October 16, 2026

Dual Language/Immersion Newsletter

The NCDPI DL/I Team is pleased to share these upcoming professional development (PD) and networking offerings, as well as opportunities, for Dual Language/Immersion (DL/I) educators that are included in this month's newsletter.

This edition features the following:

Professional Development & Networking

• NCDPI DL/I Leaders Meetings for 2026-2027

• WIDA Online Workshop: Instructional Planning for the Bilingual Classroom in Spanish

• NCDPI Language Education Webinar Series Information

  • World Languages

  • English Language Arts

  • English Language Development

• SALC All Things Immersion Webinar Series

• NCDPI Institute on Global Perspectives: Understanding the World, Engaging with Purpose

• 10th International Conference on Immersion and Dual Language Education

Opportunities for Educators & Students

• NCCAT Literacy Conversations

• ACTFL Classroom Microgrants for Language Educators

• NCDPI Office of Teaching & Learning Professional Learning Guide

If you or someone you know would like to subscribe to the DL/I Educators listserv, please go to the NCDPI Email Updates page and follow the steps to add your email address to any of the topics available.

Professional Development & Networking

NCDPI DL/I Leaders Meetings for 2026-2027

The DL/I in NC Committee is evolving! Starting this school year, we are transforming into the DL/I Leaders Meetings—a dynamic, statewide collaborative network open to all dual language/immersion (DL/I) practitioners across North Carolina.

Participants will:

• Receive policy updates and understand their direct impact on DL/I programs at the elementary, middle, and/or high school levels.

• Review and access high-quality materials, research, and resources to support program implementation and long-term growth.

• Collaborate, share solutions, and network with peers on the topics you need to talk about the most. Please note: this will take place during the final hour of each meeting as a virtual working lunch.

Dates & Registration

With over 300 DL/I programs driving success across North Carolina, leadership takes many forms. We have the virtual capacity to welcome at least three leaders from every single program (central office leaders, school administrators, and/or instructional leads).

Please click on the dates below to register for each meeting and receive a calendar invitation with your connection details for these Fridays from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm:

1. October 30, 2026

2. February 19, 2027

3. June 4, 2027

WIDA Online Workshop: Instructional Planning for the Bilingual Classroom in Spanish

Register by October 20

Join NCDPI's ML/Title III team for this WIDA Online Workshop: Planificación de la enseñanza en el contexto bilingüe. Through practical and interactive activities, participants will explore how to:

• Recognize and build upon bilingual students’ linguistic and cultural assets

• Create meaningful contexts for language use

• Intentionally plan for Spanish language development

• Integrate content, skills, and language development

• Identify key considerations for supporting emergent bilinguals

Webinars: November 2, November 16, and November 30, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm.

Audience: K–12 educators, administrators, and support staff in Spanish/English bilingual programs, including dual language/immersion (DL/I) and heritage language programs.

Note: The workshop will be offered primarily in Spanish, with resources available in both Spanish and English.

Participation is limited to 60 participants. Submit the interest form here, or access it using the button below, by Tuesday, October 20.

WIDA Online Workshop Interest Form

NCDPI World Language Webinar Series

Join us for the 2026-2027 World Languages Standard Course of Study (SCOS) Webinar Series: Teaching and Assessing for Proficiency! This series provides practical strategies that bring the new standards to life in your classroom and build real-world proficiency for your students.

Each session features the SCOS toolkit resources like the Unpacking’s “In the Classroom” examples, along with national tools such as the NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements and Guiding Principles for Language Learning. We’ll dive deep into the interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational modes of communication, showing you how to weave in literacy, interdisciplinary, intercultural, and community connections from the strands. Best of all, you’ll focus on how to adapt and implement Integrated Performance Assessments (IPAs) tailored to your K-12 program(s), language(s), and course(s).

Dates & Registration

The 2026-2027 World Languages SCOS Webinar Series will be held on the following Wednesdays at 3:45 - 5:15 pm. Register for each session using the links below or via the webinar series brochure.

1. Using Integrated Performance Assessments - Asynchronous

2. Strengthening the Interdisciplinary & Literacy Connections Strand - November 4

3. Supporting the Intercultural & Communities Connections Strand - February 3

4. Providing Effective Feedback with Performance Assessment Rubrics - April 7

Certificates & Badge

Your professional growth is important to us! All participants at the live broadcasts will receive a Certificate of Attendance. If your schedule is full, don’t worry—recordings and activities will be posted with an asynchronous option, like the one above for Using Integrated Performance Assessments, so you can still earn credit on your own time

Educators who participate in at least three of the four sessions, synchronously or asynchronously, will earn the Teaching and Assessing for Proficiency Completer Badge!

