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CR Part 154 is the New York regulation that defines how schools must serve English Language Learners and Multilingual Learners. It sets the programs, the required instructional time, and the safeguards districts have to follow. This guide explains what CR Part 154 is, the program types it requires, the units of study by proficiency level, the family rights it protects, and how it fits with the state’s move to WIDA.
Table of contents
What Is CR Part 154?
Quick answer: CR Part 154 refers to Part 154 of the Commissioner’s Regulations in New York, which governs the education of English Language Learners and Multilingual Learners. It defines how students are identified, the program models districts must offer, the required units of study by proficiency level, and the rights of ELL/MLL families. It is the rulebook behind New York’s ELL services.
Part 154 is split into sections (for example 154-2 for the regular school year), and it applies to every public school district in the state. Because New York uses the term Multilingual Learner (MLL) alongside English Language Learner (ELL), Part 154 is where those definitions and the resulting obligations are set out.
Program Types Under Part 154
Part 154 requires districts to offer research-based programs, chiefly:
| Program | What it provides |
|---|---|
| Bilingual Education | Instruction in English and the home language, in transitional bilingual or dual language (two-way) models. |
| English as a New Language (ENL) | Instruction in English with both integrated (content plus language) and stand-alone language support (formerly called ESL). |
When 20 or more ELLs in the same grade share a home language at a building, Part 154 generally requires the district to offer a bilingual education program. A New York bilingual program has four required components: English Language Arts, English as a New Language, Home Language Arts, and bilingual content-area instruction.
Units of Study
Part 154 sets the amount of instructional time ELLs/MLLs must receive based on their NYSESLAT proficiency level. One unit of study equals 180 minutes of instruction per week. Students at lower proficiency levels receive more dedicated language instruction, and the requirement decreases as students advance:
| Proficiency Level | Typical ENL Requirement |
|---|---|
| Entering and Emerging | The most language instruction: integrated ENL plus stand-alone ENL units |
| Transitioning and Expanding | A moderate amount, blending integrated and stand-alone ENL |
| Commanding | The least: primarily integrated ENL support |
The exact unit counts by grade band appear in NYSED’s Units of Study tables; the principle is that services are tied directly to a student’s measured proficiency, so as a student grows, the mix shifts from stand-alone toward integrated support.
Family Rights and Placement
Part 154 also protects families. Districts must communicate with parents in a language they understand, hold an orientation on program choices, and honor parental rights in identification and placement. These safeguards are part of why identification and program assignment follow a set, documented process rather than staff discretion.
Part 154 and the Move to WIDA
The regulation continues to apply as New York transitions from NYSESLAT to WIDA ACCESS. Program models and units of study do not change; only the assessment that measures proficiency does. See New York’s move to WIDA for the timeline and what shifts.
Integrated and Stand-Alone ENL Explained
English as a New Language is delivered in two forms under CR Part 154, and understanding the difference is central to running a compliant program. Integrated ENL is a grade-level content class, such as science or social studies, taught with both content and language objectives so that students learn the subject and English together; it is delivered by a teacher dually certified in the content area and ENL, or by a content teacher and an ENL teacher co-teaching. Stand-alone ENL is dedicated English-language instruction, separate from content, provided by a certified ENL teacher. Part 154 requires both, and the balance shifts with proficiency: students at the Entering and Emerging levels receive more stand-alone ENL because they need focused language building, while students approaching Commanding receive proportionally more of their support through integrated ENL as they access grade-level content more independently. Designing a master schedule that delivers the right mix to each student is one of the harder operational tasks the regulation creates.
Staffing and Compliance Under Part 154
Because Part 154 specifies both programs and instructional time, compliance turns on staffing and documentation as much as scheduling. ENL instruction must be provided by teachers holding the appropriate certification, and bilingual programs require teachers with a bilingual extension who are proficient in the partner language, which is often the hardest requirement to staff. Districts must register their ELL and bilingual programs with the state, report ELL and Multilingual Learner data, and be prepared to show that each student received the units of study their proficiency level requires. New York monitors districts against these obligations, and the common findings mirror the pressure points: units of study not fully delivered, instruction provided by staff without the required certification, and inconsistent Home Language Questionnaire or identification records. Treating Part 154 as an operational system, staffing, scheduling, and data together, rather than a set of boxes to check, is what keeps a district both compliant and effective.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CR Part 154?
Part 154 of New York’s Commissioner’s Regulations, which governs the identification, programs, and required services for English Language Learners and Multilingual Learners.
What programs does Part 154 require?
Bilingual Education and English as a New Language (ENL), with a bilingual program generally required when 20 or more ELLs in a grade share a home language.
What are units of study?
The amount of language instruction ELLs must receive, based on their proficiency level, where one unit equals 180 minutes per week and lower levels require more.
What are the components of a New York bilingual program?
English Language Arts, English as a New Language, Home Language Arts, and bilingual content-area instruction.
Does Part 154 use ELL or MLL?
New York uses English Language Learner and Multilingual Learner (ELL/MLL) together; Part 154 governs services for these students.
What is the difference between integrated and stand-alone ENL?
Integrated ENL teaches grade-level content and English together, delivered by a dually certified teacher or by co-teachers; stand-alone ENL is dedicated English-language instruction separate from content. Part 154 requires both, with lower-proficiency students receiving more stand-alone ENL.
What certification do ENL and bilingual teachers need?
ENL instruction must be provided by appropriately certified teachers, and bilingual programs require teachers with a bilingual extension who are proficient in the partner language. Certification is often the binding constraint on offering bilingual programs.
How does New York monitor CR Part 154 compliance?
Districts register programs and report ELL and Multilingual Learner data, and the state checks that students received the required units of study, were identified properly, and were taught by certified staff. Common findings include under-delivered units and uncertified instruction.
When must a district offer a bilingual program under Part 154?
Generally when 20 or more English Language Learners in the same grade at a building share a home language, the district must offer a bilingual education program, which includes English Language Arts, English as a New Language, Home Language Arts, and bilingual content-area instruction.
Related Resources
- AI Tools for English Learners in New York
- English Learner Funding in New York
- English Learners in New York
- What Is NYSESLAT?
- NYSITELL Explained
- New York’s Move to WIDA
- Dual Language Programs
Conclusion
CR Part 154 is the backbone of English Learner education in New York: it sets the programs, the required instructional time by proficiency level, and the protections for MLL families. Meeting its requirements well, especially the language-development time it mandates, depends on giving every student meaningful practice, above all in speaking.
Sources: NYSED, Regulations Concerning ELLs and MLs; NYSED, Units of Study Tables.
Delivering the Mandated Units at Scale
CR Part 154 sets the minutes on paper, but a building still has to deliver them to every Entering and Emerging student at once. In many New York districts the required units of study are scheduled correctly and still feel thin, because a single ENL or bilingual teacher is spread across a full caseload.
The gap is not compliance; it is capacity. Meeting the mandated time is one thing, and making each of those minutes count for each Multilingual Learner is another, especially for the oral practice Part 154 assumes but a group setting cannot supply evenly.
This is why districts look at tools that extend a teacher’s reach inside the required program. Telo AI is one example, adding individualized practice in English, and Spanish and French for bilingual models, within the units the regulation already calls for.
See how districts make required instructional time reach every student: https://mytelo.ai/how-telo-works/
It changes none of what Part 154 requires; it helps a stretched program deliver on it. The districts that serve MLLs best are the ones that treated the mandate as a floor for instruction, not a ceiling.