Bilingual, ENL, and World Languages

Our Belief in Multilingual Education

The Enlarged City School District of Middletown (ECSDM) is in alignment with the New York State Education Department’s (NYSED) and the Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages’ (OBEWL) mission “to ensure that all New York State (NYS) students, including English Language Learners/ Multilingual Learners (ELLs/MLLs), attain the highest level of academic success and language proficiency… to ensure that all students’ individual educational paths and socio-emotional needs are met in multiple languages leading them to college and career readiness.” 

We believe that all teachers are teachers of ELLs/MLLs.

We recognize that the education of English Language Learners (ELLs) includes learning a new language and culture and requires special consideration and attention.

We offer a variety of language programs for our scholars, such as Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE), One-Way Bilingual (Dual Language Model), Two-Way Bilingual (Dual Language Model), English as a New Language (ENL), and  World Languages Other Than English (LOTE ) in French and Spanish. 

We also offer a Newcomer Program in partnership with Orange Ulster BOCES (OUBOCES) for Scholars with Interrupted Formal Education (SIFE).

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Seal of Biliteracy

What is the New York State Seal of Biliteracy (NYSSB)?

The Enlarged City School District of Middletown (ECSDM) is proud to offer eligible Middletown High School seniors the opportunity to earn the New York State Seal of Biliteracy (NYSSB).

The NYSSB is an award bestowed by the Commissioner of Education on high school graduates who have met the requirements to earn a Regents Diploma and who can demonstrate a high level of proficiency in English and one or more other world languages.  Students may demonstrate this proficiency by completing tasks on a points matrix and earning at least three (3) points in English and three (3) points in another world language.  

The NYSSB recognizes high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in English and one or more world languages.  The intent of the NYSSB is to encourage the study of languages, to identify high school graduates with language and biliteracy skills for employers, to provide universities with additional information about applicants seeking admission and placement, to prepare students with twenty-first century skills, to recognize the value of language instruction, and to affirm the value of diversity in a multilingual society.  The NYSSB takes the form of a Seal on the student's diploma and a medallion worn at graduation.