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EL and Dual Language Programming

District 401 is committed to supporting the English language development of all English-learning students so they can achieve English language proficiency, grow linguistically and socially, and meet the rigorous academic demands expected of all D401 students.

District Bilingual/EL Director and Language Coach

Natalia Gomez is our Bilingual/EL Director, in addition to her role as Assistant Principal of John Mills School. Exciting updates in the English Learner department include an increased amount of self-contained groups for newcomer and full-time English Learners at the K-8 levels, as well as continued use of the WIDA MODEL as a progress monitoring tool for students. We are proud to have language representation among our faculty in Polish, Spanish and Ukrainian to support students.

Our commitment to English Learners is strengthened by a position dedicated to supporting EL instruction: District Language Coach, Dominique Byrnes. As District language coach, Ms. Byrnes provides the leadership, professional development and data-driven support needed to increase achievement for EL students districtwide.

Contact Information

Feel free to contact Ms. Natalia Gomez, District 401's Bilingual/EL Director, at 708-583-6284.

District 401’s Policy on English Learners

EL instruction in District 401 is governed by the Board of Education's policy on English Learners, which can be found in Section 6:160 of the District Policy Manual.

If you are the parent or legal guardian of an English Learner, you are invited to participate in the District 401 Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC).

All other members of the District's EL community, including anyone involved in Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) programming or Transitional Program of Instruction (TPI) services, are invited to participate as well.

2023-24 Meeting Schedule

The BPAC meeting schedule for 2023-24 is located below. Specific times will be determined at a later date.

  • Sep. 21, 9:00 AM — John Mills Elementary School
  • Nov. 21, 5:00 PM — Elm Middle School
  • Feb. 29, 9:00 AM — Elmwood Elementary School
  • April 11, 5:00 PM — Elmwood Park High School

What Is BPAC?

BPAC is a committee required for public school districts that have bilingual programs.

The committee consists of bilingual program parents, legal guardians of ELs, TBE/TPI teachers, counselors or other school personnel and EL community leaders. 

The majority of members are parents/guardians of children in the program. Membership is representative of the languages served by the District.

Our activities include the following: 

  • We review the District's bilingual service plan.

  • We receive training from the District to make informed decisions.

  • We provide information regarding the English learner program for the D401 community.

  • We participate in the planning, operation and evaluation of bilingual and EL programs.

  • We meet to plan parent evenings.

After forming, the committee operates autonomously, including the election of officers and the establishment of internal rules and procedures.

Our Goals

BPAC's goals are to:

  • Advocate for students in the bilingual and EL programs in District 401.

  • Help make decisions regarding the bilingual and EL programs in District 401.

  • Connect with other parents in District 401.

  • Support the academic achievement of EL student(s) by attending workshops, conferences and other events for bilingual parents.

Contact Information

The contact person for additional information about BPAC is Ms. Natalia Gomez, the District’s Bilingual/EL Director. You can reach her at 708-583-6284.

Continuum of EL Services

Nearly 60 teachers across District 401's four schools have English learner (EL) certification, an indication of the District's commitment to serving our diverse student population.

As part of its wide range of EL programs, District 401 offers the following continuum of services to English learners.

Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE)

Illinois public schools are required to offer Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) programs when there are 20 or more English learners from the same language background in a school.

District 401's TBE programs in Spanish are available to students in pre-K through 12th grade. They provide bilingual instruction moving toward a gradual increase in English language instruction to support the academic achievement of our Spanish language students.

Some buildings also offer Ukrainian and Polish native language instruction to students who may need it in a resource model. 

District 401 provides two types of TBE programs:

Transitional Program of Instruction (TPI)

Illinois public schools have the option to offer TPI services instead of TBE programs when there are 19 or fewer students from the same language background in a school.

For District 401, this means we offer TPI services to students in pre-K through 12th grade who speak languages other than Spanish, Ukrainian or Polish. We support these students within the general education setting by using the collaboration approach.

English learners are placed in classes with non-ELs. Core academic subjects are taught in English. Co-teaching instruction in core academic subjects using specific strategies for English learners is provided, or the ESL-endorsed mainstream classroom teacher differentiates language instruction and uses specific strategies for English learners. ESL instruction is provided.

Newcomers Program

Students who are new to learning English may also qualify for our newcomers program.

Newcomers benefit from a short-term program that teaches English and acculturation to the United States. Students attend special classes for short periods of time separate from their native English-speaking peers. 

In 2019, the program expanded to include a "Newcomers Camp" as part of District 401's Summer Academy. This is a multi-week class for incoming students who are English language newcomers (recent immigrants). Eligibility is based on English Learners' criteria. Tuition is covered by the District's Title III funding.

Student Identification

Illinois requires that any child registering in a public school district have a completed Home Language Survey (HLS) on file.

District 401 uses the HLS to identify and screen any student who speaks a language other than English or lives in a home where a language other than English is spoken.

In addition to an abundance of EL-certified faculty, District 401 offers a rich curriculum in Spanish that covers core subjects.

Curricular Resources

These curricular resources include the Ready GEN Biliteracy Pathway (English language arts), BRIDGES (mathematics), STEMscopes (science) and My World Interactive (social studies).

Faculty that support Language Learners also utilize resources, such as iLit and Reading A-Z, to target language objectives and differentiate the general education curriculum for students. 

Annual Multicultural Night

Besides receiving rigorous standards-based instruction, EL students also have the opportunity each spring to participate in the District's annual Multicultural Night.

The event features cultural performances by EL students in their home languages, as well as displays, learning activities, teacher read-alouds and a festive community dinner.

All EL families are encouraged to be involved in the planning and invited to join the fun!