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Bellevue Public Schools Awarded $2.24 million from DoDEA for IMPACT-WL Grant

Bellevue Public Schools Awarded $2,240,000 grant from Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA)

Bellevue Public Schools is excited to announce its recent awarding of a $2,240,000 competitive grant from the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) for BPS-Project IMPACT-WL (IMProving Access, Curriculum, Training for World Languages). This grant program was initiated by the US Congress in hopes of meeting the strategic need of our country to develop a "sustainable pipeline of multilingual talent that is critical to our country's economic and national security." Learn more here about how this opportunity was initiated by congress by clicking (HERE)

“Bellevue Public Schools is pleased to once again partner with DoDEA to support our world language programs. The IMPACT-WL grant will provide our students and staff with quality curricular resources and increase access to dual enrollment opportunities for high school students. The grant will also provide summer language programming for elementary students and expand professional development opportunities for our world language teaching staff. Through this grant program, we will build the district's internal capacity to increase enrollment in world languages and transition most upper-level language courses to dual enrollment opportunities through Metro Community College and the University of Nebraska-Omaha" said Dr. Jeff Rippe, Superintendent.

DoDEA's Education Partnership and Resources division strives to ensure all military-connected K-12 students have access to quality educational opportunities through engagement in partnerships with school districts and professional organizations. The division provides school personnel and stakeholders with evidence-based resources and supports to increase understanding and awareness related to the unique challenges faced by military-connected students and families. Learn more about the division here. https://www.dodea.edu/Partnership/about.cfm

 

About DoDEA

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is a field activity of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. DoDEA's mission is to plan, direct, coordinate, and manage the education programs for eligible dependents of U.S. military personnel and civilian personnel of the Department of Defense. The DoDEA has congressional authority to provide resources to public schools to support the continuity of education for military-connected students through a competitive grant program. DoDEA’s vision of “Excellence in education for every student, every day, everywhere” is realized through this partnership with public school districts.

 

Project IMPACT-WL Goals

Goal 1: Improve and expand content-based instruction in the world languages

Objective 1: Conduct professional learning programs with BPS world language staff to improve the alignment of district curriculum and improve instructional practices

  • Update district curriculum standards aligned to Nebraska and National Standards
  • Purchase new curricular resources for secondary language courses
  • Provide training and college-level certification courses for teachers to expand the pool of teachers credentialed to teach dual high school/college courses.
  • Provide world language teachers the opportunity to attend national level conferences to seek out innovative practices
  • Provide Comprehensible Input Training for teachers to provide approaches, techniques, and strategies that prioritize the delivery of understandable and compelling messages in the target language
  • Provide all teachers access to NearPod to utilize world language-related resources and lessons
  • Provide all school libraries access to world language/culture books and materials

Objective 2: Increase student enrollment across the 5-course sequence in World Languages.

  • Transition all upper-level (III, IV, V) world language courses to dual HS/College Credit opportunities for students
  • Provide tuition fee support for students taking world language courses for dual enrollment credit in both high schools
  • Provide career counseling programming focused on world language-related careers and the need for language skills across many fields in a global economy
  • Provide programing to engage families and students in world language and culture learning opportunities
  • Hire an additional world language teacher as needed to support expanded enrollment

Goal 2: Establish and implement exploratory programs across the district in world languages.

Objective 1: BPS will establish opportunities for secondary students to engage in world language cultural activities/experiences & provide extra-curricular programs for students in grades 4-6 to explore world languages.

  • Secondary schools will host language festivals, language speakers, and provide cultural activities related to world languages
  • The district will initiate a summer language learning academy for students in grades 4-6