NCDPI English Language Arts Webinar Series

Join the NCDPI ELA Team throughout the 2026-27 school year for an exciting webinar series focused on the newly adopted 2026 English Language Arts Standard Course of Study! Each session in this series will spotlight a specific strand of the standards, providing educators with the opportunity to deepen their understanding and prepare for successful implementation beginning in the 2027–28 school year.

During each webinar, participants will:

• Gain an overview of the featured strand, including its purpose, structure, and design.

• Explore key resources and unpacking documents to build a deeper understanding of the standards and objectives within that strand.

• Reflect on the instructional shifts needed to support effective teaching and learning aligned to the new standards.

Dates and Registration | Register for each session using the links below or via the promotional flyer.

• Webinar 1: Complex Text Strand, Asynchronous

• Webinar 2: Foundational Skills Substrand, November 12, 2026 | 3:30 - 5:00 PM

• Webinar 3: Comprehension Development Strand, January 20, 2027 | 3:30 - 5:00 PM

• Webinar 4: Communication and Writing Strand, April 22, 2027 | 3:30 - 5:00 PM

ML/Title III Webinar Series

The ML/Title III team is offering a PD Series, Unpacking Language Demands in Content Standards, to deepen understanding of language development and its role in content-area instruction for multilingual learners (MLs). Participants will explore connections between language and academic standards, analyze language demands in classroom tasks, and develop collaborative planning and instructional strategies. This series supports Principle #2: Strengthen Core Instruction, Priority 1 Key Action for the Classroom in the ML/Title III Strategic Framework. 

The second webinar in the series will take place on December 2 from 3:30 to 5:00 pm, How Language Functions within the Content Area Classroom. Discover how language drives learning across content areas. In this interactive session, educators will examine how students use language to engage in academic tasks, demonstrate understanding, and participate meaningfully in instruction. Participants will explore the NC ELD Standard Course of Study Key Language Uses—Narrate, Inform, Explain, and Argue—and apply WIDA language features at the discourse, sentence, and word/phrase levels to identify and support the language demands of classroom instruction.

Register for upcoming webinars using the links below or via the webinar series brochure.

• How Language Functions within the Content Area Classroom, December 2, 2026 | 3:30 - 5:00 PM

• Unpacking Language in Content Area Standards, February 10, 2027 | 3:30 - 5:00 PM

• Co-planning and Co-teaching Aligned Instruction for ML Success, April 14, 2027 | 3:30 - 5:00 PM

If you missed the first session on second language acquisition, the recording and presentation slides are now available in the ML/Title III Team's companion resource for the 2026-27 ML/Title III Webinar Series.

SALC All Things Immersion Webinar Series

The Southern Atlantic Language Collaborative (SALC) team, representing Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia, is offering the 2026-2027 All Things Immersion (ATI) Webinar Series for both program leaders and classroom instructors.

Note: SALC’s ATI webinar series are provided for free but registration is required. 

Leadership Strand

The ATI Leadership Strand is a monthly professional learning series for DL/I program leaders and administrators. Sessions will be held on the third Tuesday of each month during the school year, except in November and March, from 10:00 - 11:00 am Eastern Time. The series will continue on October 20.

Each monthly session will feature a specific focus topic, along with time for questions and discussion. The series is open to DL/I leaders and administrators from the Southern Atlantic Language Collaborative (SALC) region: Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.  

Register once and attend any session. Topics and presenters will be shared as they are confirmed, and attendees will receive a Certificate of Participation from the Virginia Department of Education.

Instructional Strand

The ATI Instructional Strand aims to provide teachers with a platform to explore and engage in best practices related to immersion education. Educators from North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia will facilitate sessions on all matters that positively impact teaching and learning in a dual language/immersion (DL/I) classroom. 

Please go to the 2026-2027 ATI Webinar Series for Educators form and check all the sessions you plan to attend. You will receive a Zoom link invitation via email approximately one week before the sessions you have selected, so be sure to save these Tuesdays from 4:30-5:30 pm on your calendar.

• October 27: Aligning Language Goals with Content Goals in DL/I

• November 17: Embedding Cultural Content in the DL/I Classroom

• January 26: The Acquisition of Language and Vocabulary in DL/I

• February 23: DL/I at the High School Level

• March 23: Data Conversations that Drive Language Content Growth in DL/I

Note: Dates and topics may be subject to change.

Attendees will receive a Certificate of Participation for renewal credit from the South Carolina Department of Education upon completion of a survey at the end of each session.

NCDPI Institute on Global Perspectives: Understanding the World, Engaging with Purpose

Celebrate International Education Week 2026 with NCDPI’s Global Education Steering Committee at the 2026 Institute on Global Perspectives: Understanding the World, Engaging with Purpose! This in-person professional learning experience will bring K-12 educators together for interactive sessions, inspiring ideas, practical resources, and meaningful collaboration.

