URBANA SCHOOL DISTRICT MULTILINGUAL PROGRAMS
Guadalupe Ricconi
Director of
Multilingual Programs
gricconi@usd116.org
Joseph Wiemelt
Executive Director of Secondary Multilingual & Alternative Programs
jwiemelt@usd116.org
QUICK LINKS
Multilingual Programs
The Urbana School District #116 values the diversity of our student population. In USD116 there are approximately 1,200 students who speak a language other than English (or have a language other than English in the home). Of those students, there are around 900 Emergent Bilingual (EBs) students attending USD 116 schools. EBs are students who are still developing their English proficiency and are eligible to participate in our Multilingual Programs. There are almost 50 different languages represented from our student population and our students come from countries around the globe. The world truly comes to Urbana School District #116!
Program Goals
The USD #116 Multilingual Program looks to provide Emerging Bilingual Students, students whose native language is not English, and are developing both the native language and English, the opportunity to receive equal and equitable access to education.
Two-Way Immersion (Dual Language Education)
USD #116 is committed to honoring the Three Pillars of Dual Language Education through our two-way immersion programs:
- Bilingualism and Biliteracy: Learning content via two languages through each of the language domains
- Grade-Level Academic Achievement: Ensuring high academic achievement for every student in both program languages
- Sociocultural Competence: Encompasses identity development, cross cultural competence, and multicultural appreciation
The goals of the dual language program is for students to develop high levels of proficiency in both Spanish (or French) and in English. The benefits of bilingualism allow for creativity and problem solving, greater cross cultural understanding, and marketability for future college and career goals in a bilingual and multilingual society.
The Dual Language program is voluntary, therefore Dual Language will be for those who choose to enroll in the program.
Schools that support the Dual Language program are Leal Elementary School (Spanish/English), Dr. Preston L. Williams Jr Elementary School (Spanish/English), Yankee Ridge Elementary School (French/English), Urbana Middle School (Spanish/English) and Urbana High School (Spanish/English). PLEASE NOTE: Yankee Ridge is the K-5 Dual Language School for both the Spanish and French Dual Language Programs beginning with the 2024-25 school year. All students in K-5 enrolled in the Dual Language Program, will attend Yankee Ridge.
Transitional Program of Instruction/English as a Second Language
The Transitional Program of Instruction (TPI) is for Emergent Bilingual students who have English across the four language domains – listening, reading, speaking & writing. The program provides support to help students succeed in academic subjects while learning English. The classes count toward graduation requirements. Schools that support the TPI program are Urbana Early Childhood School, Dr. King Elementary School, Urbana Middle School, and Urbana High School. In addition we offer small group push-in and pull-out support at all elementary buildings.
Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC)
The Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC) is a requirement for TBE programs. BPAC is a parent organization that supports the educational, extra-curricular, and social needs of the students. It consists of the multilingual director, parents, bilingual teachers, counselors, and a community leader. During BPAC meetings the discussions may include program information, provide an avenue for parents to ask questions and express concerns, and Urbana School District 116 to continuously work to improve the quality of education for all students.
IL Seal of Biliteracy
The Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy is for Illinois high school graduates who demonstrate a high level of proficiency in four domains of English and a language other than English. The seal is designated on the student’s diploma and transcript. The commendation toward Biliteracy is awarded to students who demonstrate progress toward biliteracy, but do not fully meet the requirements of the Seal of Biliteracy. Participating encourages the study of other languages, benefits the student by increasing employment and academic opportunities, benefits the global community by communication with people from other cultures, and allows participants to get college credit at public universities.
Multilingual Assessments
WIDA Screener
The WIDA screener is an abbreviated version of the ACCESS 2.0 test for ELLs. It is given to all new students in the district if a non-English language is indicated on the Home Language Survey. The test is administered by Multicultural Program staff and takes approximately 30-60 minutes or more depending on the English ability of the student.
ACCESS 2.0 for ELLs
ACCESS 2.0 is an annual state English proficiency test given to all English Language Learners (ELLs) in grades K-12. The ACCESS 2.0 test must be given to all ELL students in and out of the ESL/Bilingual programs until they obtain a 4.8 composite proficiency level. Scoring is based on the English proficiency standards as developed by the WIDA Consortium. Students are tested in 5 areas: Social and Instructional Language, Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. All 4 language domains are assessed within these content areas: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Different tests are given by grade cluster: K, 1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8, and 9-12.
In addition there are 2 tiers (A, B/C) that are assigned individually based on the English proficiency level of the student. Testing is administered by the Bilingual & Multicultural Program Department and given by certified teaching staff. To learn more about the ACCESS 2.0 test, visit http://isbe.net/bilingual/htmls/access.htm
