Initiative Essay -- Education Educational Papers

InitiativeThe wash of Proposition 227, formally titled the slope Language for Immigrant Children Initiative, is as wide-ranging as the bilingualist enlightening methods it replaces. The issue of how to educate limited English proficient (or LEP) children has become so politicized that the research on the subject is hard-fought to interpret. However, two aspects that appear to be problematic for all of Californias school districts are the vague speech of the initiative (which is now law), and the privation of methodology for the new sheltered immersion programs. The resulting confusion has created a bilingual education system more fragmented than ever.According to the state division of Education, approximately 1.4 of the 5.5 million school children in the United States are classify as LEP. Of those 1.4 million children, eighty percent are Spanish speech and the remainder identify fifty-three other dictions as their uncomplicated language (Prop 227 1). Prior to the passage of proposition 227, 70 percent of Californias LEP students accredited instruction primarily in English, including 31 percent who received specialized instruction in English only, 22 percent received specialized instruction in English with some primary language support, and 17 percent receive no specialized services The be 30 percent were in traditional bilingual classrooms and received a great deal of instruction in their primary languages (Prop 227 1). It is clear from the transition of services that had been offered (or not) that bilingual education varied greatly in the standard of primary language support that was used. It was also only used to teach approximately 50 percent of the LED student population.The amount of primary language support is t... ...ll Kemper. Sheltered Immersion Contrasts and Controversy. 1-4. Online. Internet. November 14,1998. available http//coe.sdsu.edu/ deal/jmora/pages/seivcanadian.html.Proposition 227 English Language in Public Schools. 1-9. O nline. internet. November 15,1998. Available http//www.sen.cagov/ FTP/sen/sor/_home/educate/prop227.htm.Puente, Maria, Carol Morello. bilingual Battle Still Rages In classroom. USA Today. November 13,1998 News 4A. Online. Internet. November 15,1998. Available http//web.lexis- nexis.com/universe/doc...23&md5=84077f81fr06bb22396cd3alf8be5ed8.Ramirez, Jaime. Telephone interview. December 1,1998.Terry, Don. Bilingual Education Lives After All. New York Times. October 3, 1998 Section A 7. Online. Internet. November 7,1998. Available http//web.lexis- nexis.com/universe/doc...ae&_md5=11a5d46e28d2958c8088df8df8267172c64.