Set in the context of a two-way Spanish-English immersion school facing dramatic demographic changes, this case demonstrates a growing disconnect between the delivery of bilingual education and the demands of high-stakes testing. While research suggests that two-way immersion programs benefit students over time, short-term accountability pressures, compounded by a constant influx of new immigrants, are putting these programs at risk.

Discussion Questions

1. How can schools close the achievement gap between English Learners and English dominant students?
2. How can schools meet the needs of English Learners who are recent arrivals to the States? 
3. How can teachers in two-way immersion programs be supported in planning for meeting the needs of the growing population of English Learners?
4. Are NCLB’s demands on student performance realistic for English Learners, particularly for those who have only been in the States for a few years? Is it feasible for these students to reach “Proficient” level on state standardized tests in English after attending a year of school in the US?
5. How can the state and its school districts take advantage of the growing interest in two-way immersion programs from both English speaking parents who want a public school program offering second language instruction and parents of English Learners who are recent arrivals to our public school system?  And how, within the same school program can we meet the different needs of families with disparate levels of English, education and income?
6. How can California become a national leader in promoting the benefits of bilingualism in our growing globalized society?

Holly Link

TNLI Affiliate:
San Francisco (CA)

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