We are writing with an update on the LOOK bill and Seal of Biliteracy bill. The formal session of the Massachusetts state legislature ended at midnight on July 31st, and we are happy to report that both the Senate and House took action on the LOOK Bill!

The Massachusetts state Senate passed the LOOK Bill on July 7th unanimously with bipartisan support.  This bill gives school districts the flexibility to offer bilingual programming without the need for waivers, and establishes a state Seal of Biliteracy. During the debate, both Senate Ways and Means Chair Karen Spilka and Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr voiced their support of the bill – it is quite notable to have two people in leadership on both the Democratic and Republican side speak in favor of a bill on the floor. Just a few weeks later, on July 31, in the flurry of last minute activity, the House passed their version of the LOOK bill.

However, the House version of the LOOK bill is quite different from the Senate bill, and does not include the Seal of Biliteracy.  You can read the Senate bill here: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/Senate/S2395 and the House bill here: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/House/H4566.

Nevertheless, this is the first time in fifteen years that legislators have taken action to address the one-size-fits-all English learner education mandate and recognize the value of bilingualism.  We thank Senator Sal DiDomenico, Senator Karen Spilka, Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz, Representative Jeffrey Sanchez, Representative Kay Khan and Representative Alice Peisch for their leadership and support of language learning in Massachusetts.

Senators Sal DiDomenico and Sonia Chang-Diaz published a great article about the need for flexibility in educating English language learners.  You can find it here: http://commonwealthmagazine.org/education/flexibility-needed-in-educating-english-language-learners/.

Although we are disappointed that the two versions of the bill are different, we are hopeful that the Senate and the House will continue to work together to reconcile the bill and include the Seal of Biliteracy, so it can be sent to the Governor for his signature before the legislative session ends in December. (Read an explanation of the legislative process here: http://www.massbar.org/legislative-activities/the-legislative-process.)

The Language Opportunity Coalition will continue to advocate for passage of the LOOK Bill and Seal of Biliteracy.  Through this work, MATSOL, MaFLA and MABE have had the opportunity to come together in an historic and productive alliance that has built connections between language educators and that benefits all our student populations. We will continue to update you with news as we have it.

Thank you for your support!  Please contact your organizational representative with any questions.

• Nicole Sherf, Massachusetts Foreign Language Association (MaFLA), www.mafla.org
• Phyllis Hardy, Massachusetts Association for Bilingual Education (MABE), www.massmabe.org
• Helen Solorzano, MATSOL – Massachusetts Educators of English Language Learners, www.matsol.org

The new research brief The Growing Need for Bilingual Workers in the Massachusetts Economy has been released by the bipartisan Partnership for a New American Economy.

As employers strive to increase their competitiveness in the global economy, they are increasingly seeking candidates who have the language skills necessary to communicate with a diverse customer base, and with operations and competitors overseas. This research brief explores the growing demand for bilingual talent in Massachusetts from some of the state’s biggest industries and employers, and highlights the need to attract and promote language diversity in Massachusetts’ workforce among both foreign-born and U.S.-born workers. Read more….

An in-depth article on the benefits and challenges of dual language programs in California, another state poised to replace the SEI mandate with a vision for multilingualism.

On the SEI mandate:

“It’s just a terrible waste. There are all kinds of social, cognitive and tangible benefits that accrue to those with more than one language. It’s a terrible loss.” Patricia Gandara, professor at University of California, Los Angeles

PBS Newshour: Battle of bilingual education once again brewing in California

In his talk A Guide to Pseudo-Science in English Language Teaching at the 2014 IATEFL conference, Russell Mayne debunks the “scientific” claims that support using practices based on learning styles, multiple intelligences, and Neuro-Linguisic Programming in language teaching. [Video]

Also see Russell Mayne’s blog Evidence Based ELT.

Support the LOOK Bill and the Seal of Biliteracy Bill

Hearing of the Joint Committee on Education
Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 10 a.m.
Massachusetts State House, Room 2A

• See our Legislation page for information about the bills.
• Let us know via the Contact Us page if you plan to testify.
• Instructions on how to take action – testify and contact your legislators: English / Spanish