Participants will explore ways to:

• Incorporate global perspectives across grade levels and content areas.

• Help students examine global issues and understand multiple perspectives.

• Build connections among classrooms, cultures, communities, and the wider world.

• Strengthen students’ curiosity, communication, critical thinking, and capacity for informed action.

ALL K-12 educators across the state, regardless of content area or grade level, are welcome to engage in global learning. Teachers and educators with a current North Carolina educator's license will receive Professional Development Hours or Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for their participation.

Reserve your seat soon by submitting the online form or accessing it using the QR code below in the flyer.

10th International Conference on Immersion and Dual Language Education

Registration for the 10th International Conference on Immersion and Dual Language (ImDL) Education is now open! Join educators, researchers, and advocates from across the globe to explore the future of ImDL education. Engage in rich discussions, share research and classroom strategies, and build lasting connections at this milestone event, which is an in-person conference in Reston, Virginia near Washington, DC, on March 16 - 19, 2027.

Early bird discounts are available through December 16, 2026, and there are full conference and single day rates available. There are also options to add pre-conference workshops on March 17 or a school site visit on March 16 where you can see the following ImDL language programs:

• American Sign Language, Chinese (Mandarin) & Spanish (combined visit)

• Chinese (Mandarin)

• French

• German

• Hebrew

• Japanese

• Korean

• Spanish

Please use the links above or the QR code on the flyer below to access additional details.

Looking for additional PD options?

Please see FLANC's K-20 Professional Development page for details about conferences, courses, events, webinars, etc. available from various organizations that serve many languages and/or types of programs, including DL/I. FLANC's PD page is continuously updated and, as you scroll through the list, you will find offerings available in the coming weeks and months.

Opportunities for Educators & Students

NCCAT Literacy Conversations

Dear Teachers, Instructional Coaches, Professors, and School Leaders:

We know how packed your days are and how exhausting "one more initiative" can sound. That is precisely why we created NCCAT Literacy Conversations: a series designed not to take your time, but to give you immediate, high-yield solutions to your biggest classroom challenges.

Whether you are a teacher looking for fresh strategies, a coach seeking expert-backed resources, or an administrator building a culture of strong literacy instruction, these 45-minute virtual sessions are built to give you a maximum return on your time.

Why Join the Conversation?

• Direct Access to Top Authors: Don't just read articles from Edutopia, NCTE, ASCD, ILA, and MiddleWeb—ask the authors your burning questions live.

• Instant, Low-Prep Tools: Walk away with zero-prep writing tasks, ethical AI frameworks, and critical reading techniques you can use the very next morning.

• Free Instructional Hours: Earn professional development credits in an accessible, bite-sized format that fits into your after-school window (4:00–4:45 PM EST). One hour credit for each session you attend. 

2026–2027 Statewide Session Lineup

Fall & Winter Sessions

• Nov 5, 2026 | Jason DeHart, Ph.D. (Edutopia): Pairing Images and Text for Critical Analysis

• Dec 3, 2026 | Dr. Barbara Wissink (ILA Literacy Today): Playful and Purposeful Word Study

• Jan 7, 2027 | Caitlin MacLeod-Bluver (ISTE+ASCD EL Magazine): Hard Texts, High Stakes: How to Improve High School Reading

• Feb 4, 2027 | Kasey Short (Edutopia): Using Multigenre Picture Books in Middle School

Spring Sessions

• Mar 4, 2027 | Debbie Tannenbaum (ISTE+ASCD EL Magazine): Using AI to Scaffold Literacy for Students with Autism

• Apr 1, 2027 | Brett Vogelsinger (MiddleWeb): Sharpen AI Skills While Kids Learn New Words

• May 6, 2027 | Dr. Tarcia Gilliam Parrish (ILA Literacy Today): Invisible Work, Visible Impact: How Classroom Management Drives Literacy Achievement

Reserve Your Seat Today

Invest 45 minutes in your professional practice and join a statewide community committed to real, practical growth.

Read the featured articles and register for the NCCAT Literacy Conversations in one place! 

Coaches & Leaders: We encourage you to post these Printable Staff Room Flyers to share the opportunity with your teams.

ACTFL Classroom Microgrants for Language Educators

ACTFL has partnered with Vista on the Classroom Microgrants for Language Educators Program, which is awarding 100 microgrants in the 2026 - 2027 school year. Application deadlines for the three funding cycles are below: 

• November 12, 2026

• February 4, 2027

• April 22, 2027

This program is open to all K-12 language educators regardless of setting. Eligible individuals may apply for grants of $300 to fund a variety of projects, including:

• Organizing cultural events or activities for their learners, including those in collaboration with relevant community organizations; and

• Creating projects that support various perspectives and provide opportunities to develop cultural competence.

