Through decades of academic and professional achievements, memories of being penalized for speaking Spanish at school have stayed with Delia Arellano-Weddleton of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation. 

“I know that we can do better for our bilingual children,� Director of Engagement & Partnerships Arellano-Weddleton stated. “To do so will take intentional steps, including passing and implementing policies, allocating financial resources, nurturing mindsets and environments that value multilingual children and their families.�

About 11% of Rhode Island students from Pre-K to grade 12 were multilingual/English learners (MLL/EL) during the 2020-2021 school year—nearly double from a decade ago.  

Multilingual/English learners that school year spoke 92 different languages, although 81% spoke Spanish. Around 70% of these students attended school in Central Falls (45%), Providence (33%), Pawtucket (16%), and Woonsocket (11%), according to a new publication.

RI Kids Count released Multilingual Learners in Rhode Island Monday afternoon in a virtual event. Watch the full presentation HERE.   

The publication explores common challenges that multilingual and English learners face across Rhode Island along with state-wide recommendations to effectively support these students and address educational disparities. 

Community leaders at the event discussed the alarming gaps in high school graduation and college enrollment rates between multilingual/English learners and their peers. 

In the Rhode Island Class of 2021, 84% of all students had graduated high school in four years while 69% of MLL/ELs had graduated in four years, according to the publication. 

About 59% of the entire Class of 2021 were immediately enrolled in college, while 33% of MLL/ELs were immediately enrolled in college. The majority of MLL/EL students enrolled in college two-year college programs rather than four-year programs. 

“I think, overall, our programs need to think about centering multilingual learners as the norm across all of our education programs,� Rhode Island College Assistant Professor Erin Papa said.

Papa pointed to partnerships between the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE), the Office of Postsecondary Education, and all higher education institutions to continue addressing barriers that prevent or discourage multilingual students from entering undergraduate and graduate programs.

In 2020-2021, dropout rates were the highest among Multilingual/English Learners at 18% dropping out—compared to 8% of all students—according to the publication. 

High School students who are chronically absent have higher chances of dropping out, emphasized University of Rhode Island Associate Professor Rabia Hos. Around 44% of MLL/ELs were chronically absent, the highest of any subgroup in the 2020-2021 school year.

The new publication also highlighted that multilingual/English learners are more likely to live in low-income households and attend high-poverty schools than their peers. 

“Studies show that it is not the home language, it’s not the fact that you’re a multilingual learner—it’s the poverty rate associated when you are a multilingual learner that is a more significant predictor of your academic achievement than anything else. So, it’s poverty levels,â€� explained Senior Policy Analyst Jessica Vega of RI Kids Count. 

The Blueprint for Multilingual Learner Success

Wednesday morning, March 1, state leaders announced that $322,899 in Multilingual Learner Success Grants would be awarded to ten local education agencies—kicking off the second phase of the Blueprint for Multilingual Learner Success. 

In 2001, RIDE first partnered with community-based organizations to develop the Blueprint for MLL Success, according to RI Kids Count. The final version was released in 2021.

As a part of the Blueprint, RIDE planned to spend 2021-2023 focused on engagement, expanding dual-language programs, revising regulations and policies, along with strengthening parent and community partnerships. Starting this year, RIDE looks to fully implement these policies by 2026.

Governor Dan McKee has also proposed to increase funding for multilingual learner support by $7.8 million in his #RIReady FY24 budget proposal.

Dual Language Programs 

Across the country, dual language programs have expanded as new initiatives to support the nation’s growing bilingual and multilingual student population. 

“Dual language programs…have so much potential,� Vega said. “Dual language programs are a way to teach students that will honor and celebrate their home language.�

In these programs, students learn and engage in two different languages: students will spend half of the day communicating in one particular language and then, for the second half of the day, continue with the same material in a second language. 

Schools in Central Falls, Pawtucket, and Providence currently offer dual-language programs—all involving either Spanish or Portuguese and English. 

