September 2023 • Issue 71 • California Association for Bilingual Education

Important Upcoming Dates in this Newsletter:

September 7—Deadline to submit ads for the 2024 Multilingual Educator magazine

September 9—DL Teacher Academy Module 1

September 14—ELD Teacher Academy Module 1

October 6—Deadline for the CABE 2024 Seal of Excellence Award

November 14—Deadline for all other CABE 2024 Awards

CABE Legislative Advocate Report

by Jennifer Baker

• State Confirms State Board of Education Members
• Budget Update
• Senate Leadership Transitioning
• CABE/Californians Together 2023 Co-Sponsored Legislation Update
• CABE-Supported Legislation Moving Forward
• Department of Finance Report Moderate Changes

The Multilingual California Project (MCaP) by the lead agency CABE:

A three-year EWIG investment is moving the EL Roadmap Policy to Practice. 

by Dr. Alma Castro, CABE Director of Multilingual California Program

The California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) and six educational agencies collaboratively implemented the Multilingual California Project (MCaP), an EWIG grant awarded to CABE and partners by the California Department of Education in 2020 to implement professional learning on the California EL Roadmap Policy (ELR). The six partner agencies are known as the MCaP Alliance: Butte County Office of Education (BCOE), Fresno County Superintendent of Schools (FCSS), Orange County Department of Education (OCDE), San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools (SBCSS), San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) and San Diego State University (SDSU) and Wexford, the evaluator for this project.

Together, these trusted partners have strengthened their cross-region collaboration with a shared vision and passion to serve multilingual and English language learners and their families and implement the EL Roadmap Policy. Via a cascading network of support (state, regional, district, school, to the classroom), MCAP provided professional learning, resources, information, and support to all levels. During the grant period of 2020-2023, information about MCAP learning opportunities was disseminated during meetings with the MCaP Alliance partners, via the MCAP website, and shared statewide through a network of social media platforms hosted by MCaP and partners.

We have seen the impactful progress in building educator capacity to serve the 1.1 million multilingual students in California by moving from a state policy to practice, an investment on the implementation of the EL Roadmap Policy. Six years after the State Board of Education passed the California EL Roadmap Policy (2017), the goal of strengthening educational policies, programs, and practices for English Learners continues to be a call-to-action that was further actualized through investments such as the two sister EWIG grants, Multilingual California Project (MCAP), and EL RISE! by Californians Together. With common goals, these two projects implemented a dynamic PK-16 model to guide LEAs in implementing multilingual pathways that affirm, welcome, and respond to a diverse range of EL students’ assets and needs while strengthening the academic success of multilingual students.

This impactful three-year project left a positive mark, but we acknowledge the work continues toward building educator and family capacity in supporting multilingual learners. We are grateful to Wexford, our evaluator, for their support in capturing the data for this project. In Year 1, 13,251 educators and 414 families were served statewide, 17,191 educators and 184 families in Year 2, 16,264 educators and 249 families in Year 3, and 16,795 educators and 213 families in Year 4. Cumulatively over the entire project period, 64,561 educators and 811 families have been served across 491 LEAs and 54 COE regions. The CABE team's collaborative leadership, and trusted partnership with the six education agencies who truly led a dynamic team to implement the EL Roadmap policy statewide and accelerate academic outcomes, have expanded multilingual opportunities for our students. The MCAP project served the core 27 LEAs within the five COE partners. The implementation timeline was impacted by the nationwide shutdown in 2020 of the COVID-19 pandemic that affected entire communities. Nonetheless, MCAP made a swift pivot to offer online, hybrid, and later in-person learning that proved to be a successful way to provide wider access to professional learning opportunities across the state. 

The MCAP goals included building school leader capacity around the four interwoven principles of the EL Roadmap policy. The objectives included instructional practices, strengthening professional learning models, implementing a systemic ELR policy, and building a statewide collaborative network of experts and agencies to guide systems that support the development of effective cross-curricular, disciplinary-based instructional practices for all English Learners. 

The most notable accomplishments and legacy of the MCAP Alliance grant are: 

• Statewide access for all educators in California to online professional digital academies that directly address the needs of English learners and biliteracy students through highly effective, research-based strategies.

• Professional Learning Innovations, the eight high-quality virtual Stage 2 plus and Stage 3 Professional Learning Innovations for the 27 core LEAs focused on building biliteracy and multilingual programs. 

