2009-27148 ResoRESOLUTION NO, =''009-27148
A RESOLUTION OF
COMMISSION OF THE
FLORIDA, URGING THE
EDUCATION TO MAINT<
REQUIREMENTS FOR
LANGUAGE LEARNERS.
THE MAYOR AND CITY
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH,
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
IN THE EXISTING TRAINING
TEACHERS OF ENGLISH
WHEREAS, Section 1003.56 (1), Florida Statutes, entitled "English language
instruction for limited English proficient students," requires instruction
designed to develop the students mastery of the four language skills,
including listening, speaking, reading, and writing, as rapidly as possible; and
WHEREAS, in 1990, the United States District Court for the Southern District
of Florida. Miami Division, Case No. 90-1913, issued a Consent Decree in
LULAC v. Florida Board of Education, calling for equal access to all
education programs for English Language Learner (ELL) students, including
a mandate for English as a Second Language (ESOL) endorsement for all
teachers of the English language to ELL students; and
WHEREAS, a 2003 court approved modification to the LULAC v. Florida
Board of Education Consent Decree requires teachers who earn ESOL
Certification coverage solely by passing the teacher examination to
additionally have to earn 120 points of in-service credit in ESOL; and
WHEREAS, proposed State Board of Education Rule 6A-6.0907 (4) would
waive the requisite ESOL in-service training requirement for reading
endorsed or certified teachers who seek to earn ESOL certification coverage
solely through examination; and
WHEREAS, in 2007. Governor Crist vetoed SB 2512, a bill to weaken the
training requirements for reading teachers of ELL students and the bill, re-
introduced in the next Legislative session as SB 286, died in 2008; and
WHEREAS, in 2009, CS/S61680 was introduced during the final weeks of
the Legislative session as the third failed attempt to bring about a reduction
in ESOL training requirements for reading teachers; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Commission want all children to read
English; want teachers prepared to teach them to read; and want monitoring
to ensure compliance with the requirements stated in the Consent Decree
referenced above: and
WHEREAS, at a time when we must strive to be as competitive as possible
in a quickly changing global economy, we cannot afford to lower the bar of
expectations and training for our highly qualified teachers: and
WHEREAS, maintaining the existing training requirements for reading
teachers of ELL students is in the best interest of the citizens and residents
of Miami Beach.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, THAT THE
MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION HEREBY:
1. Urge the Florida Department of Education to maintain current training
requirements for reading teachers of English Language Learners;
2. Urge the members of the Miami-Dade State Legislative delegation to vote
against bills that reduce training requirements for teachers of ESOL students
and request that the governor veto any such bill should they be approved by
the legislature;
3. Urge Governor Crist to request that the State Board of Education rescind
its approval of proposed Rule 6A-6.0907 (4) and honor the spirit and
language of his veto letter on SB 2512 in all future actions;
4. Direct the City Clerk to transmit certified copies of this Resolution to the
Governor. State Senate President, House Speaker, the Chair and Members
of the Miami-Dade State Legislative Delegation, and the Commissioner of the
Florida Department of Education;
5. Direct the Citys Office of Intergovernmental Affairs to include this item in
the 2009 through 2012 State legislative packages.
PASSED and ADOPTED this lseh day of July, 2009
ATTEST:
~ 1
1(,~~~'~,i,a,~ ~GtZ_ ~ ~~-~
Robert Parcher, City Clerk
~i errera ower
Mayor
APPROVED AS TO
FORM & LANGUAGE
~ 8 FOR EXECUTION
~Y
m MIAMIBEACH
OFFICE OF Ttili MAYOR AND COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Man/ager
FROM: Mayor Matti Herrera Bowerfy/t,/
DATE: June 26, 2009
SuBJEtT A Resolution Urging the Florida Department of Education to Maintain the
Existing Training Requirements for Teachers of English Language
Learners.
Please place on the July 15, 2009 Commission meeting agenda the above named
resolution, supporting efforts of a wide coalition of educators and activists to prevent the
State of Florida from lowering the training requirements of teachers of ESOL students.
Similar resolutions have been passed by the Miami Dade and Broward county commissions,
as well as the cities of Aventura, Homestead, North Miami Beach and Doral, among others.
I thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter. If you have any questions,
please do not hesitate to contact Rebecca Wakefield at extension 6157.
Thank you
MHBIrw
Agenda Item ~ 7 G
Date ~~(S OQ