Bilingual program studied by team
SPRINGFIELD---Bilingual education is on the verge of a transformation here with hopes of raising student achievement and improving English skills at a faster rate. Members of a team doing an independent evaluation of the $12.4 million program spent Monday and yesterday in the city and have honed in on what they believe may be a key issue: A lack of uniformity in delivering services from school to school and even from classroom to classroom. Joanne H. Urrutia of the Miami-Dade County School District and Lillian M. Gomez of the Colorado Department of Education wrapped up the second phase yesterday of their review of the program. They will return in early October for classroom visits. But for now, the women have indications from principals, teachers, parents and members of the Hispanic community that the program lacks organization and conformity to district goals and policies. "A lot of decisions are being made on an individual basis with no systematic process in place," said Urrutia, who is team leader. The third member of the team, Elena Izquierdo of the University of Texas, was unable to make this trip. The bilingual program serves 3,000 of the city's 26,500 students. Most are Spanish speakers. Superintendent Joseph P. Burke, who hired the outside team at a cost of $20,000, said he is pleased with the work so far. He has also begun his own internal assessment of the program. The program now lacks a director, since Yolanda Gomez was appointed assistant principal at German Gerena Elementary School. Burke said he is deciding whether to post the job or appoint someone. "I'm looking for someone with a background and experience in bilingual education and with a philosophy whose primary goal is to have students learn English and use English to learn other subjects," he said. The review team will visit some of the 32 city schools that have bilingual programs. There are three types of bilingual education used here, transitional bilingual, two-way bilingual and the new sheltered English. Members will make a formal report with recommendations in late October. "It's always more important to go on site and see how the programs are being delivered. We want to see the work of children and watch classroom practices," Gomez said. The review was launched in May at the request of the School Committee to help find out why Hispanic children have been on the bottom when it comes to achievement and enrollment in high-level courses, and on top in the areas of truancy and dropping out. This year, Hispanics make up 44 percent of the 26,500 city students. Of the rest, 30 percent are black, 24 percent are white and 2 percent are Asian. Committee member Jose F. Tosado, who formed the Committee on Hispanic Achievement and who called for the bilingual program review, praised the work of the team. "Some of the things that have come up here validate my concerns. Obviously, something is remiss in this program," he said. Tosado said he has also taken political heat from teachers and parents who want the bilingual program preserved. But he has stood fast. "It's an injustice to the kids if they're not succeeding. I'm not going to waffle under pressure," he said. |