San Jose Honors César Chávez

Mercury News (CA)

March 12, 2010

Rudy Chavez Medina was only a kid when his famous uncle, César Chávez, began contentious grape boycotts and fasted for peace and justice until the rituals almost killed him. But on Wednesday, when San Jose unveiled signs for a memorial walkway in honor of the late civil rights leader, Medina remembered a more intimate uncle.

Native Americans Ask Feds to Help Keep Languages Alive

Education Week

March 12, 2010

Native Americans told aides of federal lawmakers how they could change the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to better serve Native American students in a recent "listening session" hosted by the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

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High School Senior Breaks Language Barrier to Excel

The Post Journal (NY)

March 12, 2010

What comes easy for most students in U.S. schools has been a challenge for high school senior Rafael Kercado, who moved to Jamestown, NY from Puerto Rico when he was 7 years old. With no education and no knowledge of the English language, Rafael jumped right into first grade and worked hard.

Feds Examine LA Schools' English Learner Program

Mercury News (CA)

March 11, 2010

The U.S. Education Department is planning to examine the Los Angeles Unified School District's low achieving English-language learning program to determine whether those students are being denied a fair education. The department's Office for Civil Rights will investigate whether the nation's second-largest school district is complying with federal civil rights laws with regard to English-language learners, who comprise about a third of the district's 688,000 pupils, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Set to Come: Federal Guidance on ELLs With Disabilities

Education Week

March 11, 2010

The U.S. Department of Education expects to put out guidance soon on the civil rights of English-language learners who have disabilities and also those who are gifted. In a conference call with reporters yesterday, Russlynn Ali, the assistant secretary for civil rights at the Education Department, said the federal government will put out guidance in 17 areas, including some that touch on the education of ELLs.

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Schools: Bilingual Ed Aids All Students

KRQE (NM)

March 11, 2010

Recently several schools were honored by the New Mexico Public Education Department for their work with students who speak English as a second language. At Rio Rancho Elementary School something interesting emerged out of the ELL classes: the ELL students scored perfectly on state assessments.

NAEP Board Curbs Special Ed. and ELL Exclusions

Education Week

March 10, 2010

Over the objection of officials at the statistical wing of the U.S. Department of Education, the independent body that sets policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress has approved a policy that will limit school officials' ability to exclude students with disabilities and English-language learners from the national exams.

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Another Rise in City Pupils Graduating in Four Years

The New York Times

March 10, 2010

For the fifth year in a row, New York City students' on-time graduation rates have increased, showing small but steady gains. Mr. Bloomberg called the improvements for Hispanic students the "most dramatic success story" among all ethnic groups, although just over half of Hispanic students graduated on time.

Baby Steps to Bilingual Learning

The News Journal (DE)

March 10, 2010

In a church hall basement in Georgetown, a dozen preschoolers march and skip along numbered squares in an updated version of musical chairs. It looks like a typical preschool classroom, but First Steps/Primeros Pasos is different. Besides learning colors, numbers and the letters of the alphabet, these children also are becoming bilingual — a skill that educators believe is vital once these youngsters start school.

Drastic School Reforms Spark Debate on Fixing Education

NewsHour (PBS)

March 09, 2010

One Rhode Island school district took the drastic step of ousting teachers after they refused to implement mandated reforms to boost poor performance. Judy Woodruff takes a look at the reinvigorated clash between education reform plans and teachers unions.

Arne Duncan: Revamping of ELL Tests Is a Difficult Issue

Education Week

March 09, 2010

In her Learning the Language blog, Mary Ann Zehr writes, "U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said that learning how to revamp tests for English-language learners and students with disabilities might be the toughest question that needs to be tackled with reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, according to an article written by my colleague Alyson Klein about yesterday's hearing held by the House Education and Labor Committee."

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Editorial: Dual-language Program Worthy of Emulation

The Facts (TX)

March 09, 2010

In this editorial, an editor for The Facts writes, "There are segments of society that believe only English should be spoken in society, and certainly no other language belongs in public school classrooms. Those people don't live in the real world of education in Texas. The administrators and teachers of Angleton ISD do and understand the value of students being bilingual when they don their purple caps and gowns and head into adulthood."

Ed. Officials to Step Up Civil Rights Enforcement

Education Week

March 08, 2010

The federal Department of Education plans to intensify its civil rights enforcement efforts in schools around the country, including a deeper look at issues ranging from programs for immigrant students learning English to equal access to college preparatory courses.

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Honduran Immigrant Tackles English — and FCAT

Orlando Sentinel

March 08, 2010

Kevin Alonzo slings his red messenger bag into a cubby at Jackson Middle School's media center, shuffles through a crowd of seventh-graders to a computer carrel, and slouches into a seat. There's little downtime for the 11-year-old Honduran immigrant who, along with tens of thousands of Hispanic students across Florida, faces the immense pressure of learning English while also studying for the high-stakes FCAT exam coming this week.

Children's Literature Festival Coming to University

Redlands Daily Facts (CA)

March 08, 2010

Children's literature will take over the University of Redlands campus next week as it hosts the 14th annual Charlotte S. Huck Children's Literature Festival. This year's festival will feature six keynote speakers, including Pat Mora and Chris Soentpiet, as well as a new children's literature illustration exhibit.

Race to Top Finalists Include 3 of 5 Top ELL States

Education Week

March 05, 2010

Florida, Illinois, and New York — three of the five states with the most English-learners in the country — are among the 16 finalists selected by the U.S. Department of Education for a portion of $4 billion in Race to the Top federal stimulus funding…The two states with the most English-language learners, California and Texas, however, are not on the list. Texas didn't apply and California, which has about 40 percent of the nation's ELLs, was not selected.

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Serving Up Green Eggs and Books to ESL Students

Santa Maria Times (CA)

March 05, 2010

Children in Santa Maria, CA were among some 45 million students Tuesday celebrating Read Across America Day. "It's a chance to emphasize reading as enjoyment," explained Adam Elementary School Principal Laurie Graack. Dr. Seuss's books are especially helpful in teaching English language learners, who make up about 72 percent of Adam Elementary's students, Graack said.

After Losing Its Bookstore, Laredo Tries to Write the Next Chapter

NewsHour (PBS)

March 05, 2010

The last bookstore in Laredo, Texas, closed its doors for good earlier this year. This bilingual and bicultural border town in Webb County, long challenged by high illiteracy rates, is now adjusting to its new reality. Since last month, Laredo is the largest city in America without a bookstore; its 250,000 residents must travel more than 150 miles to find one.

Florida Schools Take In Students From Haiti

WBUR

March 04, 2010

With most schools closed in the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, many Haitians are sending their children to friends and family in South Florida. School districts there already are seeing a steady influx of Haitian students and many more are expected. So far, school districts say they can accommodate the new students but some say they will need financial help to cope.

Rhode Island Schools Chief At Odds With Teachers After Mass Firings

Tell Me More (NPR)

March 03, 2010

President Obama made reference to Central Falls High School in Rhode Island in an education policy speech yesterday. Local education officials there recently announced the firing of the entire faculty and staff, due to poor test scores and stalled reform efforts. While the president pointed to that action as a necessary step toward reform, the move has been quite controversial among teachers, parents, and students at the school.