More bilingual-certified teachers are needed, advocates say, as number of English-learning students rises

For some elementary students at Jackson Avenue School in Mineola, math lessons are taught early in the day, in English. Later that same day, a switch occurs: Those students learn about Machu Picchu and the country of Peru through literature, taught in Spanish by fourth-grade teacher Daniela Rodriguez.

Bilingual-education programs such as this one have become more prevalent in Long Island schools over the past decade as the number of English-language learners continues to grow. Newsday reported in July that the number of those students in Long Island schools rose about 60% the past decade — to a total of 43,675. 

But as those numbers increase, teachers like Rodriguez, who are certified to teach bilingual-education classes, are becoming harder to find, according to experts, agencies and advocates. And some districts on Long Island and statewide where bilingual-education classes are required are forced to rely on teachers who are not qualified to teach them. 

The lack of proper bilingual education could hurt the academic performance of English-language learners, experts say. 

Earlier this month, the state Comptroller's Office released the findings of a statewide audit that concluded the "lack of certified language teachers limits services to students." 

The same audit cited state Education Department data showing that, as of August 2022, the four-year dropout rate for English-language learners was 16%, higher than the average overall dropout rate of 5%. 

Priscilla Zarate, a bilingual-education advocate who works with schools across the state, said when schools don't have bilingual educators, "it has a negative impact because you’re putting teachers that may be less qualified in front of students." 

William Anderson, director of world language education at Hofstra University, noted that Long Island districts saw a sharp increase of English-language learners during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"This rapid growth … I think has outpaced the availability of qualified bilingual teachers," said Anderson, who is also the world languages and English as a New Language curriculum associate for the Massapequa school district.

He noted that state law requires that schools provide English as a New Language (ENL) services to all entitled students. He added that schools must establish bilingual-education programs if there are at least 20 English-language learners in the same grade who have the same native language — a point also made in the state audit. 

Audit: Improved oversight needed

The audit, which covered the period from July 2019 through November 2023, found that in a survey of 76 responding districts with English-language learners: 

• 43% used BOCES or other districts for certified instructors to teach English to non-native speakers.
• 28% relied on teachers that were not bilingual-certified. 

The auditors also visited nine school districts required to have bilingual-education programs unless they had an exemption. Seven of the nine did not have a program or the proper exemption for all required languages and grade levels. 

Those nine districts visited included three on Long Island — Mineola, Lindenhurst and Sachem — and there, the findings were mixed. 

The report found that Mineola offered bilingual education to all students entitled to it.

Lindenhurst had bilingual-education programs, but not for all entitled students, according to the findings, while Sachem did not offer these programs. 

One of the key findings in the report was that many school districts surveyed had difficulty obtaining qualified bilingual-education instructors. 

In Sachem, the number of English-language learners tripled in a decade: from 177 in the 2012-13 school year to 531 in 2022-23, according to state Department of Education statistics.

Sachem Superintendent Patti Trombetta, in a statement to Newsday, said the district is implementing a bilingual program to further support students. She noted that the district has reached out to the comptroller’s office "seeking support and guidance, which was not initially clearly communicated." 

"Over the last five years, we have sought out and hired bilingual, TESOL-certified teaching candidates through a variety of avenues despite budget shortfalls," Trombetta wrote, using the acronym for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. "Yet still, we acknowledge the need within our schools for additional ENL instructors as our ENL population continues to grow districtwide."

Lindenhurst saw English-language learners more than double in a decade, from 248 in the 2012-13 school year to 523 in 2022-23, according to state statistics. That district currently has seven certified bilingual instructors, officials there said.

“It has been difficult for us to find bilingual-certified instructors,” Lindenhurst Superintendent Vincent Caravana said. “There is a very small pool of applicants, and even fewer who meet all of our strict qualifications.”

Caravana, in a separate statement to Newsday, said the "comptroller's audit is based on information that is now three years old," and that the district has taken great strides to expand its bilingual-education offerings.

"We have expanded our bilingual education in Spanish — including our dual language program — into the current fifth grade, with plans to expand into secondary," his statement added. 

The auditors concluded that the state Department of Education needed to "improve its oversight and work to remove barriers to ensure school districts are providing the services to which ELLs [English-language learners] are entitled."

That department, in an emailed response, said it has implemented changes as a result of the audit’s findings, "however, the audit is not fully reflective of current policies and initiatives, nor does it fully encompass the services provided statewide by the [department's] Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages."

"NYSED continually seeks to implement policies and programs that will increase the number of teachers qualified to teach English-language learners," the statement said. 

An emphasis on biliteracy

At Jackson Avenue School in Mineola, students like Tiffany Vargas, 9, spend half their day learning units of math in English, and the other half learning humanities from literature, such as the book series "Catalina y Sofia," in Spanish. After the units are completed, the students will then switch and learn the material in the other language. 

"We try to build curriculum that is tied to their culture, so then it’s more approachable and meaningful in their learning," said Rodriguez, who is Tiffany’s teacher. 

Tiffany came to the United States from the Dominican Republic when she was 4. Though she may have previously fallen under the state Education Department’s English-language learner classification — students who, because of their foreign birth or ancestry, speak a language other than English and understand little or no English — she is now fluent in both languages. 

"I was the only kid in my class that only spoke Spanish," Tiffany said of her first days in school. "What made it easier was that I had a teacher who spoke Spanish, too, so she helped me learn words in English. Now I speak a lot of English and a lot of Spanish." 

The Mineola school district saw a rise in English-language learners from 230 in the 2012-13 school year to 335 in 2022-23. This year, the district has 342, said officials, who noted that Spanish is the dominant language of many.

While school officials acknowledged that bilingual-certified instructors are hard to recruit, they said persistence helps.

Sara Ortiz, director of curriculum, instruction and learning at Mineola, said the district offers mentoring, coaching and even helps those interested in obtaining their bilingual-extension certification. 

"We have been persistent, and we have made it a priority," Ortiz said. "If we don’t find them in the first round, we’ll do another round."

Samantha Sanchez, an instructional leader for Mineola’s bilingual program, added that proper certification allows teachers to leverage what the students already know. 

"It’s being able to make those connections, versus saying, ‘This is a blank slate and you’re going to learn this way.’ It’s ‘What do you already know and how can I help you make connections between these languages?’ ” Sanchez said. 

Solutions seen in higher education

Christa Stevenson, director of the Long Island Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network, said a bilingual-education certification, also known as an extension, is often looked at as "an afterthought" by college students seeking to become teachers. 

"If we had [institutions of higher education] taking bilingual education more seriously, we could address all those issues in our teacher prep programs before we get to the point where we’re at a shortage," she said.

Her organization provides technical assistance, professional development and program consultation services to all Long Island school districts regarding the education of English-language learners. The agency is funded through the state Education Department’s Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages and administered by Eastern Suffolk BOCES. 

Stevenson noted that having an established bilingual-education program at a school with mentors who help guide younger educators could be part of a solution. A strong support system for bilingual educators is key, she said.

Anderson, the world language education director at Hofstra, said there aren’t enough incentives for teachers to pursue bilingual-education certifications, as obtaining the extension is often time-consuming and expensive. He noted that on top of classwork to get the certification, students are often required to do hours of field work.

“[Schools] need to provide teacher training and incentives," he said.