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Bilingual Multicultural Education Programs (BMEPs) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

////Bilingual Multicultural Education Programs (BMEPs) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Bilingual Multicultural Education Programs (BMEPs) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 2023-08-07T09:19:32-06:00

Understanding New Mexico state-funded BMEPs

State-funded BMEPs goals are for all students, including English Learners (ELs), to:

  • become bilingual and biliterate in English and a second language, including Spanish, a Native American language, where a written form exists and there is tribal approval, or another language; and
  • meet state academic content standards and benchmarks in all subject areas.

[Bilingual Multicultural Education Act, Chapter 22, Article 23 NMSA 1978]

A list of BMEPs in New Mexico and other specific information about BMEPs is available in the Bilingual Multicultural Education Annual Reports: https://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/bureaus/languageandculture/bilingual-multicultural-education-programs-bmeps/resources/

To be eligible for state funding for your school’s proposed BMEP, districts and charter schools must:

  • Apply in the spring of the prior school year;
  • Have an approved State BMEP Funding Application on file with the Bilingual Multicultural Education Bureau (BMEB) before the upcoming school year;
  • Complete SharePoint Instructional Plans at every reporting period for data validation by BMEB beginning with the 20th day of the school year; and
  • Comply with Bilingual Multicultural Education Act, Chapter 22, Article 23 NMSA 1978 and 6.32.2 NMAC.

Funding is based on the number of participating students for one school year. Specifically, the average of a school’s 80th and 120th day student membership reported in the Student Teacher Accountability Reporting System (STARS) and aligned to the SharePoint Instructional Plan. The funding generated by the bilingual cost differential is included in the State Equalization Guarantee Distribution (SEG) of the next school year.

An English and Native American language BMEP may be provided with approval from a nation, tribe or pueblo. Evidence of tribal consultation must be provided pursuant to Subsection C of Section 11-18-1 NMSA 2009, 22-23-1 NMSA 1978 and 6.32.2 NMAC. Public schools providing a Native American language program must obtain approval from tribal councils or from other appropriate tribal entities with authority to make educational decisions on behalf of Native American children.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) may be used as evidence of tribal consultation. A MOU is a document that expresses mutual accord on an issue between two or more parties. The sovereignty of Nations, tribes and pueblos must be recognized and respected and is the basis for government-to-government relations.

A MOU is generally recognized as binding, even if no legal claim could be based on the rights and obligations laid down in them. To be legally operative, a MOU must:

  • identify the contracting parties;
  • spell out the subject matter of the agreement and its objectives;
  • summarize the essential terms of the agreement; and
  • must be signed by the contracting parties.

A MOU template may be accessed at: http://www.ped.state.nm.us/ped/IED_reports.html

According to program eligibility requirements, per 6.32.2.10 NMAC, to be eligible for financial support a BMEP must fund programs for culturally and linguistically different students in the state in grades kindergarten through three (K-3) for which there is an identifiable need to improve the language capabilities of both English and the home language of these students before funding programs at higher grade levels.

For example, state BMEP funding applications that are submitted for grades 4-12 will not be approved if the district or school does not serve K-3 in a state-funded BMEP.

Yes. A PAC provides advocacy, guidance, and support for child-centered policies and practices affecting family, school, business, and community engagement to local and state decision-makers. According to 6.32.2.10 NMAC, program eligibility, to be eligible for financial support a BMEP must establish a PAC, representative of the language and culture of the students, to assist and advise in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the program. The PAC must be program-specific and therefore locally-based at the school. A districtwide PAC does not meet regulatory requirements.

BMEP Models

The five program models are dual language, maintenance, enrichment, heritage and transitional.

