- Skip to main content
- About Us
- Contact Us
- FAQs
-  Language Assistance ****    - English
  - español
  - 中文: 繁體版
  - Việt-ngữ
  - 한국어
  - Tagalog
  - Русский 

U.S. Department of Education

U.S. Department of Education

        - Student Loans
        - Grants
        - Laws
        - Data

# Secretary Cardona Touts Multilingual Education in Being Bilingual Is A Superpower Initiative Launch Event

# Secretary Cardona Touts Multilingual Education in Being Bilingual Is A Superpower Initiative Launch Event

November 16, 2023

**Contact:  **press@ed.gov

                                    -        
Thank you and welcome, everyone!

I  want to start with a story that illustrates why we’re here today. It’s  the story of a young undocumented student who came from Mexico City to Texas.

At  the time, she didn’t speak a word of English. And I think many of us here  know how challenging that can be – how demoralized you feel when you just can’t  understand what the other students seem to understand right away.  That feeling when your knowledge of a  language other than English suddenly feels like a deficit instead of the asset  it is.

Ultimately,  this student found an ESL teacher, Ms. Hernandez, who looked like her, and spoke both Spanish and English. Ms. Hernandez inspired her to embrace  multilingualism as her superpower. It sparked her journey toward becoming  a teacher herself, and an activist who fights for students just like her.

Through  it all, she and Ms. Hernandez continued to keep in touch. And I’m proud  to say she now works here at the Department of Education. In fact, you just heard her introduce me!

Montserrat  Garibay, thank you so much – not only for that introduction today, but for your  incredible leadership every day on multilingualism through our Office of  English Language Acquisition, or OELA.

I  know you believe deeply, as I do, that being bilingual is a superpower.

*It’s  an economic superpower.*

85%  of U.S. employers say they rely on Spanish – while others say they rely on  Chinese, French, or Japanese.

Several  studies point to greater incomes and competitiveness for bilingual workers –  not surprising when 96 percent of the world’s consumers and two-thirds of its  purchasing power actually reside outside U.S. borders.

*And  multilingualism is also a cognitive superpower.*

There’s  a growing body of research that demonstrates how multilingual people develop  higher creativity, problem solving, and greater flexibility and control over  decision making.  It almost goes without  saying that these are all tremendous assets in your life and career.

But  we also recognize that right now, our nation is not seizing the full potential  of multilingualism as our superpower.  Not even close.

We  are one of the most beautifully diverse nations in the world.  350 different languages are spoken here.  Yet only 20 percent of Americans can converse  in two or more languages.

The  number of people who speak a language other than English in this country has  tripled over the last three decades.  And  yet, I’ll bet many, if not most, of them have been made to feel that’s a  deficit that holds them back, rather than an asset that gives them a leg up.

If  you are a speaker of a native tribal language – and I know we have several here  today – I know you are also acutely familiar with a tragic chapter of our  nation’s history, where those in power practiced appalling policies of forced  assimilation of native languages and cultures.   Those policies were shameful, and they were wrong.

Today,  I want to say it loud and clear to all who speak tribal languages: your native  language is a superpower.  Your native  culture is a superpower.

And  this month, as we celebrate National Native American Heritage Month, let’s  recognize that we can’t talk about multilingualism in this country if we aren’t  celebrating and revitalizing native languages – and if we aren’t honoring  tribal consultation and educational sovereignty.  This must be a core part of our approach to  multilingualism – and it is.

At  the end of the day, our multilingualism agenda is about nothing less than finally  unleashing the full potential of our nation.

And  we can’t just be satisfied with words. We need real actions to create  lasting change. 

That’s really what today’s release event is about: highlighting some of the concrete resources  Montserrat and her team at OELA have launched to help districts and schools  turn policy into practice and increase student access to multilingual programs.   

