Los Altos Elementary Dual Immersion Program - History and Policies on Dual Language Learner and English Learner

History and Policies on Dual Language Learner and English Learner.

The Dual Language Immersion program at Los Altos Elementary School offers English and Spanish speaking students an exciting, enriching and challenging educational opportunity. All students will learn to read, write, and communicate effectively in Spanish and English while achieving high levels of academic success.
Policies and knowing about the History of Dual Language Learner (DLL) and English Learner (El) is important as it supports the rights of the families whose native language is not English.
California is home to the largest population of English Learners (EL) in the United States, with more than 1.4 million ELs enrolled in public schools. Seventy percent of California’s ELs are in elementary schools and among our youngest learners in California, 57% of children birth through age five live in a household where English is not the primary language.Per the US census, the Dual Language Learner (DLL) population has been the fastest growing child population for more than two decades and this growth is expected to continue.

This section will elaborate some of policies that influence DLL and EL children and their families living in the United States.

PAST

Under the previous system, too many California students were not given the opportunity to learn English. Many laws restricted the school districts’ use of instructional methods to teach English and also limited the ability of English-speaking students to participate in language immersion programs.

In 1885, a series of discriminatory laws enacted that all school instruction in schools be in English. Then in 1930, English as second Language (ESL) was developed, and children who did not speak English were put into classes for the "educationally handicapped". Proposition 227, passed in 1998, imposed certain restrictions the way California public schools teach English learners and Dual Language Learners. This law restricts teaching in English-only immersion programs. Children with limited exposure to English language are taught in special classes only in English language. This law had the effect of eliminating "bilingual" classes.

PRESENT

The growth of DLL and EL population has led to the adoption of mandatory bilingual education laws in several states including California. Laws in many states instruct school or districts that enroll a minimum number of DLL and EL to design and implement a bilingual education program.

Bilingual Education Act was passed in 1968 that provide school districts with federal funds to establish innovative educational programs for students who are ELs. The law authorized that these children could continue learning subject matter content while acquiring English proficiency. After 30 years of continuous efforts, Proposition 58 revoked the English-only immersion requirement required by Proposition 227 of 1998. Now, Public schools in California will have more power to develop their own bilingual and multilingual programs. It authorizes school districts to establish dual–language immersion programs for both native and non–native English speakers. With Global California 2030, half of all K–12 students participate in programs leading to proficiency in two or more languages, either through a class, a program, or an experience. Another important policy to strengthen the needs of diverse population of DLL and ELL is CA Road map Policy that focuses on English learners in the context of the state’s efforts to improve the educational system, the quality of teaching and learning, and educational outcomes.

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