm.  Location: Puget Sound Area

Eastside: August 14, 2024, 9:00 am- 4:00 pm.  Location: Yakima Area

2024-2025 Refugee School Impact Funding Opportunity for WA State School Districts:  The central goals of the Refugee School Impact (RSI) program are to strengthen academic performance and facilitate social adjustment of school-age refugees. Funds can be used for activities that: (1) Ensure refugee students’ high academic performance and successful school integration; and (2) Strengthen the skills, knowledge, and competence of refugee parents, schools, and community-based organizations to support refugee students. For student services, grantees must provide individualized student demographic data, and English Language Proficiency Assessment data. For student or parent activities, grantees must collect and submit copies of immigration documentation verifying that participants are eligible for refugee services. We anticipate the availability of approximately $3 million for 13-20 sub-grants.  More information can be found here.  Applications are due June 14, 2024. Click here to register. For questions, please contact Mandy Pierce at mpierce@schoolsoutwashington.org.

The dashboard is now live in the Secure Data Portal! The dashboard includes the data needed for TBIP grant applications. Please note that only administrators with access to the Secure Data Portal will be able to view the dashboard. Please refer to the CEDARS District Administrators list in EDS to request access.

The dashboard can be accessed here, or by following this pathway: Explore/SecureDataPortal/Student/Data Visualizations by Topic/TBIP_Dashboard_Multilingual_Program.

You can also still access the “Rainbow Spreadsheet”, which includes WIDA and SBA data. If your district data is suppressed due to low numbers in any area, please contact our team and we can provide you with your complete district data directly.

Teacher Leaders: Planning with the WIDA ELD Standards Framework

Audience: School/district teacher teams (multilingual and content) as well as district professional learning staff.

Description: Participants will learn the components of the WIDA ELD Standards Framework with the intent of preparing to support other educators in using the standards framework in their local context.

Dates: Tuesday, August 13, 2024 (Puget Sound Skills Center)  

            Thursday, August 15, 2024 (Yakima School District)

Registration: Please complete the interest form. 

Please reach out to Virginia Morales or Katie Sperling for more information.

2024 WIDA Annual Conference Registration Opened May 6!

The 2024 WIDA Annual Conference will take place October 15-18, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania under the theme Bridging Cultures, Empowering Multilingual Voices. New need to know information is now available on the 2024 WIDA Annual Conference website including a program at a glance, registration rates and more. This year’s event also includes a virtual track which is designed for attendees to experience a sampling of the WIDA Annual Conference. Enter to win! WIDA is giving away registrations to attend #WIDA2024 in Pittsburgh. Head over to our Facebook, Instagram and X accounts to learn how you can win!

2023-2024 Dual and Heritage Language End-of-Grant Reminders and Deadlines

As the 2023-2024 grant cycle comes to a close, deadlines are fast approaching. FP 978 and FP 979 have the following deadlines which must be met to be considered for future funding opportunities:

• June 6, 2024, at 4:00 PM Tribal, Heritage, and Dual language courses reported through CEDARS: Instructions on reporting program model and language of instruction.
• June 14, 2024, at 4:00 PM Advisory boards have met at least once and end of grant reporting: 2023-2024 DL/HL End of Grant Survey
• June 24, 2024, at 4:00 PM Final budget revisions are due. After this time, no changes to the work funded under your grant can be made, but financial officers will be able to submit a final claims budget to account for actual spending.
• June 30, 2024, is the end of the project period. All services rendered and goods received must be completed by this date.

Upcoming Professional Learning

HL & Less-Commonly Taught Languages (LCTL) Educator PLC: Planning with Purpose: Now Asynchronous In this monthly PLC, heritage language educators and educators teaching LCTLs in all contexts will collaborate across the state to plan and reflect on units of study. 

          Thursday, June 13 |Office Hours 12:00-1:00 PM | Zoom

Dual Language “Lunch with Leaders” PLC: Join your colleagues for this PLC to discuss problems of practice in developing and leading strong dual language programs.

          Tuesday, June 18 | 12:00-1:00 PM | Zoom

Dual Language Webinar Series: Developing Strong DL Programs: This webinar series explored how to develop strong, sustainable dual language programs. Each session explored one of the steps in planning a new dual language program or strengthening an existing one. Sessions were recorded and focused on establishing a plan for assessment and program evaluation. 

Marco DALE Workshop

Description: This one-day Spanish and English bilingual workshop is an introduction to el Marco de los estandares del desarrollo autentico del lenguaje espanol de WIDA (Marco DALE). The workshop will be delivered primarily in Spanish.

When: Friday August 16, 2024

Location: Yakima Area

Audience: Dual Language Spanish/English bilingual K-12 educators, administrators, coaches, and support staff. 

Registration: Complete the interest form. 

Contact Teresa Mendoza-Casby or Katie Sperling for more information. 

