SBCEO
$10 million state grant to bolster teacher professional development and language acquisition programs statewide
English Learners and Multilingual students across California’s TK-12 public schools will soon benefit from a two-year, $10 million state grant from the California Department of Education aimed at supporting their academic growth and achievement.
The $10 million Educator Workforce Investment Grant: Effective Language Acquisition Programs (EWIG: ELAP) will be distributed in $2.5 million sums to four zones across the state, including Zone C comprised of the Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara County Offices of Education. These regions include large percentages of students who are designated as English learners – 43% in Los Angeles County; 41% in Ventura County, and 51% in Santa Barbara County (DataQuest).
Across California, planning is underway for grant use to train educators in building effective language acquisition programs, including:
- Integrated language development within and across content areas
- Development of bilingual and bi-literate proficiency
- Language development in languages other than English
- Building capacity to implement the California English Learner Roadmap
More about the EWIG: ELAP Grant
The EWIG: ELAP grant is aimed at creating consistency in English Language Development (ELD) instruction across the state by funding professional development and coaching for educators to best serve English Learners and Multilingual students and improve student outcomes.
Additional information about the EWIG: ELAP grant is available here.
“We are proud to be stewards and leaders of this important work,” said Santa Barbara County Superintendent of School Susan Salcido. “Grant funding and programs such as these aid us in our mission to ensure that all students, including multilingual and multicultural learners, have the tools and opportunities needed to access language and instruction for school and beyond.”
California’s History with Multilingual Education
Over the past two decades, California has carved a pathway for multilingual and multicultural educational experiences for students in all grade levels. In 2016, California re-established its commitment to multilingualism with Proposition 58 and the State Board of Education adopted the English Learner Roadmap policy in 2017. Since that time, the number of dual language programs in Santa Barbara County has grown from two to fourteen, with the number of students earning the Seal of Biliteracy steadily increasing, as well.
County Offices of Education, local school districts, and advocacy coalitions are partnering to align policy, research-based practices, and funding across the state, including in Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties.