“The goal is, if we have an increased pipeline of dual language teachers who are certified and world language teachers, then we’re able to open up more dual language programs throughout the state,� Vega explained. “And it’s really important that students who come from low-income communities have access to these programs because studies show, if you support a student’s proficiency in their home language, it actually improves their English proficiency as well.�

In 2020-2021, 5% of all Rhode Island public school teachers and instructional coordinators held an active Bilingual, Dual Language, or English to Speakers of Other Languages certification, according to RI Kids Count. 

One proposed policy, the Multilingual Educator Investment Act, looks to increase the number of multilingual educators in urban communities through an annual two-million dollar scholarship fund for teacher employment. 

Other recommendations in the Multilingual Learners in Rhode Island publication include improving data collection to identify MLL/EL students, providing high-quality early childhood care to MLL/EL students with developmental delays or disabilities, proactively responding to the challenges and needs of Newcomers, and enhancing assessment tools to effectively support Newcomers.

Available at www.rikidscount.org, the Multilingual Learners in Rhode Island publication includes further context and recommendations on resources for multilingual/English learners and Newcomer students across the state.
Hear more about RI Kids Count’s work in RI Latino News’ Opinion+ Interview with Deputy Director Stephanie Geller below.

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day from RILN; today reminds us of the progress we have made and the progress that lies ahead in intersectional racial equity in areas such as the U.S. adult and juvenile justice system.

Historic civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested 29 times in his lifetime. His time spent in prison shed light on the racial disparities within the criminal justice system – disparities that persist 60 years later. 

“Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and that when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress,� he wrote in 1963, Letter from Birmingham Jail.

While there’s been in-depth research and discussions on the unequal representation of Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous people in the U.S. criminal justice system, advocates are calling attention to the power behind juvenile justice entities. 

“Without that recognition that children and youth have unique needs or will understand and respond differently than adults, we miss a huge opportunity to rehabilitate and promote the future well-being of our youth and communities,� RI Kids Count wrote in Centering Youth Voice in Juvenile Justice Reform.

In the United States, about 1,995 youth are arrested every day, according to The State of America’s Children 2020 report. 

These youth may be placed on probation or removed from their homes and sent to correctional institutions or other residential facilities. Experts have pointed out major issues with juvenile facilities including exposing youth to further violence and maltreatment, a pervasive overreliance on confinement, along with glaring racial and ethnic disparities. 

“Youth commit only a small portion of the nation’s crime…[and] has also been going down for many years,� according to the Campaign for Youth Justice. “Despite this drop, the United States has the highest rate of youth confinement of any developed country. In 2010, there were 173 youth for every 100,000 in confinement. However, 39% of those who are in confinement are there due to a technical violation of probation, drug offenses, public order offenses, status offenses, and low level property offenses.�

Various reports have all found that youth of color and those with disabilities, along with LGBTQ+ youth are highly overrepresented in the juvenile justice system. 

As of 2021, “Black youth are nine times more likely than white youth to receive an adult prison sentence, American Indian/Alaska Native youth are almost two times more likely, and Hispanic youth are 40 percent more likely,â€� according to the Children’s Defense Fund.   

Research experts estimate between 30 percent to 85 percent of incarcerated youth have a learning disability, making students with disabilities almost three times more likely to be arrested than their peers. 

LGBTQ+ youth make up five to seven percent of the youth population, but 13 to 15 percent of the juvenile justice population, according to the Center for American Progress. 

RI KIDS COUNT REPORT: Key Findings & Recomendations

Last month, RI Kids Count published Centering Youth Voice in Juvenile Justice Reform. The report highlights the experiences and perspectives of Rhode Island youth (14 to 21 years old) who have come into contact with the juvenile justice system. 

An event to explore and discuss the report’s findings was hosted on Dec. 11 and is available to watch HERE.

Major takeaways included the need to address “the trauma many youth have experienced and continue to experience… unequal access to legal representation and the ability to pay fees…[and] racial and ethnic disparities at all points in the juvenile justice system.�  

Youth participating in the focus groups said they felt intimidated by the entire family court process and did not have a voice in their own case. 

“I think each judge needs to understand that they are talking to a kid…this kid doesn’t know you, so they are uncomfortable,â€� said one youth participant. “They don’t know you and then they’re being watched by other people too. So, it puts you in a place where you don’t really feel like answering.â€�

A community-based alternative to family court are Juvenile Hearing Boards, a process that promotes restorative justice.