Seattle University is offering a new Bilingual Endorsement or Certificate of Completion in Spanish Bilingual Education, along with the ELL Endorsement Academy. Three courses are taught in English or Spanish, depending on whether teachers are in the ELL or Bilingual track. Earn your endorsement online from anywhere in the state!

An Information Sessions will be held on July 15 at 5:00 p.m. See the Seattle U ELL Endorsement Academy website or download this flyer for more information.

Are you and your staff looking for guidance or new ideas on how to increase the academic progress and English proficiency of Multilingual Learners?

The focus of the ESD 105 Multilingual Symposium is on identifying instruction practices, routines and strategies that meet the social, emotional and cognitive needs of our Multilingual Learners, especially adolescent learners. Dr. John Medina will present the first day of the symposium on his book, Attack of the Teenage Brain.

In addition, teachers, administrators and national representatives from Dual Language Education New Mexico and the Project GLAD® National Training Center will provide clarity and connections on brain-based instructional practices that fuel language and literacy growth.

June 25-26 | Zillah High School

Registration is $475 and includes lunch on both days and a copy of Dr. Medina's book. More information can be found here. 

The 32nd Annual Two-Way Bilingual Immersion Conference will be held from June 24 to June 26 at the Riverside Convention Center. This conference will offer powerful keynote speakers and innovative breakout sessions led by leaders in the Two-Way & Dual Language Education. Educators from throughout the U.S. will gather to share practices, study, review current research, and network in an effort to build programs of excellence. Professional Development and support to teachers, administrators, and school districts engaged in the development of their Two-Way Bilingual Immersion or Dual Language program. Dozens of exhibitors and vendors throughout the conference space will showcase the latest instructional materials and programs for you to review. Click here for more information. 

PSESD Presents: Joy, Agency and Identity: Building Secondary Math Classrooms for All Students 

How do I support multilingual learners who are newcomers in learning higher level math? As a leader, how can I design math course pathways that support multilingual learners and students with disabilities in graduating on time? How can we remove barriers, reimagine and support shifts in practice through an inclusive and collaborative design process?

This interactive conference focuses on supporting teachers and leaders in creating math classrooms that support the deep learning and belonging of all students. Our focus is on secondary math classrooms and students at the margins who have traditionally been underserved in math. There are tracks for teachers, leaders, and education technology. Presenters are a collective of educators and specialists in the fields of Special Education, Multilingual Learning, Ed Tech, Mathematics, Inclusion, Multi-tiered Systems of Support, and Equity. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from a panel of students who will share their lived experiences as math learners within our current education system. 

June 26th | Renton High School | Register

Heritage and Dual Language PD Opportunity!

Looking for heritage and dual language arts professional development this summer? The National LCTL Resource Center  is offering a new, FREE asynchronous professional development course!

Community-Oriented Teaching: Connecting (to) Real Language Learning Communities (July 8 – 26): The class focuses on engagement within our classroom communities and beyond with the target language-speaking community locally and globally. We explore what makes our language learning class communities special, review various community building efforts (e.g. extracurricular experiences), and imagine what realistic expectations for community engagement in various modalities may be.

Deadline to apply: June 24

For more information about each course, application requirements, and a link to the application form, please visit nlrc.msu.edu/olt/. Do not hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Secondary Dual Language and Immersion:
Achieving the Promise of Continuation Programs

As dual language and immersion (DLI) programs transition into secondary schools, teachers and administrators are often faced with unique challenges that are less frequently addressed in general DLI literature, research, and professional development programs. During this five-day institute specifically designed for the secondary (middle and high school) dual language and immersion context, participants will explore the what, how, and why of secondary continuation programs. In particular, the group will consider program structure, curriculum and assessment perspectives, and instructional practices that are necessary to ensure that DLI students continue toward high levels of bilingualism and biliteracy. Throughout this institute, participants will engage in constructive conversation, connect research to personal experiences, and apply new ideas directly to their teaching context.

July 29 - August 2, 2024 Register Here

Supercharge: A Game-Changing Workshop for Dual Language Educators

Join us for Supercharge, a 3-day (August 12th-14th) immersive & hands on workshop designed specifically for dual language educators and their leaders in Washington State and beyond. This event is more than just a workshop; it's a collaborative space where our Bilingual educators and their school leaders can network, share resources, and plan for the upcoming school year. During these intensive three days, you'll have the opportunity to work closely with teammates, creating your first months of school lesson plans. We encourage you to bring any resources your district has adopted to incorporate in your planning. This hands-on approach ensures that you leave the workshop with tangible, ready-to-implement plans. Supercharge is not just about lesson planning and team collaboration. It's about confidence, empowerment, and ownership. Our goal is for you to leave not just with a set of lesson plans, but with a renewed sense of purpose and the confidence to own your school year.