Sixty Rhode Island teachers are heading back to college to learn how to teach English as a second language. The program, a collaboration between urban school districts, the state and the Rhode Island Foundation, will cover the cost of tuition so that more teachers can gain certifications to teach English Language Learners or teach in bi-lingual programs known as dual language classrooms.
The program focuses on districts with a high percentage of immigrant students, including Providence, Woonsocket and Central Falls. The program will cost $500,000, paid by contributions from the school districts, Rhode Island College and the University of Rhode Island, and a grant from the Rhode Island Foundation.