The Guidelines for Implementing BMEPs are found in state regulation at 6.32.2 NMAC. The guidelines and definitions are:

  1. Dual language immersion: designed to develop
    1. high academic achievement in two languages;
    2. additive bilingual and biliterate proficiency; and
    3. cross-cultural skills development.
  2. Enrichment: designed to further develop the home language of fully English proficient students and to teach the cultures of the state;
  3. Heritage language: designed to support and revitalize a student’s native language and culture through oral and/or written language instruction; Native American language programs require approval from tribal councils or from other appropriate tribal entities with authority to make educational decisions on behalf of Native American children;
  4. Maintenance: designed to develop and maintain proficiency and literacy in the primary or home language while developing a student’s literacy and oral skills in English;
  5. Transitional: designed to transfer students from home language instruction with gradual transition to an all-English curriculum.

BMEP model(s) must align with students’ academic and language learning needs. Student performance on the home or heritage language proficiency assessment provides useful information about a student’s language strengths and areas of need. For English Learners (ELs), the analysis of English language proficiency assessment data (i.e. W-APT, ACCESS for ELLs©, ACCESS for ELLs 2.0) and academic assessment (e.g. PARCC, Istation, short-cycle, etc.), should be considered.

Additionally, in the selection of BMEP model(s) districts and schools must consider local community needs and concerns. Decisions about BMEPs are to be reached locally with community/stakeholder input. It is important to remember that all BMEP models can be successful in delivering on the promise of bilingualism and biliteracy to the extent that BMEPs are intentionally designed for the students they serve and are well-implemented.

State BMEP Funds

BMEP funds are based on the bilingual education cost differential in the funding formula generated by each district. The bilingual education units are largely determined by the full-time equivalent (FTE) factor, which is driven by the reported student membership across program intensity (number of hours).

The student membership counts reported to the Student-Teacher Accountability Reporting System (STARS) at the 80th and 120th day from the previous year are averaged. The average of the FTE is multiplied by the bilingual education program factor (which is 0.5) and the unit value, which may change annually. In 2015-2016, the final unit value was $4,037.75. The approximate amount of funding for a BMEP student is:

  • 1 BMEP Hour~$341 Cost Differential
  • 2 Hours~$667
  • 3 Hours~$1,001

Note: The funding amount generated depends on program intensity (number of hours) and not on the BMEP model or home or heritage language of instruction.

The required instructional hours for BMEPs are dependent on both the BMEP model and students’ language classification. All students may participate in a state-funded BMEP including students classified as initial fluent English proficient (IFEPs), English Learners (ELs) and reclassified fluent English proficient (RFEPs). See the complete BMEP models chart.

No, ELs participating in BMEPs must be provided at least one hour of language arts instruction in the home or heritage language and one hour of English as a second language (ESL)/English language development (ELD). An EL that only receives ESL/ELD instruction (either as course code 1062 or course code 1063, English language arts (ELA)-ELD) may not be counted for BMEP funding since the EL student does not also receive the first prerequisite hour of instruction in the home or heritage language (which would make it a BMEP).

ELs that are served in a state-funded BMEP must receive a minimum of 2 hours of instruction to include:

  • 1st hour of instruction – language arts in the home or heritage language
  • 2nd hour of instruction – ESL/ELD or ELA-ELD; ELA-ELD instruction is only allowable at the middle and high school level.

Yes, state BMEP funding is non-categorical and is provided through the State Equalization Guarantee (SEG). However, the purpose of the bilingual cost differential is to meet statutory goals of bilingualism/biliteracy an academic proficiency. Regulation, 6.32.2 NMAC, outlines the requirements for professional development, parent advisory committees, and ensuring program effectiveness.

State-funded BMEP Teacher Licensure Requirements

Teachers that serve in state-funded BMEPs must meet the licensure requirements in 6.61.1-6.61.12 NMAC, and Native American language instructors must hold a Native American Language and Culture (NALC) certification. Additionally, teachers must hold the appropriate endorsement(s) for the instructional hour and content area that they teach in the BMEP. The most commonly required endorsements (either alone or in combination) are listed below.

Endorsements Required to Teach in State-funded BMEPs

  • Bilingual – 67
  • History, Geography, Economics, Civics and Government – 10
  • Language Arts – 20
  • Mathematics – 51
  • Modern, Classical and Native Languages (MCNL) – 60
  • Performing Arts – 90
  • Science – 32
  • Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) – 27
  • Visual Arts – 01

For a complete list of requirements to teach in a state-funded BMEP.

