California is falling behind on bilingual education, researchers urge funding and support
California is lagging behind when it comes to enrolling students in bilingual education programs, despite having ambitious goals laid out in documents like the English Learner Roadmap and Global California 2030. A new report titled “Meeting its Potential: A Call and Guide for Universal Access to Bilingual Education in California” released by the UCLA Civil Rights Project highlights the urgent need for the state to mandate bilingual education in districts with a significant number of English learners and allocate more resources to support these programs.
The report’s authors, including Conor P. Williams and Ilana Umansky, emphasize that despite California’s vocal support for bilingual education, the actual resources dedicated to these programs fall short. They recommend three key actions for state leaders to take: expand bilingual education programs with increased funding and requirements for districts to offer them, prioritize English learners’ enrollment in bilingual programs, and invest more in bilingual teacher preparation programs.
Texas as a Model for Success
The report suggests that California should follow Texas’ example by passing legislation that mandates districts to offer bilingual education if they have a substantial number of students speaking the same home language in any grade level. Texas’ “carrot and stick” approach has led to a significantly higher enrollment of English learners in bilingual programs (36.7%) compared to California’s lower enrollment rate of 16.4%.
Benefits of Bilingual Education
Research cited in the report shows that bilingual education not only improves academic achievement but also enhances progress in learning English, retention of home language, high school graduation rates, and college attendance. Ilana Umansky emphasizes that bilingual education should not be a partisan issue due to its extensive benefits.
Prioritizing English Learners
The authors stress the importance of prioritizing English learners in bilingual programs and ensuring that these programs are accessible to students in neighborhoods where they reside. They criticize the practice of some districts barring recent immigrant students from enrolling in bilingual programs, highlighting the misconception that these programs are not beneficial for them.
In light of the devastating impact of Proposition 227 on traditional bilingual teacher programs, the authors recommend investing more in bilingual teacher preparation programs and making them more affordable for students. With the overturning of Proposition 227 in 2016, there is a renewed opportunity for California to invest in multilingualism and provide the necessary support for bilingual education initiatives.
As California grapples with the need to catch up in bilingual education, the recommendations put forth by the report’s authors serve as a roadmap for state leaders to prioritize and invest in programs that benefit English learners and promote multilingualism. This is a critical moment for California to align its actions with its intentions and provide the necessary resources to ensure universal access to bilingual education.
