EDUCATION OFFICE – CIRCOSCRIZIONE CONSOLARE DETROIT
Director:
Dirigente scolastico Marina Lenza
e-mail: marina.lenza@esteri.it
Contacts:
e-mail: inform.detroit@esteri.it
Tel.: (312) 995 5489
The Education Office promotes Italian language Programs in the american schools in the Consular District (Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio e Tennessee).
The Education Office ’s primary responsibilities:
- monitoring the Italian language courses in K12 schools, in terms of continuity and quality;
- collaborating with public and private educational institutions to support the activities of the Italian courses;
- establishing contacts with the Departments of Education of the States of the Districts, Counties and School Districts, to implement Italian language and culture programs in contexts where the teaching of Italian is not present, providing with information and teaching materials the Representatives of public and private schools;
- organizing professional development initiatives for Italian language teachers, in collaboration with local universities and professional associations;
- assisting schools in applying for grants from the Italian Government to contribute to the costs of teachers’ salary;
- organizing activities, contests and projects for students of Italian in American schools and universities;
- promoting cooperation agreements for Study Exchange Programs between American schools and Italian schools;
- facilitating cooperation agreements to promote scholarships and internships in Italy for American students enrolled in Italian programs;
- organizing initiatives to facilitate interaction between Italian students in American schools and universities with Italian and American companies.
1) ENTE GESTORE
The Consulate of Italy in Detroit promotes the Italian Language in collaboration with the Detroit Ente gestore NOI FOUNDATION, a non-profit institution which receives contributions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to organize Italian courses in public and private schools in the Consular District, in particular in Michigan and Ohio.
The NOI Foundation has been collaborating with the Education Office since 1997 and was registered in the Albo of the Consulate of Italy in Detroit in 2021.
In the school year 2021/2022 the NOI Foundation promoted the Italian Language Teaching through curricular courses in the 23 schools in Michigan and Ohio participating in the NOI Foundation’s Project, and listed 2,508 students taking 130 courses (with a slight increase in enrollments despite of the recent health emergency).
- NOI (Nuovi Orizzonti Italiani) Foundation in Detroit
Contacts:
20408 Vernier Road, Harper Woods, DETROIT, MI – Tel. 215 735-3250
https://noifdn.org
e-mail: education@noifdn.org
Current President: Enzo PAGLIA
Director: George FORMICOLA
2) PRIVATE LANGUAGE SCHOOLS AND ASSOCIATIONS COLLABORATING WITH THE ITALIAN CONSULATE, EDUCATION OFFICE
The annual survey promoted by the Consulate of Italy in Detroit for the academic year 2021/2022 listed 3 private Language Schools and Associations in Michigan and Ohio, that are cooperating with the Education Office for the Promotion of Italian Language Teaching.
The survey recorded 271 students in the Italian courses promoted by the private Language Schools and cultural Associations which provided their data.
3) STARTING AN ITALIAN LANGUAGE PROGRAM
The Education Office assists American schools willing to establish new Italian Programs through:
– Information to the Representatives of public and private schools interested in starting an Italian program, both as a curricular activity and as basic extracurricular activity (that should possibly evolve in a curricular full program). High schools, but also Primary and Middle Schools, can be involved in the project.
– Assistance to schools in recruiting teachers for new Italian language programs, and providing teacher professional training and teaching materials.
4) APPLICATION FOR GRANT FROM ITALIAN GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT ITALIAN LANGUAGE PROGRAMS IN AMERICAN SCHOOLS
The contributions from the Italian Government (Cap. 2619, pg. 2) are aimed at supporting a portion of the expenses for a teacher of Italian salary.
It is not a donation: the teacher is recruited with a contract from the school/district who will pay for the salary. The school/district will receive the funds from the Italian Ministry at the end of the school year.
Procedures for application for the grant from the Italian Government
- Schools can apply for the contribution from the Italian Government each year, in March, after the starting of the courses; they have to provide information about the number of courses, number of teachers and number of students enrolled. The amount of the contribution will be determined after the beginning of the program and the grant will be paid after the end of the school year.
- Depending on the funds available and the data that the school will provide, the contribution may be maintained, reduced, or increased according to the number of weekly/total teaching hours, and based on the teacher’s average hourly cost.
5) AP IN ITALIAN
The AP (Advanced Placement) Italian Language and Culture Exam assesses students’ proficiency in Italian.
It is normally taken during High School senior year and is equivalent to a college-level course. Students who pass the AP Italian exam, depending on the score, can receive credits in most US universities and in many universities abroad.
A list of all universities which have an agreement with the College Board can be found in the College Board website.
Students who have graduated from an American High School and have passed the AP exam in Italian and 2 other AP exams in subjects related to the future academic studies, can directly enroll in the Italian universities.
2.200 students have passed AP Italian in 2022, with a slight increase despite of health emergency.
This trend is substantially confirmed for 2023, which is evidence of the great interest of American students for the Italian language.
Students taking the AP exam in Italian can apply to Eduitalia Association, that is an association joined by about 100 Italian schools and universities, offering scholarships to US students for a study experience in Italy.
6) OSSERVATORIO NAZIONALE DELLA LINGUA ITALIANA NEGLI USA
The Osservatorio Nazionale della Lingua Italiana negli USA is aimed at determining the annual Strategic Plan for the Promotion of Italian Language in American schools and the initiatives to implement these goals.
The Local Observatory, in charge for the Consulate of Itay in Detroit, consists of representatives of schools and universities as well as of associations and Italian businesses that cooperate to implement shared strategies to spread and improve the study of Italian language in the Consular District.
7) DANTE ALIGHIERI SOCIETY OF MICHIGAN
The Dante Alighieri Society of Michigan promotes, in collaboration with the Consulate of Italy in Detroit and the Education Office, Italian language and culture through Italian Language Courses for Adults and Children, Cultural Events, Il Mosaico newsletter, and other cultural resources.
In addition, the Dante Alighieri Society of Michigan maintains La Biblioteca Italiana, a substantial Italian-language collection held at Oakland Community College in Royal Oak for members and the community at large, and a DVD lending library for members.
Resources:
Flyer Programma AP
Power Point Formazione professionale Docenti
Portale Italiana