The Zuni Public School District Bilingual Education Program follows guidelines under the State Bilingual Multicultural Act

The Zuni Public School District Bilingual Program also follows guidelines under the Title III English Language Acquisition Act (NCLB).

The Zuni Public School District receives Title III funds to provide language development services to ELL students at a rate of approximately $61.00 per eligible student. In school year 2007-2008 Zuni Public School District received $67,175.00 from Title III. Some of these funds are allocated to each school site to purchase items for direct instruction, which includes supplies and materials, literature and technology.

A portion of the Title III funds under the category of professional development pays for staff who travel to training sessions out of district as well as for coursework towards bilingual multicultural education.

During the assessment cycle, District Test Administrators are hired to administer the NMELPA or the SBA to students in the district. Title III funds are used to pay for these Test Administrators as well as for purchasing the NMELPA in the Spring.

The funds generated through the State Bilingual Program is based on a formula dependent on the number of students in a 2 or 3 hour bilingual program multiplied by a unit value as well as the T & E index. Funds from this program are used to pay staff salaries and fringe benefits.

Local services as required under the regulations are an annual administration of the New Mexico English Language Proficiency assessment in the spring and as new students enroll (New Mexico English Language Placement Assessment)Administration of this assessment determines language proficiency levels of the students. Please refer to FAQs regarding the NMELPA.

In addition to the English language proficiency assessments, the Bilingual Program also administers a Zuni language proficiency assessment formally named Shiwi’ma Bena:we Andehhalnanne (SBA). This is administered to all students receiving Zuni language instruction at the beginning of the year as a pre-test and then at the end of each school year as a post-test. The SBA is available for grades Kindergarten to ninth grade with an assessment being developed for the 10th -12th grades in the near future.