Dr. Donna S. Leak Vice-Chair | Illinois State Board of Education
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) organized the 19th annual Statewide Summit for Bilingual Parents on May 3 in Oak Brook. The event attracted over 1,100 participants, including parents and caregivers of multilingual students and members of Bilingual Parent Advisory Committees from across Illinois. The summit aimed to enhance advocacy and leadership skills to support English learners (ELs).
State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders emphasized the importance of parental involvement, stating, "Parents are powerful advocates for their children and partners in education." He highlighted that Illinois has more than 300,000 English learners who deserve a school system that values their language and culture as assets. Dr. Sanders added, "When we invest in the leadership of multilingual families, we invest in stronger, more inclusive schools."
Dr. Sherly Chavarria, an ISBE Board Member and featured speaker at the summit, shared her personal experience growing up in a Spanish-speaking home as a first-generation immigrant. She noted the significant impact of parent leadership in schools throughout her career as a principal, educator, and advocate. Dr. Chavarria expressed pride in living in Illinois, where the strength and contributions of multilingual families are recognized.
The summit provided interactive sessions and networking opportunities for families with children enrolled in multilingual programs. Interpretation services were available in various languages such as Spanish, Korean, French, Angolan Portuguese, Arabic, Mongolian, Ukrainian, Polish, Mandarin, Karen, and Swahili.
Topics covered during the sessions included equitable funding for ELs, family engagement strategies, educational programs from pre-K through Grade 12, access to higher education opportunities, parent leadership and advocacy efforts as well as immigrant and community issues affecting EL families.
English learners represent the fastest-growing student population in Illinois. In the 2023-24 school year alone approximately 303 thousand students were identified as English learners accounting for nearly 16 percent of public school enrollment statewide.
Bilingual Parent Advisory Committees (BPACs) play a crucial role in bilingual education within Illinois. State law mandates each district with at least 20 English learners from one language background establish both Transitional Bilingual Education programs along with BPACs which offer parents formal channels advising districts on relevant programs/services promoting meaningful family engagement cultural inclusion advocacy ensuring active participation shaping children's education.
Recordings from this year's summit sessions along with those past years can be accessed via the Illinois Resource Center’s YouTube channel.
Alerts Sign-up