“The open dialogue afforded by restorative justice opportunities gets at the root cause of a youth’s actions by centering their voice in the narrative,â€� according to the 2022 report. 

All nine focus group participants identified as youth of color. The groups spoke on experiencing racism in encounters with policing, courts, detention, and probation. 

“We should all be equal and the consequences should all be equal. It shouldn’t be based on your skin or how the judge is feeling that day,â€� said one participant. 

The publication’s recommendations include that more people of color are recruited in all areas of the system and objective screening tools such as the Risk Assessment Instrument are considered at arrest. 

Overall, participants who have been to the Rhode Island Training School said the experience was counterproductive and harmful to their wellbeing—especially to their mental health.

“When I went in there, I wasn’t even 18… but it did change me,â€� said one youth participant. “That’s why I changed, because I was by myself a lot like I couldn’t be around nobody no more…I was just… in my room, depressed, by myself, just like, damn. Then I started being anti-social…â€� 

Child advocates worry that such programs restrict youth’s development instead of providing effective rehabilitation. 

“…treating kids like little adults obviously always does nothing but tarnish them and hurt them and not give them [a] chance to change while their brains are still developing, and their emotional responses are still growing,â€� one caseworker told RI Kids Count.

On crime prevention, participants called for more accessible after-school activities, career entry opportunities, and adult role models from their communities who can relate to them. 

“…The reason why kids are getting into trouble right now, because they don’t have…well everything runs on money… you have to pay for the YMCA, Boys & Girls Club…we don’t have money…we don’t have a job…all we can do is get into trouble,â€� said one youth participant. 

Learn more about the publication’s findings and recommendations for juvenile justice reform at rikidscount.org. 

Welcome to another episode of Rhode Island Latino News Opinion+, where we talk about major issues the Latinx and other underrepresented communities face in the community.

This week we spoke with Deputy Director Stephanie Geller of Rhode Island KIDS COUNT about youth homelessness, children’s mental health, and educational support for multilingual learners within Rhode Island. 

RI Kids Count is a nonprofit organization based in Providence that has served children, youth, and their families across the Ocean State since 1994. 

Deputy Director Geller first discussed RI Kids Count’s research and efforts to support children and youth experiencing poverty & homelessness across the state.

RI Kids Count published a report this fall that shared data on poverty, income, and health insurance coverage throughout the state. 

Last April, Rhode Island was declared to be in a state of emergency in child and adolescent mental health care. Geller spoke on RI Kids Counts’ recommended steps—published in this report—to address the issue, which included addressing the workforce crisis.

“We’re seeing long waiting lists for a lot of different social services including mental health because we don’t have enough of mental health providers because we’re not adequately paying them,� Geller explained. “So, we really need to look at those fees and make sure we provide adequate payment so that we can have access to more providers in our communities.�

The same report by RI Kids Count found that youth of color were more likely to have their mental health impacted by the pandemic and they were much less likely to receive mental health treatment. 

“One barrier is that there’s a lack of culturally competent and linguistically competent providers so we need to provide access points for more diverse mental health providers to enter the field and for us to provide mental health providers [who] speak all languages that children and families need access to,� Geller said.

Rhode Island’s Hispanic child population grew by 31% between 2000 and 2010, according to a 2021 report by RI Kids Count: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Children’s Economic Well-Being in Rhode Island. 

“We really need to look at diversity as an asset but we also need to be aware of the disparities we see in children’s economic well-being, educational outcomes, etc. by race and ethnicity and really be honest about the reasons for those disparities and then try to topple them,� Geller said.

Geller also discussed the importance of looking at access to college and generally supporting multilingual students as the state has seen lower rates of high school graduation for multilingual learners than primarily-English speakers.