In certain cases, a district may apply for a waiver to request a teacher be permitted to temporarily teach outside his/her credentialed grade level or subject area. In addition, TESOL flexibility waiver for eligible teachers based on their NMTEACH Educator Effectiveness ratings may also be possible. For more information, please contact the Bilingual Multicultural Education Bureau (BMEB).

The Public Education Department and the Bilingual Multicultural Education Bureau (BMEB) do not provide guidelines on teacher stipends. Stipends are within the purview of the local school district.

BMEP teachers of record must hold the required endorsements for the instructional hour. Co-teaching is defined as shared responsibility for jointly teaching within the same classroom. ABMEP instructional hour with co-teaching is not eligible for state BMEP funding.

However, BMEP teachers may team teach. Team teaching is a collaborative situation in which two or more teachers share responsibility for the content area instruction of a group of students. That is, one BMEP teacher may teach one instructional hour or content area and another BMEP teacher may teach another instructional hour or content area.

For example, a teacher that holds the required Native American Language and Culture (NACL) certification may teach the 1st hour of BMEP instruction/content area (language arts in the home or heritage language) and another teacher that holds the required Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) endorsement may teach the 2nd hour of BMEP instruction/content area English as a second language/English language development (ESL/ELD).

In the case of a dual language program, one teacher may teach the home or heritage language instructional hours/content areas and another teacher may teach the English language instructional hours/content areas.

The requirements for obtaining a NALC certificate are outline in 6.63.14 NMAC. Licenses, endorsements, and certificates are issued by the New Mexico Public Education Department Professional Licensure Bureau (PLB). For more information, please visit the PLB website: http://ped.state.nm.us/Licensure/index.html

The NALC (520) certificate allows an instructor to teach a language with approval from a nation, tribe or pueblo. It is important to consider that a NALC certificate is not a teaching license or endorsement. Within a state-funded BMEP, a NALC certified instructor may only provide instruction in the 1st hour of instruction in language arts in the home or heritage language.

A licensed teacher may hold a NALC certificate. Elementary teachers that hold a NALC certificate may provide instruction in various content areas in the home or heritage language. Middle and high school teachers that hold a NALC certificate may provide instruction in language arts in the home or heritage language and in other content areas if they hold the corresponding content area endorsement. See the complete list of requirements to teach in a state-funded BMEP.

Teachers who are the teacher of record for a content area (Math, Social Studies, Science or Fine Arts) in a state-funded must hold:

  • Secondary teaching license (K-8, 5-9 or 7-12, specialty K-12 as applicable to the grade level they will teach) and
  • Bilingual endorsement or Native American Language and Culture certificate (as applicable to the language they will teach) and
  • Content area endorsement (as applicable to the content area they will teach)

See the complete list of requirements to teach in a state-funded BMEP.

State BMEP Data Reporting

Only course codes 1271, 1272, 1273, 1274, elementary course codes 0000-0006 and elementary setting subject area course codes 1717, 2020, 2738, fine arts, and performing arts are eligible for BMEP funding.

At the secondary level, mathematics, social sciences and history, life and physical sciences, fine arts and performing arts subject area course codes may be eligible for BMEP funding. However, the courses must be taught entirely in the home or heritage language. Please contact the Bilingual Multicultural Education Bureau (BMEB) for guidance on secondary content area course codes for the third hour of BME programming.

For more information, please consult the 2022-2023 STARS manual.

A school’s BMEP membership data must be reported in the Student-Teacher Accountability Reporting System (STARS) and on the school’s IP. Districts must submit to the Bilingual Multicultural Education Bureau (BMEB) each school’s detailed IP via SharePoint during 20-, 40-, 80- and 120-day data reporting periods. These plans should include the following:

School Data:

  • District name
  • School’s full/official name
  • Principal’s: full name, email, phone number

BMEP Course Data

  • Course codes
  • Language of instruction
  • Content area
  • Grades served

Membership by Grade Level

  • Number of participating students
  • Number of classes offered

Participating Teacher Data

  • Full names
  • License numbers
  • License types,
  • BMEP endorsements and/or certificate requirements
    • NO pending licensure and/or endorsement applicants may be reported

Educational Assistant Data

  • Participating educational assistants’ full names and license numbers

You must have access to the Student-Teacher Accountability Reporting System (STARS) before you can request access to the SharePoint site. Please work with your district’s STARS coordinator to gain login credentials.

