Multilingual NYC: Boldly Reimagining Multilingual Education in NYC Public Schools

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Advisory Council for Boldly Reimagining Multilingual Education

In June 2024, the Chancellor announced the creation of an advisory council for Boldly Reimagining Multilingual Education in NYC (press release). NYC Public Schools convened a diverse group of stakeholders to launch the council on December 16, 2024. Composed of current NYC Public Schools students, families, educators, and community members, the council serves in an advisory capacity and voices concerns on important issues in multilingual education.

Goals of the Multilingual NYC Advisory Council:

  • Support the design of a long-term vision for multilingual education in NYC
  • Collect information on student, family, and educator experiences to inform planning
  • Generate recommendations for improving multilingual education
  • Build awareness of multilingual education programs and services and the rights of English Language Learners

Format

Between December 2024 and June 2025, advisors met as a full advisory council group, with their subcommittees, and for special sessions focused on specific topics. Meetings involved presentations from various stakeholders, including members of the Office of Multilingual Learners and other offices within NYCPS, breakout room discussions, and collaborative work time to review and develop recommendations.

New York City Public Schools partnered with the Center for Public Research and Leadership (CPRL) at Columbia University to co-facilitate the Multilingual NYC Advisory Council and develop a report with findings and recommendations.

A summary report was released at a press conference on October 14, 2025.

The five key priorities from the report are:

NYC Public Schools must:

  • Establish High Quality Pathways to Multilingualism with Equitable Access for English Language Learners
  • Strengthen and Expand a Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Workforce
  • Promote a Culture of Inclusion and Belonging for Multilingual and Immigrant Students and Families
  • Foster Multilingual and Immigrant Family and Community Leadership and Advocacy
  • Recognize Multilingualism as a Core Competency for College, Career, and Civic Readiness

Boldly Reimagining Multilingual Education Summary Report

A summary report with key findings and recommendations from the advisory council can be accessed using the links below. 

A full and comprehensive report, which further situates the work and recommendations of the Advisory Council in the historic context and current landscape of multilingual education in NYCPS, will be published this school year.

Summary Report: Boldly Reimagining Multilingual Education in NYC Public Schools

This summary report provides an overview of the findings and the recommendations of the Multilingual NYC Advisory Council, a diverse group of students, families, educators, school and district leaders, and advocates from across the five boroughs.

Available In

2024-2025 Multilingual NYC Advisory Council Members

  • Afsana Haque - Parent/Guardian, P.S. X014 Senator John Calandra
  • Alan Cheng - Superintendent, Consortium, International, NYC Outward Bound Schools
  • Alfonso Guzman - Director, Parent and Family Engagement, INCLUDEnyc
  • Ameria Alleyne - Parent/Guardian, Advocate, Good Shepherd Services
  • América Cañas Garcia - Parent/Guardian, Senior Vice President, United Way of New York City
  • Arlen Benjamin-Gomez - Parent/Guardian, Executive Director, EdTrust-New York
  • Carmen Diaz-Malvido - CEO, ASPIRA of New York Inc.
  • Dr. Chandler Patton Miranda - Parent/Guardian, Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership for Diverse Learning Communities, Molloy University
  • Dr. Darling James Miramey - Parent/Guardian, Multilingual NYC - The Partnership for Multilingual Education in NYC
  • Dominika McPartland - Transfer Schools MLL Services Administrator, Hunter College (CUNY) TESOL Adjunct Lecturer, NYSABE Polish Language Delegate
  • Edward Herrera - Bilingual School Psychologist, P.S. 177 The Marlboro
  • Emilia Fiallo - Advocate, Founder of UndocuTeacher
  • Erum Hanif - CEO and Board Member, APNA Brooklyn Community Center
  • Dr. Fabienne Doucet - Executive Director, New York University Metropolitan Center
  • Geyser Rodriguez - Teacher, East Bronx Academy for the Future
  • Giovanna Pimentel - Parent/Guardian, P.S. 098 Shorac Kappock
  • Hanan Fahmy - Assistant Principal, P.S. 206 Joseph F Lamb
  • Israt Nali - Assistant Principal, P.S. 214 Michael Friedsam
  • Dr. Jo Ann Benoit - Executive Director of School Support and Operations, Community School District 28
  • John Sullivan - Superintendent, Transfer Schools District
  • Juan Camilo Trespalacios - Teacher, P.S. 044 Thomas C. Brown
  • Juvanie Piquant - Chief of Staff, New York City Council Member Rita Joseph
  • Kaitlin Rosario-Rivera - Teacher, P.S. 097 Forest Park
  • Dr. Kate Menken - Professor of Linguistics and TESOL, Queens College (CUNY) and NYSABE
  • Katie Kurjakovic - English Language Learner Specialist, United Federation of Teachers (UFT)
  • Kristy De La Cruz - Superintendent, Community School District 4
  • Lara Evangelista - Executive Director, Internationals Network for Public Schools
  • Dr. Laura Ascenzi-Moreno - Professor of Bilingual Education, Brooklyn College (CUNY)
  • Lilly Chan - Parent/Guardian, Teacher, P.S. 206 Jose Celso Barbosa
  • Longping Wong-Qu - Teacher, Newtown High School
  • Maggie Sanchez - Citywide Council for Special Education
  • Maimouna Dieye - Program Manager, African Communities Together
  • Marisol Castaneda-Salgado - Youth Worker, Beam Center
  • Melanie Katz - Principal, Franklin D. Roosevelt High School
  • Melissa Scala - District 75 ML/ELL Director
  • Naveed Hasan - Elected Parent Panel for Education Policy (PEP) Member, Founding Director of No Limits Learning, Parent/Guardian at P.S. 145 The Bloomingdale School
  • Paola Jordan - Parent/Guardian, Director of the Metropolitan Parent Center, Sinergia Inc.
  • Rita Rodriguez-Engberg - Director of Immigrant Students' Rights Project, Advocates for Children
  • Ron Woo - Executive Director, New York State Statewide Language Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network (RBERN)
  • Dr. Rosa Rivera-McCutchen - Professor of Administration and Supervision, Instructional Leadership, Hunter College (CUNY)
  • Dr. Sabrin Abedin - Bronx ML/ELL Director
  • Somia Elrowmeim - Founder and CEO, Women's Empowerment Coalition of NYC
  • Sonia Sendoya - Social Worker, Make the Road New York, Community School Director at Bushwick Campus
  • Steve Weiner - Teacher, "47" The American Sign Language and English Secondary School
  • Tariq Khan - Parent/Guardian, P.S. 135 The Bellaire School
  • Dr. Tatyana Kleyn - Professor of Bilingual Education and TESOL, City College of New York, CUNY-Initiative on Immigration and Education and NYSABE (Past President)
  • Teresa Arboleda - President, Citywide Council for English Language Learners (CCELL)
  • Vladimir Tlali - Senior Policy Strategist, New York Immigration Coalition
  • Yasmin Naji - Manager of Early Childhood & Education Policy
  • NYC Public Schools students and alumni

Full Advisory Council Meeting Materials

Contact

If you have any questions or would like to request an overview of the report, email us at multilinguallearners@schools.nyc.gov.