FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact
Vashon Lamont Hill,
Chief of Marketing and Communications
Email: vhill@plainfield.k12.nj.us
Phone Number: (908) 731-4442 (Office)
Plainfield Public Schools Expands Support for Multilingual Learners with New Bilingual Resource Program
PLAINFIELD, NJ – September 2, 2025 – Plainfield Public Schools is proud to announce the expansion of its Alternative Bilingual Program with the addition of a Bilingual Resource Program, reinforcing the district’s commitment to serving multilingual learners while promoting equity and inclusion. This program aligns with the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) requirements and provides expanded, targeted support for students across the district.
The Bilingual Resource Program ensures multilingual learners remain in heterogeneously designed classrooms, avoiding segregation while maximizing the benefits of layered supports. The model includes push-in services that allow ESL and bilingual specialists to collaborate with classroom teachers, strengthening instruction for all students.
Program Highlights Include:
Sheltered Instruction: All students will receive equitable access to rigorous instruction leveraging SiOP (Sheltered Instruction) strategies embedded across all content areas.
ESL Push-In: All multilingual learners will receive one period of ESL during ELA or Social Studies to support English language development.
WIN (What I Need) Period: Targeted support for all multilingual learners will be delivered during the WIN intervention block, ensuring students receive language development services without losing access to core instruction.
Tier A Hi-Intensity ESL (additional period) delivered by ESL certified teachers and/or coaches.
Tiers B-D Bilingual Resource (content area support in Spanish) delivered by a certified bilingual teacher.
Bilingual Resource Instruction Time Integration: Supports growth for multilingual learners in core content areas by leveraging their native language.
Where available, bilingual resource teachers will push into classrooms staffed by general education teachers to provide multilingual learners with support in their native language during small group instruction.
For classrooms staffed by bilingual certified teachers, support will be provided to their own students via a Spanish language small group rotation.
Extended School Days for Tier A Students (Newcomers): Newcomer students receive additional bilingual resource support beyond the school day to strengthen foundational academic skills and accelerate English acquisition.
Superintendent Rashon K. Hasan, Ed. S. stated, “At Plainfield Public Schools, every student deserves access to high-quality instruction that meets their unique needs. The addition of our Bilingual Resource Program represents our commitment to ensuring multilingual learners thrive academically, socially, and linguistically while remaining fully integrated in our inclusive classrooms. By expanding support in this way, we are not only strengthening English acquisition but also honoring students’ native languages and cultures, setting them up for long-term success in school and beyond.”
“As Chief of Equity and School Improvement, I am proud that Plainfield has designed a program where every student—no matter where they come from or when they join us—is embraced with a network of academic, social, and emotional supports. The Bilingual Resource Program ensures our multilingual learners can grow as scholars while remaining fully integrated into our diverse classrooms, affirming their identities, honoring their languages, and positioning them to thrive both in school and in life,” said Dr. Danielle Mastrogiovanni.
The implementation of the Bilingual Resource Program reflects the Plainfield Public Schools’ ongoing dedication to innovative practices in teaching and learning, as well as a district-wide focus on equity, inclusion, and student achievement.
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For more information on the Plainfield Public School District or this story, please contact the Office of Marketing and Communications at information@plainfield.k12.nj.us or by phone at, (908) 731-4442.