“Only 23% of Latino students in the class of 2021 went directly to college, compared to 46% of white students,� Geller shared. “So, we really need to think about giving people the financial opportunities, and the guidance cousel[ing] they need, and providing them the support if they’re learning English…so they can succeed because we know education is the primary way out of poverty for many families.�

Resources mentioned in this video:

• RI Kids Count Website: Check out upcoming events, recent reports, and more at https://www.rikidscount.org   
• RI Kids Count Reports Mentioned in this Episode:
  • “Children’s Mental Health in Rhode Island 
  • “Housing Instability and Homelessness Among Rhode Island Childrenâ€�
  • “New Census Data Shows Rhode Island Ranked 24th in Child Poverty; 4th for Children’s Health Insurance Coverageâ€�
  • “Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Children’s Economic Well-Being in Rhode Islandâ€� 
• Check out The Latino Policy Institute’s panel discussion on Mental Health in RI, which will be live-streamed Nov. 15th on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/703054200663544
• If you are in need of shelter, call Rhode Island’s Coordinated System help line at 401-277-4316 or chat with an agent here.
  • Agents speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, & Haitian Creole.
  • Hours of Operation:
    • Monday – Friday: 9AM – 7PM 
    • Weekends & Holidays: 2PM – 7PM  
• Behavioral Health Triage Service and Referral Network for Children and Youth 
  • Kids’ Link RI is a behavioral health triage service and referral network. A program offered in collaboration with Gateway Healthcare, Lifespan, Hasbro Children’s Hospital and Bradley Hospital, Kids’ Link RI is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help triage children and youth in need of mental health services and refer them to treatment providers.​ 
  • Contact Kids’ Link RI at 1-855-543-5465 — The free, confidential phone line connects parents and caregivers to an experienced clinician that can help them access children’s services in Rhode Island, and determine the best place to go for treatment and counseling. 
• Social Media:
  • Facebook – @RhodeIslandKIDSCOUNT 
  • Twitter – @RIKidsCount
  • LinkedIn – Rhode Island KIDS COUNT
  • Instagram – @rikidscount

General local and state elections are quickly approaching so it’s crucial that residents feel informed and motivated to vote on Tuesday, November 8.

While election guides and resources are plentiful in the fall – such as our New England Voting Guide–  many organizations like Common Cause Rhode Island are dedicated to promoting and educating people on local and national democracy all year-round. 

Common Cause is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization committed to upholding democracy across the U.S. with a presence in 30 states and Washington, D.C.

Common Cause RI Executive Director John Marion was this month’s guest on the Latino News Network podcast, “3 Questions With…â€�. 

Marion first spoke on national efforts to address voting misinformation and disinformation, which continues to disproportionately reach Hispanic and Latino communities online. This leads to confusion and frustration among potential Hispanic-Latino voters, possibly turning them away from casting their ballot. 

“We, nationally, have a program called social media monitoring where we recruit volunteers among our supporters and we give them training [on] how to spot misinformation and disinformation,� he told RI Latino News.

The program also shows volunteers how to either fix the factually incorrect information on the social media platform or “how to elevate it so that, ultimately, in some instances it can be reported to the platform itself.â€� 

Marion said the program is always looking for volunteers, particularly Spanish speaking volunteers. 

“Much of [misinformation and disinformation] has been targeting the Spanish language population in the United States and they’re especially vulnerable because platforms haven’t been as good in dealing with [misinformation from] non-English speakers on the platforms.�

For Election Day, residents can sign up as a nonpartisan Election Protection volunteer at ProtectTheVote.net. Anyone with a Rhode Island zip code would be directed to Marion so he can schedule them a one-hour online training session. 

“Once they’ve gone through that training, we assign them to a polling place and they’ll ask them to do a three hour shift on Election Day,â€� Marion explained. These volunteers stand outside with informational English and Spanish literature, looking for voters who might have questions. 

Marion also shared multilingual resources across Rhode Island that aim to support the state’s diverse communities in voting.

“Rhode Island has four communities that under the federal Voting Rights Act have to provide bilingual election services to voters…because of the size of the Spanish language populations in these communities,â€� he explained. 

Providence, Pawtucket, Central falls, and Woonsocket “have to provide ballots in English and Spanish as well as all other voting materials and they’re also supposed to have poll workers who can speak Spanish so they can assist voters.�

“Our Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea has been fantastic in developing resources in multiple languages,â€� Marion said. Residents can visit Secretary Gorbea’s website — vote.ri.gov — for a variety of information on voting available in English and Spanish. 

