Regional Support/RBERNS
Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network (RBERN)
The New York State Education Department (NYSED) Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages (OBEWL) supports eight (8) Regional Bilingual Education Resource Networks (RBERNs) (technical assistance support centers) in the State, with seven (7) regional RBERNs and one (1) Statewide Language RBERN. As a network, the RBERNs work in partnership with OBEWL staff to provide technical assistance and professional development to districts/schools in order to improve instructional practices and educational outcomes of students who are English Language Learners (ELLs).
The Goal of the RBERNs is to help each district/school create for ELLs an educational environment which engages everyone in meaningful teaching and learning, respects diversity, provides opportunities for all children to achieve at the highest levels, and enables them to become skilled in the English language while capitalizing on their strengths in terms of their native language and heritage.
The Purpose of the RBERNs is to establish regionally-based resources to provide a coordinated system of high quality technical assistance, training, information dissemination, and professional development to districts/school to improve their instructional programs and practices for ELLs, focusing on all the following areas:
- Student Identification/Placement
- Leadership
- Quality Programs
- Quality Instruction
- Assessment and School Planning
- Staff Qualifications
- Professional Development
- Parental Involvement
- Support Services
- Coordination of Resources
The Primary Focus of the RBERNs is to bring research-based practices in the areas identified above to districts/schools, as well as Charter and nonpublic schools, which have been identified by OBEWL as at risk of, or needing assistance or intervention to improve results for ELLs and to meet NLCB Title III Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAOs) as well as NCLB TItle I AYP. All technical assistance is focused on increasing student performance, reducing drop out rates and increasing graduation rates for all ELLs.
The Mission of the RBERNs is to develop and strengthen the skills, knowledge, and competencies of educators, parents and local communities, provide technical assistance, professional development and resource materials to support academic achievement of ELLs, and support NYSED’s commitment to higher standards for all students. In addition, the RBERN will serve to support the Commissioner’s Race to the Top initiatives and Regents Reform Agenda activities.
Directory
NYS Language RBERN (Statewide)
The NYS Statewide Language RBERN is funded by the New York State Education Department Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages to provide support for the education of English Language Learners (ELLs), and students of languages other than English. Districts and schools statewide are offered technical assistance, professional development, and resource materials, including information that strengthens the teaching and learning of students of English as a New Language, and students of languages other than English.
As part of the NYS Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network, the focus of the Language rbern is to promote high academic achievement for ELLs from various languages and cultural backgrounds. In order to support the commitment of the New York State Education Department to higher standards for all students through the Commissioner’s Regulations and the Regents Reform Agenda, the Language rbern aims to develop and strengthen the skills, knowledge, and competencies of educators, parents, and local communities.
New York University Metro Center
726 Broadway – 5th Floor
New York, New York 10003
Tel: (212) 998-5101
Fax: (212) 995-4199
Director: Ronald D. Woo
Email: nyslanguagerbern@gmail.com
Website: https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/metrocenter/language-rbern
NYS Language RBERN Overview Document
Regional RBERNS:
Capital District RBERN at Questar III BOCES
Serves the counties of Albany, Clinton, Columbia, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Montgomery, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, St. Lawrence, Warren and Washington. Services include:
- designing and conducting professional development for educators and administrators
- developing/facilitating local parent education institutes, activities
- facilitating opportunities for students to participate in the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute
Questar III BOCES
10 Empire State Boulevard
Castleton, New York 12033
Tel: (518) 477-8771
Fax: (518) 477-1335
Executive Director: Virginia Guglielmo-Brady
Email: virginia.brady@questar.org
Website: https://rbern.org/
Capital District RBERN Overview Document
Hudson Valley RBERN at SW BOCES
Under the direction of the NYS Education Department Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages (NYSED OBE-WL), the HV rbern provides support and technical assistance to English language learner (ELL) educators in 144 public school districts across the lower- and mid-Hudson region.
ELL services and support are also provided to charter schools, non-public schools and other organizations (universities, regional educational organizations, etc.) as well as for world language (WL) students within the State’s P-16 initiative.
450 Mamaroneck Avenue
Harrison, NY 10528
Tel: (914)345-8500
Executive Director: Carlos Sánchez
Email: csanchez@swboces.org
Website: https://www.hudsonvalleyrbern.org/
Hudson Valley RBERN Overview Document
Long Island RBERN at Eastern Suffolk BOCES
Eastern Suffolk BOCES administers the Long Island Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network (L.I. RBERN). The purpose of the L.I. RBERN (formerly known as BETAC) is to support districts and schools in promoting equity and excellence in the education of English Language Learners (ELLs) by providing high quality technical assistance, on-site consultation, and professional development.
The Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network (RBERN) is funded through a contract from the New York State Education Department, Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages, which allows the RBERN to provide services at no charge to school districts.
The L.I. RBERN catchment area now includes both Nassau and Suffolk Counties, and it serves all 125 public school districts on Long Island. To ensure greater accessibility to educators in both counties, we have established a Nassau Satellite Office that operates out of the Nassau BOCES site at its Lupinskie Center in Westbury. The main office of the L.I. RBERN remains located at the Eastern Suffolk BOCES site at its Sherwood Instructional Support Center in Holbrook.