• Statewide parent and family engagement and leadership professional learning workshops to strengthen the home, school, and community connections and develop parent leaders, particularly advocating for biliteracy programs.

• A statewide professional network, Institution of Higher Education (IHE) convenings to support and elevate programs for bilingual teacher pathway growth and encourage collaboration with IHEs and COE Leads about K-12 needs. 

• Together, SDSU and the MCAP team have implemented the University Global Seal of Biliteracy, a free university handbook that promotes the implementation of the University Seal of Biliteracy and Cultural Competence. 

• An inclusive statewide State Seal of Biliteracy Network for families and educators on the implementation and expansion of the pathway recognition to the seal of biliteracy.  See Biliteracy Resources here. 

• Led by CABE, the MCAP team supported bringing together an inclusive network for educators and professors of Asian Languages in California exploring the implementation of the English Learner Roadmap for instructional programs in Asian Languages.  

• A statewide system of support for paraeducators who wish to pursue a bilingual teaching credential via our BCOE MCAP Pathway.  

Conclusion  

The impact of the MCAP Alliance grant is one that will continue long after the grant has sunset. The trusted relationships and collaboration for multilingual students will remain after the grant. The resources of MCAP continue to be available via the MCAP website. This EWIG investment was significant in moving policy to practice in serving multilingual students. The MCAP’s work was impactful by building educator capacity that would translate into supporting learning for multilingual students. We are grateful for the EWIG grant as this is an important example of how investments in moving policy to practice help close the achievement gap for multilingual students. CABE is grateful to the trusted partnership and support from our six education agencies of MCAP, EWIG, CDE, CABE staff, MCAP partners, LEAs, participants, Wexford evaluators, and all educational partners and leaders who helped promote the professional learning offerings and together build educator capacity statewide. 

Visit these Infographics, and this summary video of MCAP highlights to gain further insights. Visit our social media (Facebook, Instagram & Twitter). Visit the Free MCAP Digital Academies Recordings of MCAP webinars.

The resources MCAP has created will remain on our website at MultilingualCalifornia.org. 

The oldest of two sisters, Rosa Armstrong, was born in the small town of Lince in Lima, Peru, to her parents, a seamstress and a tailor. She had a happy childhood, watching "Chavo Del Ocho" with other kids in a neighborhood quinta with six homes like an extended family still close-knit today. Rosa describes it as "una gallina con muchos pollitos." Growing up, she attended two small private schools, and her father, who had a passion for education, wanted more for her. Her aunt was the assistant principal at Colegio María Alvarado, one of the first schools in Peru to offer bilingual education. There were 200 applicants for only 30 spots, and even though Rosa's English was not as strong as the other students, she passed the entrance test and was admitted. Her aunt congratulated her, saying, "¡Ya abriste la puerta al éxito de tu vida!" Rosa was set back one year in order to develop her academic English skills, and even though the school was very expensive, her parents made it happen.

Her father made clothing for many influential people, such as the president and politicians. The US Ambassador of Peru was impressed with one of the school's graduates who worked for him and decided to help Rosa, offering her a scholarship to study in the US. She was accepted to UCLA and soon found herself alone in a new country and far out of her comfort zone, but she says that those years formed her character and became the foundation for her career, "For me, education es lo mas sagrado." After her scholarship at UCLA ended, she paused her studies, married, and had her "miracle baby" after a difficult and dangerous pregnancy. She returned to school at CSU-LA and completed her BA in Child Development, graduating the same month as her daughter to show her that el que presevera triunfa. Her first job was as a bilingual teacher aide in Rosamond, Kern County, where she worked as a paraprofessional for five years. In 1995, she became a bilingual teacher assistant in the Palmdale School District, where she still works today. Rosa has also served as a translator, worked in the Human Resources and Special Education departments, and is currently a bilingual administrative assistant in the Access and Equity Department.