Rhode Island has taken steps, institutionally, over the past decade to get young people registered to vote but Marion emphasized the importance of local organizations and groups to motivate young people to cast their ballots. 

“That is, to me, really the gateway to civic participation: through working with other people that care about issues you care about,â€� he said. 

“Young people need to get involved with organizations that are working on issues they care about,â€� Marion explained. “Whatever issue you care about, find the group that is working on that and start showing up and I think you’ll find like minded people and then you’ll find that politicians are paying attention to your group.â€� 

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Latino News Network (LNN) and Be The Ones are proud to announce their partnership to help constituents be well informed and prepared to participate in down-ballot races (local & state races) this November. The multi-layered communication and education campaign equips voters with accessible, clear, factual information to better understand which positions are on the ballot and how these officials impact issues like reproductive justice and voting access. 

While 32 million Latinos are eligible to vote in the U.S., only 53.7% cast a ballot in 2020. Research shows lack of easy to understand and accessible information is a barrier to participation. Local civic & voter education is essential if we want to increase participation. 

State and local officials shape our lives. They make decisions impacting everything from kids’ education, immigration policies, expanding healthcare, and voter access. With 99% of elections this year being state & local positions, we have an opportunity to meet people where they are and help them see the value their vote has in their community. 

Be The Ones is a nonpartisan organization working to increase local civic participation through accessible education campaigns. This fall their work is centered around educating voters on 10 local & state positions through their bilingual Local Voters Guide & hosting Vote Local Day on Saturday, October 8th. 

“Be The Ones is thrilled to work alongside Latino News Network to help make sure the voices of our communities are heard in this very important election. We know voting is just one tool in our toolbox that impacts access, opportunity and freedom. While our work is currently focused on preparing folks for November, we look forward to expanding our partnership with Latino News Network as we continue to strengthen the Hispanic-Latino community’s participation in our democracy,â€�  says Cate Mayer, Founder & Director of Be The Ones.

Hugo Balta, Owner, and Publisher of LNN commented on the partnership, saying, “We’re excited to work with an organization that aims to equip voters with clear, factual information that will help them confidently elect the local leaders they want to represent them and their community. Our newsroom takes a collaborative approach to prioritize communities through solutions-focused reporting rather than problem-focused.�

This partnership is part of a project called Democracy Day, in which newsrooms across the country are shining a light on threats to democracy and what action is needed to protect it. At Rhode Island Latino News (RILN), as it is with all of our sister news outlets under the Latino News Network banner , we’re not neutral about democracy. It fuels our commitment to serve the public, our belief in empowering an active citizenry.

Collaboration and inclusion are best practices LNN adopted from the Democracy SOS fellowship. LNN is one of 20 U.S.-based newsrooms elected to participate in the Hearken and the Solutions Journalism Network (SJN) fellowship, committed to building understanding, trust, and engagement.

About LNN

The Latino News Network (LNN) oversees five independent statewide coverage, Hispanic-Latino editorial focus English language news and information websites in New England and the Midwest.

LNN’s mission is to provide greater visibility and voice to Hispanics-Latinos, amplify the work of others in doing the same, give young journalists mentoring and real work experience, and apply the principles of solutions journalism in its investigative reporting.

Learn more about our work: https://latinonewsnetwork.com/, Twitter: https://twitter.com/LatinoNewsNet_ / Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/latino-news-network/

About Be The Ones

Be The Ones is a nonpartisan organization working to increase local civic participation through accessible education campaigns. We blend technology, community partnerships and storytelling to rally Americans to be more informed and ready to participate in local civic activities – from the ballot box to the pesky pothole down the street. 
Information and knowledge are power. When we provide information that’s easy to understand, engaging and relatable, constituents become actively invested in the future of our communities. Learn more about our work and join us: www.BeTheOnes.org / Instagram: @LetsBeTheOnes  / Twitter: @LetsBeTheOnes

Cover Photo Courtesy: Dan Dennis on Unsplash