The SharePoint IP may be accessed at: https://eui.ped.state.nm.us/sites/bmeb/default.aspx

Reporting an 8 in the 5th digit indicates that the course requires a bilingual endorsement because it is part of a state-funded BMEP. It is important to note that reporting an 8 in the 5th digit of a course code does not flag a course as a state-funded BMEP.

The STARS uses the program code “BEP” to designate a course as a state-funded BMEP course. If a teacher or student is participating in a BMEP please specify:

  • The BEP for the student in Programs Fact (Program Code=BEP and indicate the model); and
  • The BEP at the classroom/teacher level in Course Instructor (Course Special Program Code=BEP).

For more information please see the 2022-2023 STARS manual.

Yes, all students participating in state-funded BMEPs must be assessed annually until proficiency is reached. According to regulation, 6.32.2 NMAC, “trained personnel shall administer state-approved language proficiency assessments in English and the home language annually until proficiency in each language is achieved.”

All students, not just English Learners (ELs), participating in state-funded BMEPs must be annually assessed in the home or heritage language. To remain compliant with 6.32.2 NMAC and continue to receive state BMEP funding, assessing the home language proficiency of students participating in a state-funded BMEP is required.

All state-funded BMEPs must assess students’ home or heritage language proficiency. Public schools providing a Native American language program must work with nations, tribes or pueblos to develop and administer a locally designed assessment.

The following are state-approved assessments for testing students for Spanish language proficiency:

AssessmentDelivery Format
Avant STAMP 2SE for grade K-1Online
Avant STAMP 4SE for grades 2-6Online
Avant STAMP 4S for grades 7-12Online

State law, 22-23-4 NMSA 1978, and regulation, 6.32.2.10 NMAC, require the BMEB to issue rules for the development and implementation of BMEPs, administer and enforce the provisions of the Bilingual Multicultural Education Act [22-23-1 NMSA 1978], and assist school boards in developing and evaluating BMEPs.

The purpose of an on-site monitoring visit is to review data reported to the BMEB, interview district staff and parents, visit the classrooms of teachers teaching in a BMEP, and to provide technical assistance. The goal of this targeted visit is to review key areas and observe the program of instruction in action, as described in the state BMEP funding application and district annual progress report.

There are resources available on the BMEB website that may be used to prepare for an onsite review.

Serving English Learners (ELs) in a state-funded BMEP

Yes. Districts and schools may choose state-funded BMEPs to meet the federal obligation to serve ELs. Basic programs or services for ELs may be delivered through a BMEP that is aligned with the Bilingual Multicultural Education Act and 6.32.2 NMAC. When BMEPs are research-based programs grounded in sound education theory that support the development of English language proficiency, students are set up to achieve and be successful.

In addition to receiving instruction in the home or heritage language within a BMEP, ELs must also be provided instruction in a dedicated block of time that is designed to ensure that they:

1) develop academic English, so that English language proficiency is achieved within a reasonable length of time; and

2) meet the state’s academic standards in all areas.

State-funded BMEPs must ensure the English language proficiency of ELs and provide instruction in English language development (ELD). The instruction provided in ELD/English as a Second Language (ESL) must be distinct from English language arts (ELA). However, depending on the language proficiency of an EL, ELD instruction may be integrated with English language arts.

Another way to think about how BMEPs serve ELs is to consider the theory of action for state-funded BMEPs as outlined below.

