Community-Based Heritage Language Schools (CBHL)
Languages:
Portuguese
Independent non-profit school
ABRACE INC.
McLean, Virginia 22102
Portuguese as a heritage language, Brazilian education, cultural and social integration Institute Background
ABRACE, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization that strives to preserve and promote Brazilian education and cultural and social integration in the Brazilian community with the aim of strengthening its identity within the United States. ABRACE’s cultural and educational initiatives link Brazil and the US – forming a stronger, more participatory community that takes pride in its heritage. The children’s program teaches Brazilian language, history, customs, theatre and much more. ABRACE hosts an annual cultural fair, educational seminars for families, and professional development courses for Portuguese language instructors. ABRACE’s administration is open to the participation of volunteers in various areas and activities, as well as contracting professionals as a service providers or consultants.
- Access
- Excellence
Improve Access for all learners in more languages
Percentage of types Students
Heritage Language Learners 95%
Multilingual Learners 5%
Learners who speak a language that is linguistically related to the target language %
Learners who speak a language that is culturally (but not linguistically) related to the target language %
Types of language learners are enrolled
- Heritage language learners (second generation or more)
- Recent immigrants
- Latino/Latina/Latinx learners
Programs available in your school
- Classes with age-appropriate instruction for different age groups
What additional activities do you implement at your school to attract and maintain enrollment of students in different groups
Open library with more than 1500 books available, Book fairs, Cultural fairs, cultural events open to the community.
Main reasons students attend your school
- To connect with their heritage in a meaningful way
- To gain literacy in the language, in addition to oral communication skills
- To communicate with relatives in the home country
- To communicate with relatives or others in the language community in the U.S.
- To learn and use a language that is not offered in high school
- To earn credits for high school or university studies in the U.S.
- To gain bilingual proficiency for future professional use
Do you offer different pathways of study and engagement to align with the interests and goals of the learners in your school?
no
How does your school strive to provide incentives for students to enroll in the language programs?
- Community and/or parent outreach
- Community functions (e.g. culture events, clubs, etc.)
- Business partnerships (hiring, discounts, etc?)
Percent of the students attend your school remotely
Students who live in same area...........98 %
Students who live in different area...........2%
Different types of classes meet the needs of students
A strong team of educators meet regularly to plan, implement and evaluate the activities and the performance of students
Types of instructional formats your school offer
- In-person
How the instructional formats available at your school enable learners from different geographical areas and other distance-related constraints to receive instruction
Virtual classes using Zoom platform, Story-telling videos posted on our social media
Please describe other ways in which your school excels with respect to this factor.
Working with different cultural, arts and educational non-profits in providing other learning opportunities.
What are the main sources of financial support for your school
- Tuition
- Private donations from individuals
- Private donations from businesses
- Fundraising events
Does your school offer financial assistance to students?
Yes
How important is the impact of the financial assistance on student enrollment at your school
3
Which of these common competing commitments faced by the learners most negatively impact student enrollment and/or attendance
Name
After-school activities in the mainstream schoo
Homework and other academic pursuits
Extra-curricular activities (sports, music, hobbies)
Religious obligations
Family obligations
Work
Field name
Attendance
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
Enrollment
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
How has your school been able to accommodate your students’ competing commitments so that they can attend your school?
We are very flexible with attendance requirements, provide other opportunities to enhance the language development at home (reading incentive program, for instance)
How has your school been able to accommodate your students’ competing commitments so that they can attend your school?
We are very flexible with attendance requirements, provide other opportunities to enhance the language development at home (reading incentive program, for instance)
Does your school provide information to parents and other stakeholders about essential school information?
Yes
What are the most effective communications methods with parents and stakeholders?
Bi-weekly general newsletter and weekly teacher emails
What aspects of these methods or strategies for reaching out to parents create effective means of sharing information?
Consistency, focus on partnership
Does your school communicate with the community at large about events and other information?
Yes
List the percentage of students by age group
PreK-K students 25%
Kindergarten students 10 %
Elementary school students 25 %
Middle school students (grades 6-8) 25 %
High school students (grades 9-12) 5 %
Adults 5 %
Excellence through transparency and accountability
Curriculum and instruction
- Curriculum and instruction that build on the linguistic skills and cultural knowledge that learners bring to the classroom
Professional Development
- Recruitment of skilled educators and other personnel
- Provision of ongoing professional development for educators and other personnel
- Regular faculty meetings and opportunities to work in professional clusters
- Peer mentorship among the instructors
- Facilitation of and support for participation in specialty courses offered by universities, homeland consultants, HL experts, etc., if available
- Facilitation of and support for attendance at professional conferences in the U.S. and/or in the HL country or internationally
Vision, Strategic Planning, and Priorities
- A publicized vision statement and strategic plan to assemble the human, institutional, and financial resources of the school that support the goals of the school
Transparency, Accountability, and Outreach
- Professional and consistent engagement with the HL community and the larger community to recruit students and teachers and motivate parents and stakeholders to support and advance the aims of the CBHLS
Institution Information
Year School was Established
2009
Languages taught at your school
Portuguese
Average Number of Students
130
Average Number of Teachers
15
Saturday or Sunday Classes
Number of weeks per year: 2
Number of hours per week: 32