NEW YORK – Prompted by the new Common Core standards and an increase in English Language Learners in public schools, New York State education officials are moving aggressively to provide better support for bilingual teachers and improve student achievement.
Currently, there are more than 216,000 English Language Learners enrolled in New York State public schools, speaking over 160 languages.
Though the majority of ELLs are concentrated in the state’s largest districts including New York City, Buffalo and Rochester, several rural districts are seeing increases in immigrant families. In addition, Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland and Westchester Counties are experiencing a large influx of unaccompanied minors from Central and South America.