Rosa learned about CABE in 1997 when CABE Chapter 58 was formed in Palmdale. In 2006, she was honored by CABE with the Paraeducator of the Year Award, was approached by a board member to run for the board, and then was elected as the Director of Paraprofessional Affairs. She has been a CABE board member ever since, serving multiple terms as the Director of Community Affairs, the Director of Parent Relations, and currently, as the Director of Paraprofessional Affairs. She has also served on the board of CABE Chapter 58 Board as president, secretary, treasurer, and, currently, vice president. Rosa says that serving CABE for so many years goes back to her roots, "My father believed in multilingualism and knew how it opens doors to student success. Soy el fruto de un programa bilingual y tengo la certeza de que saber dos or mas idiomas nos abre la puerta al exito y quiero que este sea entendido para otras personas."

In her free time, Rosa enjoys visiting with the few family members who live in the US: her daughter Julia (38), a speech and language pathologist in Washington State; her granddaughter Milena (10), a dual language student; and her sister and a cousin. Not surprisingly, Rosa loves sewing since her mother and father were a seamstress and a tailor. She also works with Exalma, her high school alumni organization in Lima, to coordinate student exchanges with the Palmdale School District under the direction of Supt—Dr. Raúl Maldonado, who is also CABE's board president. In 2019, she helped organize CABE's visit to Peru, where the board and staff visited her alma mater and other schools and local attractions. Additionally, Rosa volunteers at a local nursing home, assists with many district parent activities, and helps community members with translation and interpretation.

Dr. Lampkin’s Remarkable Journey:

From Poverty to Educational Visionary

In the bustling streets of Mexico City, a place where life teemed with chaos and hardship, Edgar Lampkin’s story began. He was the eldest of four siblings, born into the clutches of extreme poverty. His mother toiled as a clothes ironer and worked cleaning apartment buildings, while his father was often absent for months at a time, bringing little to no income to his family. Theirs was a life marked by struggle, sacrifice, and, eventually, a broken home.

But fate had more in store for Edgar and his sisters. When his parents’ marriage finally dissolved, his mother, seeking solace with her brother, left to work in Colusa County, California and left Edgar and his siblings with in-laws. His mother living in the land of opportunity and her children remaining in Mexico City caused their lives to take an unexpected turn. Now, raised by their grandparents, Edgar discovered a newfound sense of stability and love. His grandfather was a cab driver, navigating the city’s winding streets, while his grandmother tirelessly cooked for factory workers. It was in the warmth of this unconventional family that Edgar’s journey of high poverty and survival continued as he went to school and worked at a domino factory from the tender age of six years old. The desire to long for a functional nuclear family was always in the back of his mind and remained a pain inside his heart.

In the heart of his third-grade year, fate intervened again. Edgar, along with his sisters, joined their mother in the United States, where she had become a farmworker and remarried a half-African American, half-Jamaican harvester driver and mechanic. This man, a beacon of hope, gave them his name, Lampkin (through adoption), and a chance at a better life. Edgar’s initiation into American culture was a whirlwind of bewildering firsts: the tantalizing scent of McDonald’s, the joy of brand-new clothes instead of hand-me-downs, and the thrill of buying groceries in bulk for life in the farming countryside. And on the third day, as he toiled in the fields, picking cucumbers and squash, he realized that there was another side to his new life adventure.

His first day of school in the US was equally shocking. He stood alone, unable to comprehend the language spoken around him. Placed in a corner, he excelled at math but yearned to belong. The teacher, recognizing his abilities and isolation, handed him a football, a strange object he had never encountered before. In the schoolyard, as he tried to grasp the skill of dribbling a football (only knowing the sport of soccer), a classmate confronted him with shouts in English and threw the ball at his forehead. Edgar, armed with skills learned from his uncle, a professional boxer in Mexico, Edgar reacted instinctively. A scuffle ensued, with his classmate left bleeding and a trip to the principal’s office to experience corporal punishment. This marked the beginning of a tumultuous journey for Edgar, one that led to frequent trips to the principal’s office and a relentless quest to master the English language.

Midway through fifth grade, his family returned to Mexico City to visit relatives, leaving Edgar and his youngest sister with grandparents once again. There, he faced the rigor of a more demanding educational system. Despite the challenges, he persevered. Upon graduating from sixth grade, he returned to the US and found himself in an ESL pullout program. Edgar’s exceptional mimicking skills and fluent reading ability allowed him to blend in, concealing his limited English comprehension. “I was able to ‘go undercover’ all the way through high school and pretend that I understood because of my strong oral proficiency,” Edgar recalled. It was his high school English teacher who unlocked the door to academic language, bringing him up to grade level by graduation. In a sea of adversity, Edgar emerged as an exception, thanks to the guidance and support of his English teacher. During high school, Edgar embraced new challenges, taking French classes, and becoming an exchange student in Brazil. Yet even this opportunity was a battle. He had to fight for the chance to represent his conservative, majority-White community as an ambassador, being the first Mexican student in his community to become an exchange student.

