Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) offers diverse learning opportunities that are available for all multilingual and multicultural learners. The cultural and linguistic diversity of the students we serve is one of our greatest assets. We strive to create quality learning environments that respect, reflect, and strengthen diversity.
Mission: The mission of the Department of Bilingual Multicultural Education is to provide equitable access to quality multilingual and multicultural programming in Milwaukee Public Schools.
Vision: MPS students graduate with strong cultural and linguistic identities, leveraging these assets to navigate college, career, and life as global citizens in an inclusive society.
The Bilingual Dual Language Program (one-way and two-way) in Milwaukee Public Schools prepares students to become literate in English and Spanish through the use of the Teaching for Biliteracy pedagogical framework (Beeman & Urow, 2013), which promotes and facilitates the development of two languages.
ESL is a program of techniques, methodology, and special curriculum designed to teach English-language learner (ELL) students English-language skills, which may include listening, speaking, reading, writing, study skills, content vocabulary, and cultural orientation. ESL instruction is usually in English with little use of native language.
MPS Quick Reference Guides are available on the English as a Second Language web page.
The purpose of the First Nations Studies program is to meet the unique educational and culturally related academic needs of our First Nations students in MPS so that these students can achieve at the same challenging state standards as all students.
The MPS newcomer programs are specifically designed for recent immigrant students with limited English-language proficiency. The programs provide intensive instruction in a special academic environment.
Immersion school programs offer core content taught in the foreign language all or part of the day. Students become functionally proficient, master subject content taught in the new language, and acquire an understanding of and appreciation for other cultures.
The MPS World Languages Program prepares all students to be multilingual, culturally competent, respectful, and responsible citizens of an interconnected, more peaceful world.
Services
Lau Compliance office: Staff members at the Lau Compliance office enroll children who speak any home language other than English and screen students for ESL services.