Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC)
The Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC) is a state-mandated, parent-led committee that represents families of students enrolled in Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) or in the Transitional Program of Instruction (TPI) districtwide.
BPAC exists to:
- Ensure that multilingual families have a voice in district decisions that affect their children.
- Advocate for the academic and social-emotional needs of Multilingual Learners (MLs).
- Build understanding of how bilingual and multilingual programs work.
- Strengthen collaboration among parents, schools, and the community.
- Encourage families’ continued involvement in the school district.
BPACs are required by Illinois law in any public school district with 20 or more students from the same language background enrolled in a TBE program. All parents of Multilingual Learners are invited to participate in BPAC. (See 105 ILCS 5/14C-10; Ill. Admin. Code title 23, 228.30(c)(4).)
Subgroups In Glenbrook High School District 225
Our district currently has active BPACs representing several language groups:
- Korean
- Mongolian
- Russian and Ukrainian (joint group)
- Spanish
Each group holds meetings in the home language of families and shares updates at district-wide BPAC events. Please contact the Language and Family Liaisons at languageservice@glenbrook225.org.
BPAC Structure in Glenbrook High School District 225
Our BPAC includes parent leaders and Multilingual Learners Department staff who collaborate to ensure families feel informed and connected.
- BPAC Presidents (One per TBE Language Group)
- Elected parent leaders representing each TBE language group.
- Preside over BPAC meetings in their language.
- Bring forward ideas and concerns from families to district leadership.
- Language and Family Liaisons (School Representatives)
- Bilingual staff who support communication between schools and families.
- Help coordinate family participation in school and district events.
- Share cultural insights to help create welcoming school environments.
- Secretaries (One per TBE Language Group)
- Keep meeting minutes, track attendance, and manage communications.
- Ensure meeting records are filed with the district in accordance with ISBE guidelines.
BPAC Responsibilities
- Meet at least four times each year (open to all families).
- During these anchor meetings, all BPAC subgroups meet together before breaking into language-specific sessions.
- Review the Bilingual Service Plan, Title III spending, and Evidence-Based Funding plans.
- Provide recommendations to the district on bilingual and multilingual programming.
- Offer feedback on services, planning, and instructional supports.
- Operate autonomously while collaborating closely with the Assistant Director of Multilingual Learners and the Language and Family Liaisons.
Membership
BPAC membership is open to:
- Parents or guardians of students in the Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) or Transitional Program of Instruction (TPI).
- Multilingual Learner Department teachers, counselors, staff members, and community representatives.
- The majority of members must be parents or guardians of students currently enrolled in the Multilingual Learner (ML) program.
If you’re interested in joining or learning more, please contact the Multilingual Learners Department or your Language and Family Liaison at languageservice@glenbrook225.org.