State awards first Certificates of Multiliteracy

Secretary of Education Susan Bunting awards Certificates of Multiliteracy to 11 students from Colonial School District.

Secretary of Education Susan Bunting today honored the first students in the state to earn Delaware’s new Certificate of Multiliteracy, which recognizes and honors students for attaining high levels of proficiency in languages in addition to English.

“Proficiency in multiple languages is a critical career skill in today’s workplace,” Bunting said. “This certificate provides the students with a credential that will help differentiate them on job, college, and scholarship applications as well as military admissions documents.”

The Certificate of Multiliteracy is Delaware’s version of the Seal of Biliteracy, which is a national response to recognize the importance of language learning both socially and economically. The certificate is a tangible reminder to students of the benefits of bilingualism and multilingualism.

Representative Joe Miro was the primary sponsor of Delaware’s Certificate of Multiliteracy bill, which was established by House Joint Resolution (HJR) 4 and signed by Governor John Carney on July 21.

“I am excited that Delaware now has the opportunity to recognize students for learning new languages and that we will encourage them to pursue such studies,” Carney said. “These are critical skills that our students will need to succeed in life and our employers will need of their workers to succeed in the marketplace.”

Beginning this school year (2017-18), the Department of Education will review applications for the Certificate of Multiliteracy four times a year: in November, February, May and July.

Rep. Miro, a Cuban native, said, “Earlier this year, on March 30th, I recognized the 55th Anniversary of my coming to the United States from Cuba. At 13 years old, I was among 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban children who immigrated to the U.S. between 1960 and 1962. So, it’s safe to say that I understand the value of maintaining proficiency in a child’s native language in order for the student to achieve academic success in Delaware. I am proud to see our first set of students being recognized for this accomplishment.”

Colonial School District was the first to help students apply for this prestigious recognition. Bunting visited William Penn High School today to present the certificates to 11 students recognized for achieving high levels of language proficiency in Spanish and in English:

• Guadalupe Aguilar
• Bryan Arrendondo
• Emmanuel Balderas Ramirez
• Ariana Bernal
• Karen Fuentes
• Stephanie Gomez
• Favian Monroy
• Gabriella Ortiz-Ramos
• Alison Ramirez
• David Ruiz-Garcia
• Maricela Tapia-Sanche

Learn more about the certificate and how schools can apply on behalf of their students here.

 

Media Contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006

New Delaware Certificate of Multiliteracy recognizes advanced language skills

Delaware has developed a new Certificate of Multiliteracy to honor and recognize students with high levels of language proficiency in addition to English, Secretary of Education Susan Bunting announced today.

 

The certificate applauds students for attaining high levels of language proficiency in multiple languages and also values native language proficiency for the 11,000 English learners in Delaware.

 

Students can use the certificate as a credential to help differentiate them as applicants for jobs, college entrance or the military.

 

“Delaware recognizes the hard work that goes into learning more than one language and we want to make it easier for employers and institutes of higher education to identify those who offer such valuable skills,” Bunting said. “This certificate will help students promote their talents and also create a tangible reminder to all of us of the benefits of multilingualism.”

 

Representative Joe Miro was the prime sponsor of Delaware’s Certificate of Multiliteracy bill, which was established by House Joint Resolution (HJR) 4 and signed by Delaware Governor John Carney on July 21. HJR 4 directs the Delaware Department of Education to establish the criteria and the process for awarding the certificates by August 30, 2017.

 

“Delaware understands the value of encouraging students to learn new languages and immerse themselves in other cultures,” said Governor John Carney. “We appreciate the hard work of our state legislators to establish Delaware’s Certificate of Multiliteracy and we are excited for Delaware students to have such an advantage as they enter college and the workforce.”

 

Delaware’s Certificate of Multiliteracy is modeled after the national Seal of Biliteracy, which is a national effort to have all states to recognize the importance of language learning as a critical career and workplace skill.

 

“Delaware’s Certificate of Multiliteracy is a remarkable and encouraging step toward recognizing the arduous linguistic and academic effort all students – particularly our DE English Learners – invest in our schools,” said Oribel McFann-Mora, President of Delaware English Language Learners Teachers and Advocates (DELLTA). “Moreover, may our English learners’ amazing multilingual abilities be officially recognized as assets henceforth and the rule rather than the exception.”

 

Delaware is the 26th state in the country to establish an award that honors and recognizes students with high levels of proficiency in languages in addition to English.

 

“World Languages today play such a crucial role in our 21st century global society.  If we want our future leaders to be college and career ready, we need to arm them for linguistic and cultural success as well,” said Jennifer Short, a Spanish teacher at Dickinson High School in the Red Clay Consolidated School District and the Vice President of the Delaware Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (DECTFL).

 

“Granting Delaware students the opportunity to demonstrate proficiency in multiple languages by awarding them the Certificate of Multiliteracy can only make them more marketable and attractive for whatever they plan to do after high school,” Short said.

 

Media Contact: Susan Haberstroh, susan.haberstroh@doe.k12.de.us, (302) 735-4003