Information about the application requirements and process, examples of successful applications, and the form to submit are posted on ACTFL's Classroom Microgrants page.

NCDPI Office of Teaching & Learning Professional Learning Guide

The NCDPI Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL) provides leadership and support for the review, revision, installation, and implementation of the NC Standard Course of Study, which includes resources and professional learning for providing high-quality, standards-aligned instruction for every K–12 student.

The 2026-2027 Office of Teaching & Learning Professional Learning Guide provides a central location for accessing statewide professional learning opportunities and newly released resources for 2026 - 2027. Educators can explore professional learning offered by each content-area team, find team contact information, and connect directly to each content area’s primary resource repository. Use the guide throughout the year to stay informed about available learning opportunities!

Wanting to find more opportunities for language educators and students?

Please see FLANC's K-20 Opportunities for Students and Educators page for details about awards, calls for proposals, grants, scholarships, etc. from various groups that support language educators, students, programs, and organizations. FLANC's Opportunities page is continuously updated in chronological order by due date, and you can scroll through the list to see what's available.

Connect with the NCDPI DL/I Team

Email the NCDPI DL/I Team at NCDLI@dpi.nc.gov

Go to NCDPI DL/I on the Internet at go.ncdpi.gov/NCDLIwebpage

See the NC DL/I Program Directory at go.ncdpi.gov/NCDLIdirectory

Follow us on Facebook as NCDPI Dual Language/Immersion

Find us on Instagram @NCDL_I

World Language Education News

North Carolina Public Schools sent this bulletin at 10/14/2026 07:30 AM EDT

October 14, 2026

World Languages Newsletter

The NCDPI World Languages Team supports the implementation of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study (SCOS) for World Languages and its toolkit in all K-12 classrooms. Please take a look at the upcoming professional development (PD) offerings, as well as opportunities, that are included in this month's newsletter.

This edition features the following:

Professional Development

• NCDPI World Languages Webinar Series

• ASLTA Webinar Series

• WIDA Online Workshop: Instructional Planning for the Bilingual Classroom in Spanish

• Villa Albertine Online Workshops with the Alliances Françaises

• SALC All Things Immersion Webinar Series

• NCDPI Institute on Global Perspectives: Understanding the World, Engaging with Purpose

Opportunities for Educators & Programs

• ACTFL Classroom Microgrants for Language Educators

• ASLTA College Scholarships & Teacher Mini-Grant Applications

• NCDPI Global Recognitions Webinars

• NCDPI Office of Teaching & Learning Professional Learning Guide

Professional Development

NCDPI World Languages Webinar Series

The 2026-2027 World Languages Standard Course of Study (SCOS) Webinar Series: Teaching and Assessing for Proficiency is underway. This series provides practical strategies that bring the new standards to life in your classroom and build real-world proficiency for your students.

Each session features the SCOS toolkit resources like the Unpacking’s “In the Classroom” examples, along with national tools such as the NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements and Guiding Principles for Language Learning. We dive deep into the interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational modes of communication, showing you how to weave in literacy, interdisciplinary, intercultural, and community connections from the strands. Best of all, you’ll focus on how to adapt and implement Integrated Performance Assessments (IPAs) tailored to your K-12 program(s), language(s), and course(s).

Dates & Registration

The 2026-2027 World Languages SCOS Webinar Series will be held on the following Wednesdays at 3:45 - 5:15 pm. Register for each session using the links below or via the webinar series brochure, which is also pictured in this article.

1. Using Integrated Performance Assessments - Asynchronous

2. Strengthening the Interdisciplinary & Literacy Connections Strand - November 4

3. Supporting the Intercultural & Communities Connections Strand - February 3

4. Providing Effective Feedback with Performance Assessment Rubrics - April 7

Certificates & Badge

Your professional growth is important to us! All participants at the live broadcasts will receive a Certificate of Attendance. If your schedule is full, don’t worry—recordings and activities will be posted with an asynchronous option, like the one above for Using Integrated Performance Assessments, so you can still earn credit on your own time. 

Educators who participate in at least three of the four sessions, synchronously or asynchronously, will earn the Teaching and Assessing for Proficiency Completer Badge!

ASLTA Webinar Series

The American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA) is offering several webinars this fall featuring presenters from across the ASL field. The broadcasts are from 1:00 - 3:00 pm Eastern on the following days with these topics:

• October 17: Why Do L2 Learners Struggle to Remember?

• November 7: Changing the Way We Connect: Deaf People and Telecommunications

• December 5: Building Professional Work Esteem

Please go to the ASLTA Webinars page for additional details and registration.

