Schools Chancellor To Hispanic Community: "We need more bilingual teachers."

Members of the Hispanic community gathered with educators Monday to discuss helping English-language learner students.

Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina spoke to a crowded room of organizers, teachers, and parents at the CUNY Graduate Center Monday morning.

She called on the support of parents and educators to change the model for English-as-a-Second Language students.

Farina said the education system is limited in its resources for teaching students who are learning English.

"One of the biggest challenges we're facing right now is that we need more teachers who are prepared to work with English-language learners," Farina said. "We need more bilingual teachers. We are really facing a shortage of dual-language teachers, which is a little different in terms of the academic language that they have to speak."   

Farina says parent involvement will play a leading role in helping Hispanic students.

The Department of Education is also proposing "a single shepherd" process, which would provide individualized guidance to Hispanic students in getting them to college.