379 Locust Ave
Oakdale, NY 11769
Tel: (631) 218-5175
Fax: (631) 240-8984
Executive Director: Christa Stevenson
E-mail: cstevens@esboces.org
Website: https://www.esboces.org/li-rbern
Long Island RBERN Overview Document
Mid-State RBERN at OCM BOCES
The Mid-State RBERN is part of the Instructional Support Services (ISS) at OCM BOCES and is funded by the New York State Education Department, Office of Bilingual Education, to provide services to schools and districts with English Language Learners in the following BOCES regions: Broome-Tioga, Cayuga-Onondaga, Jefferson-Lewis, Madison-Oneida, Oneida-Herkimer-Madison, Onondaga-Cortland-Madison, Oswego, Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga and Greater Southern Tier. Click here for Mid-state RBERN service Region.
Mid-State RBERN offers professional development and technical assistance services at no cost to districts. The Center provides services to schools that focus on research-based instructional practices that support academic achievement for English language learners. Training and technical assistance is done through regional events and embedded onsite in schools and districts for educators of ELLs, parents and administrators. Mid-State RBERN assists with ELL: program design and planning, policies and regulations, parent involvement, translation and interpretation referrals, resources, Title III & CR Part 154 requirements and the ELL Program Evaluation process. Special attention is given to SINI & DINI schools.
Mailing address: PO BOX 4754, Syracuse, NY 13221
Located at: 110 Elwood Davis Road, Liverpool, NY 13088
Tel: (315) 433-2664 or 2610
Fax: 315-431-8585
Executive Director: Tanya Rosado-Barringer
Email: tbarringer@ocmboces.org
Website: http://www.ocmboces.org/rbern
Mid-State RBERN Overview Document
Mid-West RBERN at Monroe 2 - Orleans BOCES
The Mid-West Regional Bilingual Resource Network is part of the NYS Education Department's network of support for schools. The goal of RBERN is to assist districts and schools in creating an educational environment for English Language Learners (ELLs) which engages everyone in meaningful teaching and learning.
RBERN works in partnership with the district office, school building administration, building staff, and other support networks to help schools close the gap in ELLs academic performance. RBERN expertise lies in research-based instruction and assessment of ELLs and the alignment of those practices with the Next Generation Learning Standards.
- Technical assistance and workshops on state and federal laws, regulations, policies, and funding
- Technical assistance on the design and enhancement of educational programs for ELLs
- Development and delivery of professional development on instruction and assessment practices that support academic achievement for ELLs
- Resources and supports for the education of ELLs
3599 Big Ridge Road
Spencerport, New York 14559
Tel: (585) 352-2790
Fax: (585) 352-2613
Executive Director: Dr. Sabrina Nudo
Email: MidwestRBERN@monroe2boces.org
Website: https://www.monroe2boces.org/mid-westrbern_home.aspx
Mid-West RBERN Overview Document
New York City RBERN at Fordham University
NYC RBERN staff supports numerous districts/schools in NYC with Title III Accountability and NYSED/OBEWL designated schools requiring assistance with their ELL population. School performance data for ELLs is used to create a collaborative plan to inform instructional practices and provide teacher and administrator supports.
We deliver transformative and progressive services to our schools in the form of coaching, mentoring, one on one meetings with Inquiry/Curriculum Teams focused on Quality Programs and Quality Instruction for ELLs supporting amended changes under CR Part 154. In addition, citywide regional professional development is offered to all NYC schools in working will ELL subgroups (SIFE, Long Term ELLs, and Newcomers, SWD’s) and all NYSED/OBE WL initiatives (Integrated ENL, Stand-alone and Bilingual programs).
441 E. Fordham Road, Bldg. 2536
Hughes Avenue (Off Campus)
Bronx, NY 10458
Tel: (718) 817-0606
Fax: (718) 817-0604
Executive Director: Diane Howitt
Email: howitt@fordham.edu
Website: https://www.fordham.edu/info/21065/nysnyc_regional_bilingual_education_resource_network
West Region RBERN at Erie I BOCES
The Regional Bilingual Education-Resource Network (RBERN) West is part of a statewide system of support funded by the NYSED, Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages (OBE-WL).
Our goal is to enhance the knowledge and competencies of educators, parents and community members for promoting the academic excellence of English language learners (ELLs).
We provide technical assistance, professional development and resources to districts and schools in following service region:
- Erie 1 BOCES;
- Erie 2 Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES;
- Cattaraugus-Allegany-Wyoming-Erie BOCES;
- Orleans-Niagara BOCES and;
- The City of Buffalo.
355 Harlem Road – Building C
West Seneca, New York 14224
Tel: (716) 821-7531
Fax: (716) 821-7556
Executive Director: Michael Duffy
Email: mjduffy@e1b.org
New York State Teacher Centers
New York State Resource and Computer Training Centers are the largest professional learning communities in New York State with more than 125 Teachers Centers located throughout the state, working with 675 public schools districts and nearly 1000 non-public and charter schools.
Teacher Centers are:
- operated locally, with regional and statewide network support.
- governed by policy boards composed of 51% teachers as well as representation from administrators, school board members, parents, higher education and business professionals.
- driven by local educator needs, including implementation support for NYS and federal education initiatives such as: APPR, CCSS and Data-driven instruction.
- dedicated to high quality, job-embedded and student-focused professional learning experiences
Updated 2/6/2024