BMEP HourContent AreaTheory of Action (Purpose)
1st hourLanguage arts in the home/heritage languageBuilding home/heritage language and transferable skills to English language arts, ELA (literacy in L1)
2nd hourESL/ELD or ELA-ELDAttending specifically to English language development for ELs (building L2)
3rd hourContent area in the home/heritage language.Accessing additional content knowledge that is not ELA (in L1)
L1 = first/primary home language
L2 = second language

An IFEP student (formerly known as never ELL) is a student whose:

  • language usage survey (LUS) indicated that there is no influence of languages other than English in the student’s home (Native English speaker); or
  • language usage survey (LUS) indicated that there is influence of languages other than English in the student’s home AND who scored proficient on the English language proficiency screener (W-APT).

A reclassified fluent English proficient (RFEP) student (formerly known as exited ELL) is a student who has reached proficiency (composite score of 5.0) on the annual English language proficiency assessment (ACCESS for ELLs 2.0) and is no longer classified as an English learner (EL).

For additional information on students’ language classification, consult the Serving ELs Technical Assistance Manual.

For additional information on proficiency scores, consult page 9 of the Serving ELs Technical Assistance Manual.

For additional information on identification of English Learners, consult the LUS Handbook.

At the elementary level, the only eligible course code is 1062 ESL/ELD and the instruction provided must be distinct from English language arts (ELA) and address the developmental, linguistic, and academic needs of English Learners (ELs).

At the secondary level, the two eligible course codes are 1062 ESL/ELD and 1063 ELA-ELD. An EL’s English language proficiency level must be considered when determining if an EL should be provided instruction in course code 1062 or 1063. The instruction provided in 1062 ESL/ELD must be distinct from ELA and address the ELD of ELs. Course code 1063 ELA-ELD includes ELD instruction integrated with ELA that addresses the developmental, linguistic, and academic needs of ELs. The 2016-2017 STARS reference manual course descriptions are below.

STARS COURSE CODE 1062

English as a Second Language (ESL) / English Language Development (ELD) – Grades K – 12 – This course satisfies ESEA, Title III English Language Acquisition and Office of Civil Rights requirements for English Language Learner students. This course is designed for the rapid mastery of the English language, focusing on reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. ESL/ELD courses usually begin with extensive listening and speaking practice, building on auditory and oral skills, and then move to reading and writing. Basic structures of the English language are explained, and student’s progress from an elementary understanding of English words and verb tenses to a more comprehensive grasp of various formal and informal styles, enabling the student to advance to “regular” English courses. An orientation to the customs and culture of people in the United States may be included in ESL classes. This course must follow the New Mexico Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, current English Language Development (ELD) Standards, and appropriate instructional strategies for ELLs. This course code may be repeated. This course may be used for ELLs receiving instructional support outside of bilingual programs. This course may also be used for ELLs participating in a state-funded bilingual program. When 1062 is part of a state-funded bilingual program, at the elementary level, the teacher must have a Bilingual or TESOL endorsement. At the secondary level, the teacher must have a TESOL endorsement.

STARS COURSE CODE 1063

English Language Arts ELD – Grades 6 – 12 – This course aligns with grade-level New Mexico Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and the current English Language Development (ELD) Standards. This course integrates grade-level ELA content, uses ELD standards, and instructional strategies to appropriately scaffold for the English language development of English Language Learner (ELL) students. Teachers are required to have secondary licensure and be endorsed in English Language Arts. In addition, teachers must receive specialized training in serving the needs of ELLs (as required of districts by Office of Civil Rights). Course 1063 may be substituted for 1001, 1002, 1003 and 1004 to receive high school graduation credit, where applicable, if 1063 also meets all course requirements for 1001, 1002, 1003 or 1004. See course descriptions for 1001, 1002, 1003 or 1004 above for more information. Course 1063 may also be substituted for 1000 if it also satisfies all course requirements for 1000. This course may be repeated for credit. This course code may be repeated. This course may be used for ELLs receiving instructional support outside of bilingual programs. This course may also be used for ELLs participating in a state-funded bilingual program. When 1063 is part of a state-funded bilingual program, the teacher must have a TESOL endorsement in addition to the English Language Arts endorsement.


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Page last updated August 7, 2023