B-SEAL for Multilingual Learners Fellowship FAQ

How do schools benefit from participating in B-SEAL?

• Dually certified teachers – Schools will increase the number of dually certified teachers in their schools and thereby have the flexibility to serve ELL (ML) students in a variety of ways.
• Instructional support – Schools will receive ongoing support from ELL specialists during the school year.
• Federal & state policy alignment – This program helps schools address a recently implemented NYS policy (Commissioner’s Regulations Part 154-2) that requires schools to offer more services to ELLs by certified English as a New Language (ENL) teachers, and also requires professional development that specifically addresses the needs of ELLs. This program also allows schools to remain in compliance with federal statutes around the provision of services to ELLs.

How do teachers benefit from participating in B-SEAL?

• Additional certification – Teachers will have the opportunity to earn an additional and increasingly sought-after teaching certificate: either TESOL or a Bilingual Extension
• Instructional support – Teachers will receive ongoing individual and team-based support from ELL specialists
• Funding – Tuition and fees, estimated at $7,000 per teacher, will be fully funded.
• Salary – All participants who complete the program earn 13 graduate credits. DOE teachers can apply these credits toward salary differentials. Charter teachers who complete the program will be eligible for an annual stipend differential of $2,500.
• Online Learning – Some coursework is offered online, allowing teachers the flexibility of learning from the comfort of their home.

What are the costs and compensation involved?

The biggest commitment required  from teachers and schools participating in B-SEAL is time, as most costs are covered by the program:

• Costs covered by the program:
  • City College of New York tuition and fees
  • DASA workshop for teachers, if needed

• Compensation provided:
  • Funds permitting, teachers will be compensated for professional development sessions held outside the contractually-determined school year.
  • Teacher teams that meet after school for bi-weekly professional development will be compensated at the United Federation of Teachers/NYCDOE per-session rate.

• Costs not covered:
  • Textbooks
  • CST-ESOL examination required for certification
  • NYSED fees for obtaining certification
  • Prerequisite coursework, if needed:
    • Teachers must have language credits and/or proficiency. TESOL certification requires 12 credits study of a language other than English, or demonstrate language proficiency. For the Bilingual Extension, teachers must have a high level of proficiency, including literacy, in the additional language.
    • Teachers who have not already completed a three-credit course on students with disabilities (graduate or undergraduate) will be required to do so.