New Mexico: ELL Resources
As of the 2012-13 school year, New Mexico's schools were home to more than 59,000 English language learners (ELLs), which marks a 10% decrease from the 2002-2003 school year (Migration Policy Institute, 2015). Currently, the most common languages spoken by ELLs in New Mexico are Spanish, Navajo, Nias, and Vietnamese.
New Mexico is a member of WIDA (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment), joining in 2008. WIDA is a consortium of states dedicated to the design and implementation of high standards and equitable educational opportunities for English language learners which offers states programming for identifying and annually assessing the English language development of its English learners.
State ELL Resources
State Agency: New Mexico Public Education Department
ELL Website: Bilingual and Multicultural Education NCLB Title III
ELP Standards & Assessment
ELP Standards: WIDA English Language Proficiency Standards
ELP Assessment: WIDA-ACCESS for ELLs
ELL Identification: New Mexico Resources for Screening and Assessing ELLs
Statewide Standards-Based Assessment
Assessment: New Mexico Statewide Assessment Program
Additional Information
NCLEA: Title III Information
WIDA: New Mexico Contact Information
Common Core State Standards: Yes
ESSA: New Mexico ESSA State Plan
Statewide Organizations
AFT New Mexico is the State Affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers.
NEA-New Mexico is a National Education Association State Affiliate that regularly lobbies legislators for the resources schools need, campaigns for higher professional standards for the teaching profession, and files legal actions to protect academic freedom and the rights of school employees.
New Mexico Association for Bilingual Education
The mission of NMABE is to foster, encourage, and promote bilingualism for all children in an environments that nurtures the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of the state through advocacy, professional development, networking and current research application and dissemination.
Parents Reaching Out is a non-profit organization that works with parents, caregivers, educators, and other professionals to promote healthy, positive and caring experiences for families and children.
New Mexico: Seal of Biliteracy
New Mexico adopted the Seal of Biliteracy in 2014. The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by a school, district, or state in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation.
References
Ruiz Soto, Ariel G., Sarah Hooker, and Jeanne Batalova. 2015. States and Districts with the Highest Number and Share of English Language Learners. Washington, DC: Migration Policy Institute. http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/states-and-districts-highest-number-and-share-english-language-learners
Ruiz Soto, Ariel G., Sarah Hooker, and Jeanne Batalova. 2015. Top Languages Spoken by English Language Learners Nationally and by State. Washington, DC: Migration Policy Institute. http://www.migrationpolicy.org/research/number-and-growth-students-us-schools-need-english-instruction-2009
Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students. New Mexico Rate of EL Growth (1997/98-2007/08). Compiled July 2010 and retrieved from http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/t3sis/state/newmexico/.
