RI Foundation gives $90K to multilingual education efforts. How will it be spent?

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the size of the grant. It is $90,000.

A group helping multilingual Rhode Island students embrace both their native language and English received a $90,000 grant from the Rhode Island Foundation.

On Monday, the foundation announced the new funding for the Coalition for a Multilingual RI, which works to make sure multilingual students aren't pushed to speak only English, but also stay connected to the language of their families.

With the funding, the coalition plans to expand workshops that educate parents and students on the programs that exist to help them, and their right to not have their learning adversely affected by their language abilities.

Coalition wants students to embrace many languages – not just English

A key distinction in programming is between ESL, or English as a Second Language, programs and dual-language programs, which, in the United States, are mostly for Spanish speakers. The former focuses on making students fluent in English, while the latter supports both the student's native language and their study of English. That's what the coalition wants to promote.

"We still hear most often that students in [English as a Second Language] programs … their teachers are trained to work with students from all linguistic backgrounds … but we don’t hear enough … about dual-language programs or different kinds of dual-language programs," said Erin Papa, the coalition's founder.

How RI students stack up: RICAS scores are out. Here are the takeaways.

Yet there are demonstrable benefits to pushing kids to be multilingual.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, that includes higher graduation rates, better job prospects, delays in cognitive declines associated with aging, and greater cultural awareness.

But ensuring that enough teachers are available is tough, particularly amid a national shortage that has not spared Rhode Island.

"I think we’re seeing a growing interest in dual-language programs, and I think one of the biggest challenges to growing those programs is we don’t have enough teachers being trained," Papa said.

In Providence, bilingual teaching spots are hard to fill

As of this summer, the Providence Public School District said dual-language teaching positions were among the toughest to fill, along with other educator roles, such as special education, math and science.

Last year, the district said it had started looking in Puerto Rico for bilingual teachers, who could receive a $5,000 bonus for joining the Providence school system, along with $6,000 for relocating.

Report: Poor English skills a hallmark of RI school districts. Who scored highest, lowest?

The number of students in need of those educators is high. According to a RI Kids Count report, the number of multilingual students in the state "nearly doubled from the 2009-2010 to 2020-2021 school year," to more than 15,000.

For Papa, ensuring they receive a fair education that supports their culture is crucial.

"Students who are in a dual-language program, especially that are using their home language, they come to school and don’t have to leave home," she said.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Multilanguage students in RI will get a boost from Rhode Island Foundation