Long Island University Launches Online Option for
Bilingual Teacher Certification in New York State
- Convenient, Web-based program responds to need for certified bilingual educators -

Westchester N.Y. – Responding to New York’s shortage of certified bilingual educators, Long Island University has launched a convenient online program that will prepare more teachers with an important professional credential. Developed collaboratively by teacher educators at the University’s Brooklyn Campus and Westchester Graduate Campus, the program recently won approval from the New York State Education Department.

Generous tuition support is available and the entire program can be completed online to earn the Bilingual Education Extension, say program co-coordinators, professors Nancy Lemberger and Helaine Marshall of the Brooklyn and Westchester campuses respectively.

"Busy professionals now can bolster their teaching credentials from the convenience of their homes or anywhere they have access to the Internet," noted Professor Marshall, adding, "If you are a qualified teacher, you can enroll at any time and work at your own pace, and you may be eligible for reduced tuition."

Long Island University and the state education department’s Intensive Teacher Institute (ITI) offer tuition assistance for eligible certified teachers who work full-time in a transitional bilingual education or dual language program and need their extension.

"The online program consists of five three-credit courses that lead to the certification required to teach students both in English and another language, such as Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Russian, or Haitian Creole," said Professor Lemberger, who stressed, "With LIU’s program, being online doesn’t mean being on your own. All students get personalized support from full-time faculty who are innovators and experts in their fields."

The state education department reports that the field of bilingual education has the greatest shortage of fully certified teachers, with 28 percent of these educators lacking the bilingual education extension.

To obtain tuition assistance, teachers must apply and be accepted to the ITI and pass the New York State Bilingual Education Assessment in the target language and in English.

For more program and application information, please contact, at Brooklyn, Ms. Jolli I. Brown, recruitment officer, at (718) 488-1380 or bkonlinebilingual@liu.edu or, at Westchester, Professor Marshall at (914) 831-2713 helaine.marshall@liu.edu.