Instructional Planning for the Bilingual Classroom in Spanish

Register by October 20

Join NCDPI's ML/Title III team for this WIDA Online Workshop: Planificación de la enseñanza en el contexto bilingüe. Through practical and interactive activities, participants will explore how to:

• Recognize and build upon bilingual students’ linguistic and cultural assets

• Create meaningful contexts for language use

• Intentionally plan for Spanish language development

• Integrate content, skills, and language development

• Identify key considerations for supporting emergent bilinguals

Webinars: November 2, November 16, and November 30, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm.

Audience: K–12 educators, administrators, and support staff in Spanish/English bilingual programs, including dual language/immersion (DL/I) and heritage language programs.

Note: The workshop will be offered primarily in Spanish, with resources available in both Spanish and English.

Participation is limited to 60 participants. Submit the interest form here, or access it using the button below, by Tuesday, October 20.

WIDA Online Workshop Interest Form

Villa Albertine Online Workshops

Villa Albertine, the French Institute for Culture and Education, is a division of the French Embassy in the United States, and they are collaborating with the Alliances Françaises d'Amérique du Nord to provide online professional workshops. These free sessions provide practical tools and resources to engage and motivate students learning French while supporting professional growth.

Upcoming sessions, like those below, are posted on the Villa Albertine Online Teacher Workshops page and include registration links.

• October 30: Évaluer en ligne

• November 6: Utiliser la démarche qualité – versant pédagogique

• December 3 - 4: Enseigner aux seniors

Participants will receive (upon request) a certification of participation for the professional development program. Participation in each session in full is required to receive a Certificate of Completion.

All Things Immersion Webinar Series

The Southern Atlantic Language Collaborative (SALC) team, representing Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia, is offering the 2026-2027 All Things Immersion (ATI) Webinar Series for both classroom instructors and program leaders.

Note: SALC’s ATI webinar series are provided for free but registration is required. 

Instructional Strand

The ATI Instructional Strand aims to provide teachers with a platform to explore and engage in best practices related to immersion education. Educators from North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia will facilitate sessions on all matters that positively impact teaching and learning in a dual language/immersion (DL/I) classroom. 

Please go to the 2026-2027 ATI Webinar Series for Educators form and check all the sessions you plan to attend. You will receive a Zoom link invitation via email approximately one week before the sessions you have selected, so be sure to save these Tuesdays from 4:30-5:30 pm on your calendar.

• October 27: Aligning Language Goals with Content Goals in DL/I

• November 17: Embedding Cultural Content in the DL/I Classroom

• January 26: The Acquisition of Language and Vocabulary in DL/I

• February 23: DL/I at the High School Level

• March 23: Data Conversations that Drive Language Content Growth in DL/I

Note: Dates and topics may be subject to change.

Attendees will receive a Certificate of Participation for renewal credit from the South Carolina Department of Education upon completion of a survey at the end of each session.

Leadership Strand

The ATI Leadership Strand is a monthly professional learning series for DL/I program leaders and administrators. Sessions will be held on the third Tuesday of each month during the school year, except in November and March, from 10:00 - 11:00 am Eastern Time. The series will continue on October 20.

Each monthly session will feature a specific focus topic, along with time for open questions and discussion. The series is open to DL/I leaders and administrators from the Southern Atlantic Language Collaborative (SALC) region: Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.  

Register once and attend any session. Topics and presenters will be shared as they are confirmed, and attendees will receive a Certificate of Participation from the Virginia Department of Education.

NCDPI Institute on Global Perspectives: Understanding the World, Engaging with Purpose

Celebrate International Education Week 2026 with NCDPI’s Global Education Steering Committee at the 2026 Institute on Global Perspectives: Understanding the World, Engaging with Purpose! This in-person professional learning experience will bring K-12 educators together for interactive sessions, inspiring ideas, practical resources, and meaningful collaboration.

Participants will explore ways to:

• Incorporate global perspectives across grade levels and content areas.

• Help students examine global issues and understand multiple perspectives.

• Build connections among classrooms, cultures, communities, and the wider world.

• Strengthen students’ curiosity, communication, critical thinking, and capacity for informed action.

ALL K-12 educators across the state, regardless of content area or grade level, are welcome to engage in global learning. Teachers and educators with a current North Carolina educator's license will receive Professional Development Hours or Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for their participation.

Reserve your seat soon by submitting the online form or accessing it using the QR code below in the flyer.

Looking for additional PD options?

Please see FLANC's K-20 Professional Development page for details about conferences, courses, events, webinars, etc. available from various organizations that serve many World Languages and/or types of programs, including DL/I. FLANC's PD page is continuously updated and, as you scroll through the list, you will find offerings available in the coming weeks and months.

