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The State Education Department does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, religion, creed, disability, martial status, veteran status, national origin, race, gender, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or sexual orientation in its educational programs, services and activities. Portion of any publication designed for distribution can be made available in a variety of formats, including Braille, large print or audiotape, upon request. Inquiries regarding this policy of nondiscrimination should be directed to the Department’s Office for Diversity, Ethics, and Access, Room 530, Education Building, Albany, NY 12234.

Application Guidance and Instructions

Purpose of Two-Way Bilingual Education Programs

In a Two-Way Bilingual Education Program limited English proficient (LEP) students are integrated with English proficient (EP) students in an instructional program which uses two languages for instruction, one of which is English, with the goal of academic excellence and bilingual proficiency for both groups of students. The program’s curriculum and instruction must be aligned with New York State’s Learning Standards. The core areas must be implemented for both the limited English proficient (LEP) and English proficient (EP) students in a bilingual modality consistent with the Seven Essential Elements for Effective Programs for LEP students. The programs must be in compliance with CR Part 154 and Title III Part A of No Child Left Behind.

The ultimate goals of the Two-Way Bilingual Education Program are to ensure that participants:

• Develop high levels of proficiency in their first language and in their second language.

• Meet New York State learning standards and perform at or above grade level in academic areas.

• Pass the State assessments in the core subjects and English, and pass the Regents tests required for graduation.

• Strengthen communication and relationships among communities of varied social, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds.

Two-Way Bilingual Education Programs have three components:

1. Instructional Program Component

LEP Student’s Instructional Activities

• Native language arts instruction

• English Language Arts/English as a second language instruction

• Content area instruction through the native language and English

EP Student’s Instructional Activities

• English language arts instruction

• Second language instruction

• Content area instruction through English and the second language

2. Parent Involvement Component

• Integrated activities for parents of LEP and EP students to become active partners in their children’s education in the language the parents understand.

• Clear communication with parents about school policies, the higher learning standards, and their children’s educational progress.

• Activities to increase communication, interaction and understanding among the diverse language and cultures of the participating parents.

3. Staff Development Component

• On-going high-quality professional development for participating teachers, principals, and the school/district administrators to:

• understand and implement New York State's learning standards and assessment measures.

• use effective instructional strategies in two languages that help LEP/EP students meet the higher standards and succeed on the state assessments and Regents tests.

Grant Type:  Implementation Grant (Only)

A public school district with an approved Comprehensive Plan under CR Part 154 may apply for a grant to implement a two-way bilingual education program. Applications will be completed by each school for their individual program implementation. Districts will submit one comprehensive package that includes all school applicants within that district. Schools that do not submit their application as part of a district package will be rejected. Planning grants are not available. Both districts that have already operated successful two-way bilingual education programs and new districts are strongly encouraged to apply. Local funds may be used for planning purposes, if needed. Implementation activities may include instruction, staff development, parent involvement activities, purchasing materials and developing curriculum. Applications for programs in all language groups and grade levels are encouraged.

Other Requirements

Districts/schools must invite students to participate in the Two-Way Bilingual Education Program on a voluntary basis.

English proficient (EP) students may not exceed 50% of the participating students. EP students must be English proficient upon enrollment in the program. It is expected that each year the students will receive increased and more advanced instruction through the second language in both second language and content area classes.

Participating LEP students must be provided the amount of English language instruction that is specified in CR Part 154, Section 154.2(f) and (g). The New York State Learning Standards for English as a Second Language must be followed for the first and second language development. The program, curriculum, instruction and the assessments must be aligned with the New York State performance standards in the core subjects.

Required Forms

One (1) original and three (3) copies of the complete application must be submitted to SED postmarked by November 20, 2006. A complete application consists of the following forms in the following order. Only complete applications submitted by the due date will be reviewed.

• Cover Page with Original Signature of Chief School Officer

• Application Checklist

• 2006-07 Student/School Data Report

• 2006-07 List of Teachers

• Program Narrative

• Budget Category and Narrative Forms for the first year only, 7/1/06 to 6/30/07

• Assurances—Appendix A-1G

• Budget Summary Form (FS-20) for the first year only, 7/1/06 to 6/30/07. Please keep the 2-page FS-20 form stapled and separate from the rest of the application pages.

Review and Rating of Applications

Each complete application that was postmarked by November 20, 2006 will be reviewed and rated by at least two reviewers according to the point criteria indicated in the Program Narrative section and the Evaluation Rubric. The scores of the two reviewers will be computed to obtain a final average score for the application. If the two scores are more than 20 points apart, a third reviewer will review and rate the application. The two scores closest in numeric value will be averaged to obtain the final average score.

Budgets will be reviewed and adjusted to eliminate unallowable or inappropriate expenditures. Grant awards in the amount of the adjusted budget will be made to the highest-scoring applications in descending order until funds are insufficient to fund the next ranking application in full. The next ranking applicant will be given the option of partial funding for a reduced program. In the event of tie scores, applications will be ranked according to the score received for Sustainability.

Entities’ Responsibility

Projects must operate under the jurisdiction of the local board of education, or other appropriate governing body, and are subject to at least the same degree of accountability as all other expenditures of the local agency. The local board of education, or other appropriate governing body, is responsible for the proper disbursement of, and accounting for, project funds. Written agency policy concerning wages, mileage and travel allowances, overtime compensation, or fringe benefits, as well as State rules pertaining to competitive bidding, safety regulations and inventory control must be followed. Supporting or source documents are required for all grant related transactions entered into the local agency’s recordkeeping systems. Source documents that authorize the disbursement of grant funds consist of purchase orders, contracts, time and effort records, delivery receipts, vendor invoices, travel documentation and payment documents, including check stubs.

Supporting documentation for grants and grant contracts must be kept for at least six years after the last payment was made unless otherwise specified by program requirements. Additionally, audit or litigation will “freeze the clock” for records retention purposes until the issue is resolved. All records and documentation must be available for inspection by State Education Department officials or its representatives.

For additional information about grants, please refer to the Fiscal Guidelines for Federal and State Aided Grants at http://www.oms.nysed.gov/cafe/guidelines.html.

Required Reports

All grant recipients must submit an annual report no later than August 15 of each project year. The report may not exceed five pages in length and shall demonstrate progress made towards achieving project goals and objectives, the project’s impact on the use of technology in the classroom, and any specific concerns or issues encountered in program implementation. Receipt of this report will be necessary to receive continued project funding. Reports are to be mailed to:

Mary Enright
New York State Education Department
Office of Bilingual Education and Foreign Language Studies
Room 367 EBA
Albany, NY 12234

Project Monitoring

The State Education Department is responsible for monitoring the activities of the award recipients to ensure that the funds are used for authorized purposes in compliance with the appropriate program laws, regulations and grant agreements and that performance goals are achieved. Monitoring can include document reviews, telephone calls and /or meetings. Award recipients are required to provide State Education Department staff and State auditors with access to records and financial statements as necessary to perform their monitoring responsibilities.

Application Forms (Separate Word Document)

Rubric (Separate Word Document)

11/02/2006