SAN JOSE, CA – Throughout April, the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) will honor National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month.
"This month of advocacy celebrates, supports and showcases the language and cultural assets of bilingual/multilingual learners," said Dr. Yee Wan, director of Multilingual Education Services at the SCCOE.
"School districts throughout Santa Clara County will host events, program tours, and open houses during the month, all of which represents the county-wide commitment to student diversity, and global education," said Dr. Wan.
County Superintendent of Schools Jon R. Gundry adds, "we speak over 60 languages in our diverse county. I am proud to partner with districts that celebrate our diversity and make Santa Clara County a leader in English learner success."
The celebration will culminate when State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson joins the SCCOE for the Santa Clara County National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month Showcase on Thursday, April 27. This event will provide a networking opportunity to share promising practices that support bilingual/multilingual learner success, promote high quality bilingual/multilingual programs, and celebrate our commitment to educational equity and successful programs for bilingual and multilingual learners.
This month-long celebration is the result of the efforts of the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) and the SCCOE. In April 2016, Congressman Mike Honda, in partnership with NABE and the SCCOE, introduced House Resolution 690 declaring April as National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month. Local residents and stakeholders are invited to show their support for this initiative by displaying the Multilingual Learner Advocacy logo on their Facebook pages.
To learn more about National/Bilingual Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month, Multilingual Education Services, and the commitment to diversity, educational equity, and successful programs for bilingual and multilingual learners, please visit http://mes.sccoe.org/mla/Pages/default.aspx.
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