Opportunities for Educators & Programs

ACTFL Classroom Microgrants for Language Educators

ACTFL has partnered with Vista on the Classroom Microgrants for Language Educators Program, which is awarding 100 microgrants in the 2026 - 2027 school year. Application deadlines for the three funding cycles are below: 

• November 12, 2026

• February 4, 2027

• April 22, 2027

This program is open to all K-12 language educators regardless of setting. Eligible individuals may apply for grants of $300 to fund a variety of projects, including:

• Organizing cultural events or activities for their learners, including those in collaboration with relevant community organizations; and

• Creating projects that support various perspectives and provide opportunities to develop cultural competence.

Information about the application requirements and process, examples of successful applications, and the form to submit are posted on ACTFL's Classroom Microgrants page.

ASLTA College Scholarships & Teacher Mini-Grant Applications

The American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA) and the American Sign Language Honor Society (ASLHS) celebrate academic excellence and dedication to American Sign Language by offering opportunities for members to pursue their educational and professional goals with scholarships and classroom grants.

ASL Student Scholarships

The ASLHS and ASLTA sponsor nationwide scholarships for high school seniors entering college in the fall and for current college/university students majoring or minoring in American Sign Language (ASL), Deaf Culture/Studies, Deaf Education, or ASL/English Interpreting. Deaf students are also encouraged to apply, regardless of their major. Applicants must be members of an active ASLHS chapter on their school campus.

For the 2026 - 2027 academic year, two $1,000 scholarships will be awarded in memory of Dr. Nathie Marbury, a valued member of the ASL community. Please see the Scholarship Application Packets, with deadlines noted below, posted on the ASLHS Scholarships & Grants page.

• November 20, 2026 - ASL College Scholarship applications due

• March 27, 2027 - ASL High School Scholarship applications due

ASL Teacher Mini-Grants

The ASLTA and ASLHS will provide up to $500 in ASL Teacher Mini-Grants for the 2026-2027 academic year. To qualify, teachers must have an active ASLHS chapter at their institution and current ASLTA and ASLHS memberships.

These Mini-Grants can help teachers fund exceptional ASL education and Deaf cultural experiences. Examples include hosting a Deaf community ASL storytelling event, inviting a guest speaker, purchasing DVDs, video equipment, or ASL curriculum, supporting student participation in Deaf community events, or buying supplies for Deaf Awareness Week activities.

Additional details and the online application form for the ASL Teacher Mini-Grants are posted on the ASLHS Scholarships & Grants page, and the application deadline is November 20, 2026.

NCDPI Global Recognitions Webinars

Is your school working toward becoming a Global Ready School? Are you an educator interested in earning the Global Educator Digital Badge?

The NC Global Education Steering Committee is offering two upcoming webinars designed to help schools and educators navigate these recognition opportunities. Join us to learn more about the requirements, explore the tools and resources available to support your journey, and walk through the process from start to submission.

Global Ready Schools Designation Process

Register for December 1, 2026 | 10:00 - 11:00 am

Learn about the process for earning the Global Ready Schools designation. Participants will explore the Global Ready Schools rubric and receive a guided walk-through of the submission process.

Global Educator Digital Badge Process

Register for February 2, 2027 | 4:00 - 5:00 pm

Learn about the process for earning the Global Educator Digital Badge. Participants will explore the global crosswalk connecting professional teaching standards, global competencies, and Portrait of a Graduate skills and walk through the process for earning the required micro-credentials and digital badge.

Whether you're supporting global education across a school or strengthening your own global teaching practice, these webinars can help you take the next step in your global education journey.

NCDPI Office of Teaching & Learning Professional Learning Guide

The NCDPI Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL) provides leadership and support for the review, revision, installation, and implementation of the NC Standard Course of Study, which includes resources and professional learning for providing high-quality, standards-aligned instruction for every K–12 student.

The 2026-2027 Office of Teaching & Learning Professional Learning Guide provides a central location for accessing statewide professional learning opportunities and newly released resources for 2026 - 2027. Educators can explore professional learning offered by each content-area team, find team contact information, and connect directly to each content area’s primary resource repository. Use the guide throughout the year to stay informed about available learning opportunities!

Wanting to find more opportunities for language educators?

Please see FLANC's K-20 Opportunities for Students and Educators page for details about awards, calls for proposals, grants, scholarships, etc. from various groups that support World Language educators, students, programs, and organizations. FLANC's Opportunities page is continuously updated in chronological order by due date, and you can scroll through the list to see what's available.

