For Immediate Release
July 7, 2006
Grants will help small, rural school districts foster
English Language Learning programs
$115,000 in grants will further aid
bilingual programs
SPRINGFIELD, IL. – The Illinois State Board of
Education has announced awards to Regional Offices of
Education through the Division of English Language Learning
for Fiscal Year 2007. A total of $115,000 has been made
available for funding among 23 Regional Offices of Education.
The $5,000 individual grants to 23 ROES are designed
to provide professional development to their rural or
other small local districts that are experiencing the
enrollment of limited English proficient students (LEP)
either for the first time or are now experiencing a major
influx of LEP students.
In 2005, Illinois served 156,350 limited English proficient
students in bilingual education programs compared to 25,911
students in 1998.
The purpose of the ROE ELL Professional Development Grant
Initiative is to enable ROEs to provide their rural and
small districts knowledge of state and federal laws requiring
the provision of English as a Second Language instruction;
provide instruction in best practices of bilingual education
to general education teachers, ESL teachers, bilingual
teachers and teacher aides; and provide information and
training on bilingual program models, curriculum and methods
of instruction for English Language Learners.
“We have seen growing need for English Language
Learning programs and we know many small districts have
struggled to meet the needs of some immigrant students.
These grants will help put the districts on the path toward
achieving that goal,” said State Superintendent
of Education Randy Dunn.
Adams/Pike ROE 1 is serving as an administrative agent
for 11 R0Es throughout central and southern Illinois,
each of which has been awarded a $5,000 grant. These 11
ROEs will work together to train certified teachers to
administer ACCESS for ELLs™ (Assessing Comprehension
and Communications in English State-to-State) English
Language Proficiency assessment, as well as offer workshops
and train administrators and teachers about state and
federal regulations regarding ELL students.
Individual ROEs and ROEs working together in cooperatives
that received grants are:
Alexander/Johnson/Massac/Pulaski/Union ROE 2
Clark/Coles/Cumberland/Douglas/Edgar/Moultrie/Shelby ROE
11
Clinton/Marion/Washington ROE 13
Hamilton/Jefferson ROE 25
Lee/Ogle ROE 47
Whiteside ROE 55
LaSalle/Marshall/Putnam/Woodford Cooperative
LaSalle ROE 35
Marshall/Putnam/Woodford ROE 43
Professional Development Alliance
Will ROE 56
Grundy/Kendall ROE 24
School Works Program
Vermilion ROE 54
Champaign/Ford ROE 9
Cooperative Regional Initiative for English Language Learners
Adams/Pike ROE 1 , Administrative Agent
Fulton/Schuyler ROE 22
Hancock/McDonough ROE 26
Henderson/Mercer/Warren ROE 27
Knox ROE 33
Logan/Mason/Menard ROE 38
Brown/Cass/Morgan/Scott ROE 46
Peoria ROE 48
St. Clair ROE 50
Sangamon ROE 51
Tazewell ROE 53
The deadline for the application was June 6, 2006. The
FY 2007 grants began July 1, 2006 and will end June 30,
2007. The federal dollars are from the No Child Left Behind
Title III State Educational Activities funds. The grants
are administered by the Division of English Language Learning.
For information, contact Robin M. Lisboa, Division Administrator,
or Sherry Johnson, Principal Consultant, at 312-814-3850.
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