First,  we’ve put together an **English Learner Toolkit**, which is about helping  state and local education agencies fulfill their legal obligations under  Federal civil rights laws.
It’s important to understand what these laws say about protecting the rights of  English learners and treating everyone *fairly.*
That’s  why ourOffice of Civil Rights has also circulated three fact sheets to  explain schools’ legal obligations, under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

I  encourage you to visit OCR’s *Equal Educational Opportunities for English**Learners* webpage to learn more. 

And  today, we’re releasing the full edition of a **Family Toolkit** to help  families of English learners find the right services to meet their child’s unique  needs.  This will be available in  Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic. 

We’ve  also updated our **Newcomer Toolkit** that supports elementary and secondary  teachers; principals; and others who work with immigrant students, newcomers, asylees  and refugees and their families.

In  October, we hosted the first-ever **webinar in Spanish**; *Elevando las  Expectativas:  Proporcionándole a cada estudiante  un camino hacia el multilingüismoon*. 

And  for Native American students who are English learners, we’ve awarded nearly $2  million to build capacity and offer support to them.

Finally,  we’re also sharing information about the benefits to students who receive state  Seals of Biliteracy – and how dual language programs help students to get this  credential.  

Students  who earn Seals of Biliteracy already have an enormous competitive edge for  their future because of their proficiency in other languages.

So  we need to make sure Seals of Biliteracy are as big of a deal as having a lot  of college credits or getting an honors cord at graduation.

And  look: we’re far from done.  These actions  are just part of the broader multilingualism agenda we announced earlier this  year.  

It  includes funding and supporting programs proven to work in multilingual  education.

Recruiting  and retaining more high-quality bilingual and multilingual educators. 

And  our proposal to strengthen the capacity and technical assistance of the Title  III program by reorganizing it back into the Office of English Language  Acquisition.

So  make no mistake: this is our multilingual moment.  You have a President who gets it.  You have a former English learner as your  Secretary of Education.  You have amazing  leaders like Montserrat and her team.  

Now  is the time for real change.  So let’s strike  while the iron is hot.

To  all the state and local leaders, superintendents, principals, educators: we  need your partnership.

Let’s  usher in a new era of global leadership and competitiveness in our nation,  anchored by multilingualism.  

Let’s  build a future where every student in America is multilingual – where every  young person understands their native language is an asset and learning more  than one is a superpower.

*¡Ya  es tiempo de aprender otro idioma!*

Together,  I know we can continue to raise the bar for multilingualism in America – for  our students, for our families, for our future.  Thank you.
   -  Tags: Speeches
          How Do I Find...?    - Student loans, forgiveness
- Higher Education Rulemaking
- College accreditation
- Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
- FERPA
- FAFSA
- 1098, tax forms
- More...
      Information About...    - Elevating Teaching
- Early Learning
- Engage Every Student
- Unlocking Career Success
- Cybersecurity
Search speechesSearch for:      Find By Month    - January 2024 
- December 2023 
- November 2023 
- September 2023 
- August 2023 
- July 2023 
- June 2023 
- May 2023 
- April 2023 
- March 2023 
- February 2023 
- January 2023 
- All Speeches
             
*Our mission* is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.
- Student Loans
- Repaying Loans
- Defaulted Loans
- Loan Forgiveness
- Loan Servicers
- Grants & Programs
- Apply for Pell Grants
- Grants Forecast
- Apply for a Grant
- Laws & Guidance
- Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
- FERPA
- Civil Rights
- IDEA Website
- Data & Research
- Education Statistics
- Postsecondary Education Data
- ED Data Express
- Nation's Report Card
- What Works Clearinghouse
- Open Data Platform
- COVID Relief Data
- About Us
- Contact Us
- ED Offices
- Jobs
- Press Releases
- FAQs
- Recursos en español
- Budget, Performance
- Privacy Program
- Homeroom Blog
- Notices
- FOIA
- Privacy Policy
- Accessibility
- Security
- Information Quality
- Inspector General
- Whitehouse.gov
- USA.gov
- Benefits.gov
- Regulations.gov