-
14th Amendment
Established the constitutional basis of equal protection under the law, which recognized educational rights for English learners to a equal public education. -
Meyer v. Nebraska
A case along with Farrington v. Tokushigu (1927), ruling it was clear that the states had to provide the student "equal educational opportunities", however the states' had the authority to determine the language of instruction in public schools. The rights of the parents were protect by giving the opportunities to organize after-school and weekend heritage language classes for their children. -
Brown v. Board of Education
Acknowledged as one of the most pivotal Supreme Court decisions, that focused on the racial segregation of children in schools held states responsible for providing an equal education to all students, helped lead the way for bilingual education in public schools. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
This Act was a vital piece of President Lyndon B. Johnson's "War on Poverty" and a commitment to "equal access to quality education" to everyone. Key components to the ESEA were funds, policies, and procedures that targeted students from low-income families and in-turn created new and more monies and programs for ELLs. -
Bilingual Educational Act
The first federal legislation that recognized the needs of students with limited English speaking ability. Equality of all language minority students was the goal, and school districts were provided with federal funds to establish educational programs that would support bilingual educational programs. -
Lau v. Nichols
This Civil rights case focused on limited English proficiency Chinese American students living in California, who were mainstreamed in classrooms without any supplemental English supports. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the students, explaining that the students were in an unequal educational opportunity and this helped expand rights of all students nationwide with limited English proficiency. -
Equal Educational Opportunities Act (EEOA) of 1974
Part of the 1974 amendments to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the EEOA affirms that "no state shall deny educational opportunity based on race, color, sex, or national origin by engaging in deliberate segregation by an educational agency". -
Castaneda vs. Pickard
Case against Raymondville School District by a father of two Mexican- American children who claimed that his children were being discriminated against. The judge ruled in favor of the district, however, in 1981 a three-pronged test was was mandated to insure that "appropriate actions" to address the needs of ELLs was happening in school as required by the EEOA. -
Proposition 227
California Proposition 227, also called the English Language in Public Schools Statute Proposition 227 changed the way that "Limited English Proficient" (LEP) students are taught in California. Specifically, it requires California public schools to teach LEP students in special classes that are taught nearly all in English. This provision had the effect of eliminating "bilingual" classes in most cases and shortens the time most LEP students stay in special classes. -
Proposition 203
Proposition 203 would cancel the existing bilingual education laws and change the law to require that all classes be taught in English except that students who are classified as "English Learners" will be educated through English immersion programs during a temporary transition period. -
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
NCLB was President George W. Bush's plan and it replaced the Bilingual Education Act (1968-2001). Bilingual Education Act, has become Title III (officially called the English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement Act). This federal law required ELLs to be placed in "language instruction education programs". Students were placed in programs in order to attain English proficiency, giving states measurable achievement objectives to meet AYP. -
World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA)
A state consortium, led by Wisconsin, established to develop English Language proficiency standards and assessments to comply with Title III of NCLB. WIDA strives to support the education of language learners and increase the academic language development and academic achievement for students through high quality standards, assessments, research, and professional learning for educators. -
Question 2
One of Massachusetts's English for the Children Initiatives, which placed restrictions on bilingual education programs. -
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and Race to the Top (RTTT)
Educational reform introduced by the Obama administration through the ARRA in 2009, which included RTTT and it provided grants for states to begin reform and address the concerns that the "one-size-fits-all standards, testing, and accountability" are not appropriate nor fair for the diverse ELL population. These changes afforded more flexibility in teaching and assessing ELLs. However, there were still concerns with the high-stakes testing. -
Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
CCSS is a state-led effort (states voluntarily adopt) initiated by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School officers (CCSSO) to develop language arts and math standards. These standards do not specifically address ELLs but are designed to develop the "academic language" skills of all students and are compatible with bilingual education approaches. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act Flexibility (ESEA Flexibility)
Due to many states failing to make AYP through NCLB, Obama invited states to apply for ESEA Flexibility. This offered ELLs an alternative system for accountability and support. Also,new tests and assessments procedures that were aligned with college and career ready standards were developed. -
Seal of Biliteracy
In 2012 California was the first state to establish the The Seal of Biliteracy to recognize high school students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages. The SEAL acknowledges students who have achieved a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in one or more languages in addition to English and is added to their diplomas.
