Monday, 31 January 2000
http://www.azstarnet.com/public/dnews/0131R10.html
\PHOENIX (AP) - Lisa Graham Keegan, the state's top education
official, says Arizona's effort to teach limited-English students
is ``a mess.''
Arizona reportedly spends $361 million a year to teach such students,
but one in seven does not understand English. It takes them more
than three years to master it, officials say.
And many lag in classwork, standardized test scores and graduating
from high school.
Last week, U.S. District Judge Alfredo Marquez ruled that Arizona
doesn't spend enough to teach these students and shoves them into
classrooms with teachers unprepared to help them.
Backed with the ruling, some lawmakers and educators hope to pry
more money out of the Arizona Legislature.
About 112,000 of Arizona's 743,000 public school children were
considered in 1997-98 as having limited proficiency in English.
That's up from 45,000 a decade before.
Nationally, the number of limited-English students has increased
from 2.2 million to 3 million during the past four years.
A 1988 study determined that it costs an additional $464 a year
to educate each student, but the state pays only $162. The difference
falls on school districts, which often dip into other programs
to cover the shortfall.
Sen. Joe Eddie Lopez, D-Phoenix, has introduced a bill that would
increase state funding for limited-English students from $162
to $621. He hopes last week's federal court decision will give
it a boost.
Keegan said students shouldn't be in bilingual programs for more
than three years. They should become fluent in English as soon
as possible.
Others say children need more time in their native language.
``Students can learn playground English within two years, but
it takes four to seven years to learn to read and write academically,''
said Jesus Escarcega, president of the Arizona Association for
Bilingual Education.
``There is a tendency for people to say the state should have
a plan,'' Keegan said. ``What these children need is the skill
and expectations of the classroom teacher.''
But even the most motivated teachers feel the crush of ever-increasing
students and languages.
Acacia Elementary School in the Washington Elementary School District
in central Phoenix had all English-speaking students until five
years ago when 10 Spanish-speaking pupils arrived. Today, there
are 78 students speaking 18 languages.
None of Acacia's classroom teachers speaks a foreign language.
They use hand gestures and visual aids to communicate. Other students
often translate.
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