R 352
2015 -- S 0404 SUBSTITUTE A
Enacted 06/04/2015

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N
CREATING "THE OCEAN STATE WORLD LANGUAGE LEARNING COMMISSION" TO STUDY THE IMPACT OF THE STATE'S SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA ON LANGUAGE LEARNERS

Introduced By: Senators Pichardo, Jabour, Metts, Nesselbush, and DaPonte
Date Introduced: February 25, 2015

     WHEREAS, The Basic Education Program (BEP) is the overarching set of regulations
for the Rhode Island public education system and it states that "Every public school student will
have equal access to a high quality, rigorous, and equitable array of education opportunities from
PK-12"; and
     WHEREAS, The State of Rhode Island Commerce Corporation has as its mission "to
work with public, private and nonprofit partners to create the conditions for businesses in all
sectors to thrive and to improve the quality of life for our citizens by promoting the state's long-
term economic health and prosperity"; and
     WHEREAS, The State of Rhode Island can expand its competitive edge by positioning
itself as an economic development engine in international settings by supporting, expanding and
growing opportunities for world language learning; and
     WHEREAS, It has been comprehensively documented that only having taken a foreign
language as a high school requirement is no longer acceptable when graduates will need to
compete in a global market. Government leaders and business leaders want individuals who can
speak multiple languages for both national security and global market competition; and
     WHEREAS, Rhode Island can capitalize on a resource that exists in its midst, one that
can be nurtured and grown, to develop a citizenry that is capable of speaking multiple languages.
A multi-lingual citizenry can help position Rhode Island as a national leader in language learning
and position the state as an economic leader and compete in a global society as outlined in the
Rhode Island Roadmap to Language Excellence; and
     WHEREAS, Rhode Island schools have a significant percentage of students who speak a
language other than English in their homes. This capacity can be harnessed and further developed
to ensure that while these students are learning English they are able to maintain and develop and
share their native language; and
     WHEREAS, Research has demonstrated that English Language Learners (ELL) can all
learn the English language and acquire mastery of academic content at a rate that is superior to
their peers in English-only programs when they have access to core subjects like math and
reading in both English and in their native language; and
     WHEREAS, Students from all backgrounds, including monolingual English speaking
students, gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace with the acquisition of a second
language; and
     WHEREAS, Learning multiple languages should be part of a comprehensive viable and
guaranteed curriculum beyond meeting only a minimum requirement as a prerequisite to
graduation. Rhode Island can develop global citizens by supporting dual language programs and
world language learning in its K-12 educational system and in its higher education institutions;
and
     WHEREAS, Rhode Island's funding formula and categorical funding mechanisms can
serve as tools to help further promote these goals of becoming a global leader by investing in
multi-lingual programs and a structure at the state level, to support these investments; and
     WHEREAS, In June 2010, the State of Rhode Island signed into law legislation that
created a school funding formula that according to the law’s author, Brown University Professor
Ken Wong included the following:
     • A core instructional cost for each student;
     • A "student success factor" to support students who come from low-income, high-needs
backgrounds;
     • State and local funding that follows the student;
     • Determinants of state aid to districts based on local fiscal capacity and concentrated
poverty;
     • A gradual phase-in process; and
     • A system that connects resource allocation with educational accountability; and
     WHEREAS, The formula did not assign additional weights for English language learners,
as to avoid what some called "the perverse incentive of over identification" and to ensure that
district's promoted mainstreaming ELL students; and
     WHEREAS, According to the Latino policy Institute at Roger Williams University
"Rhode Island is facing a crisis in English Language Learner education. English Language
Learners (ELLs) in Rhode Island – 75% of which are Latino – are among some of the lowest
performing ELLs in the nation"; and
     WHEREAS, The benefits that can be achieved by Rhode Island's citizenry, most of all its
young populace, when the state makes investments to create dual language, multi-lingual,
culturally responsive programs and opportunities in our K-12 and higher education institutions
should be acknowledged; now, therefore be it
     RESOLVED, That a commission, known as "The Ocean State World Languages
Learning Commission," is hereby created consisting of nineteen (19) members; nineteen (19) of
whom shall include, but not be limited to, representatives from urban, suburb, and rural parts of
the state, early childhood education, elementary, middle, and high school district or public charter
schools, higher education, teachers, students, parents, and professionals with knowledge and
expertise in world language learning, to be appointed by the President of the Senate.
     The purpose of said commission shall include, but not be limited to, studying the impact
of the state school funding formula on English Language Learners, Dual Language Learners and
multi-language learners, and to make recommendations on how to position Rhode Island as a
national leader in language learning as outlined in the Rhode Island Roadmap to Language
Excellence.
     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at
the call of the President of the Senate and organize and shall select a chairperson. A quorum shall
be seven (7) members. No quorum is necessary for the presentation of information to the
commission or other nonvoting matters.
     Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original appointment.
     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.
     All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,
documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed necessary or
desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution; and be it further
     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the
General Assembly no later than January 28, 2016, and said commission shall expire on March 25,
2016.
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LC001389/SUB A
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