LINDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤
𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙆-12 𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣𝙨 𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙖-𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨

LINDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, NJ -- Linden Public Schools has taken a significant step forward in advancing support for multilingual learners with the launch of a new districtwide K–12 standardized benchmark assessment framework. The initiative is designed to monitor student growth, guide instructional decision-making, and strengthen both academic achievement and English language proficiency outcomes across all grade levels.

𝐀 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲
Serving students from more than 30 countries and representing nearly 40 languages, Linden Public Schools continues to embrace and celebrate its identity as one of New Jersey's most diverse and globally connected school districts. This rich cultural and linguistic diversity is reflected daily throughout classrooms, arts programs, athletics, family engagement initiatives, and world language instruction.

The newly implemented benchmark assessment framework represents the latest investment in ensuring multilingual learners receive consistent, targeted, and data-informed support from kindergarten through graduation.

To support the launch, the district's Multilingual Learners Instructional Coaches, Magady Valere, Carolina Vasquez, and Krystal Tornabene, facilitated an intensive full-day professional development session May 28 at the Board of Education Office for ESL and Bilingual educators. Teachers participated in hands-on training focused on benchmark administration, data collection, analysis of student performance, and instructional planning to ensure consistent implementation across the district.

"Our mission is to ensure that every multilingual learner in Linden is met with rigorous academic expectations while receiving the precise linguistic supports needed to thrive," said Danie Orelien, Director of Multilingual Learners, World Languages, and the Welcome Center. "Through these benchmarks, we are strengthening our instructional systems, deepening our use of data, and accelerating student growth toward college, career, and lifelong success."

District leadership, including Superintendent Dr. Atiya Y. Perkins, Assistant Superintendent Annabell Louis, and Business Administrator John A. Serapiglia, attended the training and offered their support for the initiative.

District leaders emphasized that the framework represents a shift toward proactive, data-driven equity in instruction, allowing educators to move beyond isolated assessment snapshots and toward a continuous understanding of student growth throughout the school year.

By providing educators with meaningful data at multiple points during the year, the framework will help identify student strengths, monitor progress, and inform instructional interventions designed to support language acquisition and academic achievement.

Teachers Collaborate Around Student Growth
Throughout the daylong professional development session, educators worked collaboratively in grade-level and secondary teams to analyze student performance trends, align instructional practices, and strengthen strategies that support both language development and academic success.

"This professional development experience provided our secondary educators with valuable opportunities to engage in meaningful collaboration centered on student achievement," said Tania Miguelez, Secondary Supervisor of ESL/Bilingual and World Languages. "By examining student data together, aligning instructional practices, and establishing common expectations, we are creating a more cohesive system of support for multilingual learners. This framework empowers teachers to make informed instructional decisions and ensures that student growth remains at the center of our work."

At the elementary level, district leaders emphasized the importance of building strong literacy and language foundations early in a student's educational journey.

"Building a strong, data-informed foundation in the elementary grades is essential for long-term language development," said Stephanie Ross, Elementary Supervisor of ESL/Bilingual and World Languages. "This framework allows K–5 educators to clearly monitor early literacy and language growth, identify student needs, and provide timely instructional support that strengthens outcomes for our youngest learners."

Investing in Equity and Opportunity
District officials noted that the launch of the K–12 multilingual learner benchmark framework reinforces Linden Public Schools' ongoing commitment to educational equity, instructional excellence, and data-informed decision-making.

By creating a cohesive system grounded in collaboration, instructional consistency, and real-time student data, the initiative will empower teachers, strengthen classroom practices, and ensure multilingual learners have access to high-quality educational opportunities that prepare them for success in school and beyond.

As Linden Public Schools continues to expand innovative supports for its multilingual population, district leaders remain focused on one goal: ensuring every student has the opportunity, access, and support needed to reach their full potential.