Diversity is one of the strengths of the our city’s schools, and one of the best illustrations of that strength is the variety of languages our students speak. More than 160 different languages are spoken by the more than 154,000 New York City public school students whose native language is not English; the top three are Spanish, Chinese and Urdu.

These students’ right to bilingual instruction was enshrined into law more than 40 years ago in a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision and a consent decree covering New York City schools in the same year. Yet, under the Bloomberg administration, bilingual and dual-language programs were decimated. The only option available to English language learners in most schools, regardless of their level of proficiency in their first language or English, was English as a second language. Recruitment of bilingual teachers was not a priority.

Today, we have a shortage of teachers trained in bilingual and dual-language instruction, and few principals are aware of the 1974 court rulings and their requirements.

Now things are poised to change dramatically — for the better. Chancellor Carmen Fariña has made the education of English language learners a priority. She wants to restore and expand bilingual education. Last year, she appointed Milady Baez, a veteran bilingual instructor and former principal, as the deputy chancellor for English language learners — a newly created position. I am working with Fariña and Baez to reinvigorate bilingual education and provide more opportunities for students to excel.

Last year, the state approved new regulations that require better identification of English language learners and more programming, better mechanisms to involve immigrant parents in their children’s education, and more professional development for those who teach these students.

Among the changes:

• The school must administer a home language identification survey that involves the student and parent within 10 days of enrollment;
• Schools must provide parents of newly identified English language learners with information about instructional programs at an orientation in the parents’ preferred language;
• If the student has an Individualized Education Program, the school must create a Language Proficiency Team to better identify the specific needs of the child. The language team is comprised of a school administrator, a certified bilingual or ESL teacher, a director of special education and the student’s parent or guardian.

Parents of English language learners have a choice of three models: dual-language classes, in which instruction is split evenly between classes in English and classes in another language; transitional bilingual education, in which students develop conceptual skills in their home language as they learn English, and as they become more proficient in English, time in the home language decreases; and English as a new language (formerly English as a second language), which provides instruction in English with support in the student’s home language but emphasizes English language acquisition.

As we embark on this important work, we can tap into the expertise of experienced educators. At PS 178 in Washington Heights, for example, the staff has worked diligently to preserve the integrity of its dual-language program for 13 years. The New York Teacher reported in 2014 about the great benefits of the program: the school staff said they have observed students who are building fluency in a second language suddenly excel in other classes, including math and science. Earlier this year, Fariña announced that 25 schools will add dual-language programs this fall.

Another area of strength for us can be found in the 12 international high schools throughout the city, which serve older students who are recent arrivals to this country. Teachers create collaborative projects in which students do most of the talking to gain mastery in English and the subject area.

The city has set aside $13 million for the English language learner initiative, most of which will go toward teacher training. We are going to need teachers who can reach this long-neglected population. The state requires all teachers to receive 15 percent of their total professional development hours in areas related to teaching English language learners; for certified bilingual and English-as-a-new-language teachers, it is 50 percent. The UFT is aware of the need. Our school-based professional development teams should plan offerings during the school year based on these requirements, and the UFT Teacher Center and the DOE’s Office of English Language Learners will be able to assist them.

Fariña (Spanish), Baez (Dominican) and I (Puertorriqueña) were all English language learners as children — truly noteworthy in a system that has not always been kind or welcoming to the English language learner student. We have collaborated on a new English Language Learner Policy and Reference Guide for DOE management and staff that describes the path we are taking to rebuild bilingual education in our public schools.

I compare bilingual education to a phoenix slowly rising from the ashes. It will take a lot of work, and it won’t happen overnight. But the stars are aligned for it to happen. Failure isn’t an option. We need to make it work for our students.