Connect with NCDPI World Languages

Dr. Ann Marie Gunter, K-12 World Languages Consultant

Find a date and time to meet using the online scheduler: go.ncdpi.gov/ConnectWL
Options are available from late October through mid November

Go to the World Languages Resources Hub: go.ncdpi.gov/WLresources

Follow us on Facebook as NCDPI World Languages

Find us on Instagram @NCDPI_WORLDLANG

The links on this page will bring you to third party websites, owned and operated by independent parties over which NCDPI has no control. Any link you make to or from these 3rd Party Websites will be at your own risk. Any use of these 3rd Party Websites and any information you provide will be subject to and governed by the terms of the 3rd Party Website, including those relating to confidentiality, data privacy, and security.

Unless otherwise expressly agreed in writing, NCDPI is not in any way associated with the owner or operator of any of the 3rd Party Websites or responsible or liable for the goods and services offered by them or for anything in connection with such 3rd Party Websites. NCDPI does not endorse and makes no warranties, representations or undertakings relating to the content of any 3rd Party Website.

eptember 8, 2026

Bonus Dual Language/Immersion and World Languages Bulletin

The NCDPI DL/I Team and the NCDPI World Languages Team would like to share this bonus bulletin with these upcoming professional development (PD) and networking offerings, as well as two new grant opportunities.

• NCDPI World Languages Webinar Series begins at 3:45 pm on Wednesday, September 9 

• 10th International Conference on DL/I Proposals are due Friday, September 11

• New NCDPI Grant Programs

  • Competitive Speech and Debate Grant Applications are due September 19

  • NC Competency-Based Education Innovation Grant Applications

  • If you or someone you know would like to subscribe to the NCDPI listserv(s), please go to the NCDPI Email Updates page and follow the steps to add your email address to any of the topics available.

NCDPI World Language Webinar Series

Begins this Wednesday, September 9

Join us for the 2026-2027 World Languages Standard Course of Study (SCOS) Webinar Series: Teaching and Assessing for Proficiency! This series provides practical strategies that bring the new standards to life in your classroom and build real-world proficiency for your students.

Each session features the SCOS toolkit resources like the Unpacking’s “In the Classroom” examples, along with national tools such as the NCSSFL-ACTFL Can-Do Statements and Guiding Principles for Language Learning. We’ll dive deep into the interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational modes of communication, showing you how to weave in literacy, interdisciplinary, intercultural, and community connections from the strands. Best of all, you’ll focus on how to adapt and implement Integrated Performance Assessments (IPAs) tailored to your K-12 program(s), language(s), and course(s).

Dates & Registration

The 2026-2027 World Languages SCOS Webinar Series will be held on the following Wednesdays at 3:45 - 5:15 pm. Register for each session using the links below or via the webinar series brochure.

1. Using Integrated Performance Assessments - September 9

2. Strengthening the Interdisciplinary & Literacy Connections Strand - November 4

3. Supporting the Intercultural & Communities Connections Strand - February 3

4. Providing Effective Feedback with Performance Assessment Rubrics - April 7

Certificates & Badge

Your professional growth is important to us! All participants at the live broadcasts will receive a Certificate of Attendance. If your schedule is full, don’t worry—recordings and activities will be posted with an asynchronous option available so you can still earn credit on your own time. 

Educators who participate in at least three of the four sessions, synchronously or asynchronously, will earn the Teaching and Assessing for Proficiency Completer Badge!

10th International Conference on Immersion and Dual Language Education

Proposals due this Friday, September 11

Dual Language/Immersion (DL/I) educators are invited to submit a session proposal by September 11, 2026, for the 10th International Conference on Immersion & Dual Language Education—a signature gathering for educators and researchers committed to advancing multilingual learning.

Join educators, researchers, and advocates from around the globe to explore the future of immersion and dual language education. Engage in rich discussions, share research and classroom strategies, and build lasting connections at this milestone event.

Additional details and the submission form are at dli-alliance.org/event/global27/, including information about the four topic strands and the various Fresh Take presentation types listed below.

• 50 minute sessions:

  • Ignite Sessions sharing innovative practices, applied research, or transferable ideas and examples.

  • Deep Dives exploring a case study, research, or best practice via in-depth discussion or modeling.

  • Peer Connections facilitating conversations around shared challenges amongst job-alike peers.

• 30 minute sessions:

  • Brain Bursts troubleshooting a problem of practice through collaborative analysis.

  • Vision Sparks imagining a bold future with “What if…” scenarios that challenge current assumptions.

  • 2026–2027 Competitive Speech and Debate Grant Program

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction is pleased to announce the 2026–2027 Competitive Speech and Debate Grant Program, a new funding opportunity designed to help North Carolina public schools develop, maintain, or expand educational and competitive speech and debate teams for students in grades 9–12.

Grant Opportunity at a Glance

Who is eligible? Any North Carolina public school unit (PSU) that includes a high school serving students in grades 9–12 may apply.

How much funding is available? A total of $250,000 in nonrecurring funding is available statewide for the 2026–2027 school year. NCDPI may award up to $10,000 per participating high school team.