His parents relocated to Marysville during his senior high school year. Edgar had to make his own way. He lived with a friend’s family to complete his education at Colusa High School. The path to college was unclear, but through Affirmative Action, college recruiters noticed his potential. Papers to attend Chico State were placed in his hands to fill out and turn in to a college recruiter, and thus, the seed of his journey to higher education became a possibility.

After high school graduation, Edgar faced yet another hurdle. His mother informed him that he was on his own, and there was no room for him at home. That summer, he lived in his car and worked at a pear ranch until a call from his sister changed the course of his life. Chico State had accepted him. With no orientation or guidance, he embarked on this new chapter, staying with another student rent-free until he secured a job. Ever the survivor, Edgar embarked on a rigorous journey, taking on 16 units in his first semester, playing soccer, and then struggling to overcome a broken leg and heartbreak. Despite the odds, he achieved an impressive 3.8 GPA. Still, the challenges seemed insurmountable, and he contemplated quitting. It was an Affirmative Action paraprofessional who persuaded him to take a leave of absence.

Returning to Mexico to live with his grandparents, once again, Edgar grappled with a sense of displacement. “I don’t feel like I am in the right place,” he pondered often while trying to re-establish his life in Mexico City. Prior to going to Mexico, he had applied to work in the summer program known as California Mini-Corps back in California. A call from his sister, once again, let him know he was being called for an interview for Mini-Corps, so he returned to California. While awaiting notification of acceptance, he also returned to temporarily work in the fields until he was hired by the Mini-Corps program in Yuba City that summer of ’82. That fateful summer opened his eyes to a new calling. “I really love working with kids. I want to do this!” he declared.

Encouraged by Mini-Corps, he decided to return to Chico State, take his coursework, and work for Mini-Corps in their year-round program. Now, balancing three jobs while majoring in liberal studies, Edgar honed his work ethic. By the time he embarked on his student teaching journey, he was well-prepared, thanks to his extensive experience as an instructor with Mini-Corps.

Fate intervened again when he attended a Chico State CA Mini-Corps Conference. A principal and teacher presented a newcomer school program from Sacramento USD that left an indelible mark on Edgar. He insisted on doing his student teaching there, solidifying his desire to teach in the district.

After overcoming numerous obstacles and obtaining his bilingual teacher credential, Edgar finally received a contract from Sacramento USD on the day before school started. His new portable classroom wouldn’t be ready until January, so he taught his third-grade class in the library. His wide-ranging experience in teaching through CA Mini Corps led to him becoming a Master Teacher and being assigned a student teacher each year.

After five years of teaching third and fifth grades, along with summer school and Mini-Corps, Edgar was recruited as a Mini-Corps coordinator. He taught classes for Mini-Corps participants at Hartnell College in Salinas, where he developed an ethnic studies course and received an ethnic studies credential. A year later, he became the vice principal of a middle school in Sacramento, where he implemented transformative changes. “After two years, we went from 38 knives and 9 guns in school to 8 knives and no guns, and we went from 80-140 referrals a day down to 20-40 a day,” Edgar proudly stated. This remarkable turnaround was the result of the “house concept,” a system where six teachers were assigned to groups of 150 students. Additionally, a comprehensive school disciplinary plan, encompassing proactive and reactive measures and a character education and life skills program, transformed the school’s atmosphere.

Edgar then returned to his hometown Colusa as a vice principal for two years, focusing on gang-related programs and cross-cultural conflict management. This work would later become the subject of his master’s thesis. As an elementary principal, he implemented comprehensive schoolwide reform in various districts over ten years. His dedication to improving bilingual education and change through equity never wavered.

Returning to the Sacramento area, Edgar assumed the role of Director of Pupil Services at the Woodland JUSD. Later, he worked at the Yolo County Office of Education for nine years, first as the Director of English Learner Services and later added the title of Director of Curriculum and Instruction. His expertise continued to grow, shaping the educational landscape around him.

