English-only effort gains in Arizona Backers get signatures for referendum Andrea Billups Washington Times Friday, June 9, 2000. Supporters of English-only education in Arizona say they have collected more than enough signatures to get a referendum on the Nov. 7 ballot that would ask voters to end bilingual education in the state. Maria Mendoza, a Tucson grandmother and former teacher's aide who has led a grass-roots campaign to organize voters against the state's failing bilingual programs, said she has no doubts the initiative will pass. "The vine is ripe, and this will happen," she said. "There's no way we can give these people another 30 years to damage these children." About 100,000 limited-English-proficiency students in Arizona are enrolled in bilingual classes, which cost the state $70 million. Of those children, close to 95 percent have failed to become fluent in English, according to a state report. Even the state's superintendent of public instruction, Lisa Graham Keegan, has called the system "a mess." "We are losing a lot of children, and the parents are upset because they don't have any empowerment to change the education system," said Mrs. Mendoza, 63. "It's very hard for legislators to do anything about this and we had to take matters into our own hands." More than 101,700 signatures are required to put the measure before voters this fall. "We have more than that," said Mrs. Mendoza, who co-founded English for the Children of Arizona two years ago with Hector Ayala, a high school teacher. The group's initiative, which is modeled on California's Proposition 227, calls for bilingual education students to be enrolled in mainstream English classes. Students who are not fluent would be placed in one-year English-immersion courses, where they would receive intensive instruction. Bipartisan support for their plan is growing around the state, polls have shown. Among the few outspoken opponents are bilingual researchers, who cite studies they say show that Hispanic children do better in bilingual programs than in English-immersion programs. Children in English-immersion programs tend to fall behind academically and not close the gap in academic achievement between themselves and Unz -- Candidate, campaign reformer, civic prophet? Peter Schrag Sacramento Bee Wednesday, June 7, 2000. English-speaking students, said John Petrovic, a professor at Arizona State University's Center for Bilingual Education Research, in an interview with the Arizona Republic newspaper. About 50 parents, children and teachers - many of whom missed work - traveled to Phoenix on Monday to attend a rally announcing the success of their ballot initiative. It has gained momentum in recent months with the help of Silicon Valley entrepreneur Ron Unz, who led the Proposition 227 initiative in California. Mr. Unz says Arizona is in worse shape than California before voters overwhelmingly ended bilingual education in 1998. "It's an educational disaster," said Mr. Unz, who is hoping news of the Arizona ballot initiative will attract the support of prominent conservatives at the national level. Many, he said, have strong ties to the Hispanic community. "It would be awfully nice if some of them would have the courage to come out and support this," he said. On Monday, Rep. Matt Salmon, Arizona Republican, became the first prominent political leader to formally announce support for the referendum. "Bilingual education has failed in its mission to teach children English," Mr. Salmon said. "It has denied thousands of young Americans the opportunity to fully realize the American dream." Mr. Salmon, a member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, is ending his career in Congress next year, but may consider a run for governor in 2002. He sponsored legislation that passed the House in October, which would require prior parental consent before a school district could place a child in a bilingual program. His bill now awaits consideration in the Senate. Mr. Salmon said bilingual-education programs are the cause of the high dropout rate of Arizona's Hispanic students. Ending bilingual programs, Mr. Salmon said, would ensure "that every child in Arizona would be limited only by their dreams."