What can grant funds support? Grant funds may be used for:

• Coach stipends, including up to $2,500 for one lead coach and $1,500 for one assistant coach

• Fees associated with participation in speech and debate leagues or competitions

• Travel to and from speech and debate competitions

What are the program requirements? Teams receiving grant funds must participate in both the Tarheel Forensic League and the National Speech and Debate Association.

What will be prioritized? Funding will be awarded through a competitive process, with consideration given to applications that support access, broad geographic representation, economically disadvantaged student populations, and a clear plan for measuring the program's impact on academic achievement and other student outcomes.

Important Dates

Application Deadline: September 19, 2026, by 5:00 p.m. ET
Anticipated Award Notification: No later than October 31, 2026

PSUs will submit one application on behalf of participating high schools. The application will be submitted through the Google Form provided to PSU leaders.

We encourage interested PSUs to review the Competitive Speech and Debate Grant Program Guidance & Planning Document carefully before applying. The document includes eligibility requirements, allowable uses of funds, application guidance, evaluation rubrics, budget requirements, and other information to support the development of a competitive proposal.

Important Links

• Guidance & Planning Document

• Application (complete, PDF, and submit via Google Form)

• Google Form for submission

This grant provides an exciting opportunity to expand student access to speech and debate experiences that strengthen communication, engagement, academic learning, and student voice.

Questions about this grant can be directed to Dr. Kristi Day at Kristi.Day@dpi.nc.gov and details are posted in the Grants section on the Office of Teaching and Learning page.

NC Competency-Based Education Innovation Grant Program

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction is pleased to announce the North Carolina Competency-Based Education (CBE) Innovation Grant Program, a new multi-year opportunity designed to support schools ready to reimagine teaching, learning, and assessment through competency-based education.

Through this competitive grant program, 10 North Carolina schools will be selected to receive $330,000 each to support the planning and implementation of competency-based education models.

About the Opportunity

The CBE Innovation Grant Program is designed to support schools and districts in transitioning to educational models that focus on mastery of learning rather than instructional time. Participating schools will explore innovative approaches that provide students with more personalized learning pathways, flexible opportunities to demonstrate mastery, and rigorous learning experiences grounded in the North Carolina Standard Course of Study.

The initiative will focus on four key areas:

• Redesigning learning pathways to support personalized learning and flexible student progression

• Innovating assessment practices, including formative and performance-based approaches that measure student mastery

• Building educator capacity through sustained professional learning and implementation support

• Developing strategies and promising practices that can inform the expansion of competency-based education across North Carolina

Funding

NCDPI will award grants to 10 participating schools, with each selected school receiving $330,000 over the life of the program.

Participating schools will use $95,000 each applicable school year for training on the implementation of competency-based education. Remaining grant funds may support costs associated with the transition to CBE, including travel and competency-based education resources.

Who May Apply?

The grant program is open to all North Carolina public school units.

NCDPI will prioritize schools that demonstrate a strong commitment to competency-based education and assessment innovation and show readiness to undertake this significant instructional transformation.

Program Timeline

The initiative is a multi-year commitment.

2026–2027: Planning and preparation
2027–2028: Implementation begins
2028–2030: Continued implementation, learning, evaluation, and refinement
June 30, 2030: Grant funding and services conclude

Selected schools will participate in professional learning, technical assistance, collaborative learning opportunities, monitoring, evaluation, and quarterly progress reporting throughout the initiative.

Important Application Dates

Application Deadline: October 18, 2026, by 5:00 p.m.
Tentative State Board of Education Approval: December 2026

Interested PSUs are strongly encouraged to review the North Carolina Competency-Based Education Initiative Guidance & Planning Document and application materials carefully before beginning a proposal.

Important Links

• Guidance & Planning Document

• Application (complete, PDF, and submit via Google Form)

• Google Form for submission

This opportunity is intended for schools ready to engage in meaningful, sustained work to rethink how students experience learning, demonstrate mastery, and progress toward rigorous academic expectations.

Questions about this grant can be directed to Dr. Kristi Day at Kristi.Day@dpi.nc.gov and details are posted at the bottom of the Grants section on the Office of Teaching and Learning page.

Connect with the NCDPI DL/I and World Languages Teams

Email the NCDPI DL/I Team at NCDLI@dpi.nc.gov

Go to NCDPI DL/I on the Internet at go.ncdpi.gov/NCDLIwebpage

See the NC DL/I Program Directory at go.ncdpi.gov/NCDLIdirectory

Email Dr. Ann Marie Gunter, K-12 World Languages Consultant

Go to the World Languages Resources Hub: go.ncdpi.gov/WLresources

See the NCDPI World Languages Networking page at go.ncdpi.gov/WLnetworking