Before taking the helm as CEO of CABE in July 2023, Edgar’s journey with the organization had begun years earlier. He and his future wife, Elodia, attended their first CABE conference while involved with Mini-Corps as college students. Edgar supported Elodia’s engagement with the CABE Board and presented workshops at CABE conferences as their careers evolved from teaching to educational administration. They both became deeply committed to building Dual Immersion programs and advocating for English learners.

Throughout his educational career, Edgar remained a fervent advocate for multicultural education, especially for English learners. His pursuit of this vision led him to pursue an Ed.D. in International Multicultural Education. During this time, one of his professors, Dr. Alma Flor Ada, called upon him to collaborate with the Open Society Institute (OSI) on a mission to Eastern Europe. Together with other graduate students, they embarked on a transformative journey to train teachers in Eastern Europe in education for social justice and anti-bias education. The marginalized Roma population, known derogatorily as “gypsies,” faced staggering challenges, with a mere 1% graduation rate and 98% unemployment rate. Through three years of OSI implementation, the tides began to turn. Research showed that 75% of Roma students were now meeting or exceeding grade-level standards. These remarkable findings prompted significant changes in education policy, integrating Roma students into mainstream schools in many of the Eastern European countries.

In his rare moments of respite, Edgar cherishes spending time with his wife and family, indulging in his love for travel, wine tasting, and delving into educational literature. His uncle, the professional boxer, instilled in him a passion for boxing and MMA mixed martial arts, forging strong bonds with his four sons.

Edgar’s journey is one of unwavering determination, resilience, and a commitment to making a difference in the world of education. As he takes the reins as CEO of CABE, his life experiences have prepared him to be the advocate and visionary leader that he is today. His story is a testament to the power of education and the unwavering pursuit of equity for all students, especially English Learners.

Important Dates and Reminders for Chapter Leaders

Don't miss out on your chapter rebate!

Chapter financial reports are due by Friday, October 13th.

Click here for information and the required forms.

Rebates can be used for scholarships and other chapter activities, but to receive them, your financial reports must be received by the deadline.



It's almost time to apply for the Chapter of the Year Award!

Watch your inbox for more information coming soon!

Save the Date for Fall 2023 Virtual JDA!

Mark your calendar for our Joint Delegate Assembly on September 27, 2023. More details coming soon!

Have you updated your chapter webpage lately? 

Your chapter's webpage on www.gocabe.org is its face to the world.

• Go here to see if it needs updating.
• Send your webpage updates to us here.

CABE welcomes

CABE Korean

Chapter 74!

Our chapter had a very successful scholarship fundraiser in July. Thanks to Cool Hand Luke restaurant for helping us raise $1,700+. Also, thanks to our community and the Madera Unified School District staff and families.

Our monthly chapter meetings have started again for this new school year. We meet the second Wednesday of each month at Monroe Elementary School library from 5-6 p.m. All are welcome!

We are planning a fall social in early October to treat our DLI teachers, staff, and residents to come and enjoy a delicious variety of posole with all the fixings! Special raffle prizes will be given to some lucky winners. Lotería strategies will be shared, as well as a featured guest speaker. We would love a CABE leader or regional lead to come and share insights into this year's conference and special events.

Check out our latest newsletter...



The CLSBA 2023 Unity Conference offers a wealth of transformative workshops led by education's best leaders, including these trailblazers who are empowering parent leadership within the educational landscape – missing out is not an option! Secure your spot ASAP ➡️ http://CLSBA.org

Room to Read’s STEAM-Powered Careers collection presents 10 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics-themed books to inspire first through third graders about the wide variety of groundbreaking and exciting STEAM careers that they can start exploring right now.

Created in collaboration with scientists, staff, and faculty from the University of Southern California (USC), the collection explores topics ranging from polar science to gastroenterology to nanotechnology and more (in English and in Spanish).

Books feature a trio of fun characters and their animal friends, with each title illustrating a day in the life of a working USC scientist, many of whom come from underrepresented communities in STEAM. Each book highlights the present and future of a unique field and offers resources and more information for classroom use.

Click this link for FREE digital copies of the books, lesson plans, and interviews with the scientists: https://www.roomtoread.org/steam.

Click the image above to go to the website.

Images from CartoonStock.com

Contact the editor: Laurie Miles, Communications Coordinator, laurie@gocabe.org