| R 205 |
| 2024 -- H 8152 Enacted 04/09/2024 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| PROCLAIMING APRIL OF 2024 TO BE "BILINGUAL AND MULTILINGUAL LEARNER MONTH" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
Introduced By: Representatives Morales, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, McEntee, Chippendale, Alzate, Stewart, Giraldo, Kennedy, and Shallcross Smith |
| Date Introduced: April 09, 2024 |
| WHEREAS, Rhode Island is and has always been a multilingual state; and |
| WHEREAS, Throughout Rhode Island history, there have been Narragansett, Portuguese, |
| Italian, Haitian, Creole, Khmer, Cape Verdean, French, Spanish, and many more languages |
| spoken in our communities. Unfortunately, our language stories have often been ones of loss as |
| many grandchildren cannot converse with their grandparents because students are pushed to |
| forget their home language in order to assimilate to an English-centric educational system and |
| therefore are forced to re-learn their own native language later in life; and |
| WHEREAS, Our linguistic and cultural diversity is a strength that should be celebrated |
| and nurtured; and |
| WHEREAS, Bilingual and multilingual learners are one of the fastest growing student |
| populations within American schools and this group of students brings multiple assets to our |
| educational system and adds a rich layer of diversity amongst our students; and |
| WHEREAS, Bilingual and Multilingual Learner Month is an opportunity to draw |
| attention to the persistent gap between bilingual and multilingual learners and native English- |
| speaking students; and |
| WHEREAS, Bilingual and Multilingual Learner Month calls on stakeholders at all levels |
| to examine the diverse needs of bilingual and multilingual learners and to build an inclusive and |
| respectful culture; and |
| WHEREAS, Bilingual and Multilingual Learner Month highlights a commitment to |
| ensure educational equity and access, allowing these learners to thrive academically and become |
| productive bi-literate and multiliterate global citizens, and encourages institutions to adopt |
| policies and practices such as dual language instructional programs that value and use students’ |
| languages and cultural assets to learn high academic content, promote long-term academic |
| achievement, and increase graduation rates; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby |
| proclaims April of 2024 to be "Bilingual and Multilingual Learner Month" in the State of Rhode |
| Island; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That this House hereby thanks bilingual and multilingual students, |
| educators, school workers, supporters and advocates across the nation for their service to our |
| communities and encourages all residents to advocate for bilingual and multilingual education in |
| order to ensure that all Rhode Island students become bilingual, multilingual and bi-literate and |
| are prepared for full participation in our State and world; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Angelica Infante-Green, Commissioner, Rhode |
| Island Department of Education. |
| ======== |
| LC005925 |
| ======== |