Lockstep approach is wrong for schools
Most newcomers to Colorado, when asked what brought them to our state, will tell how its natural beauty compelled them to take up residence here. I am not one of them. My decision to move here from California four years ago stemmed from a rising frustration with that state's dismal educational system - both as an educator who specializes in diverse-needs students, as well as a parent of a special-needs child. My search for quality led me to Colorado and the move here was one of the smartest things I've ever done. Colorado's educational system, especially regarding literacy, leaves California in the dust. It will take California at least 10 years just to catch up to where we are today. With relief I watch my son continue to make gains I could only dream about just a few years ago. And my son is not alone - increasing numbers of students are reading on grade level, and for the most part CSAP scores are on the rise. And so, now that Ron Unz and Rita Montero appear poised to bring their education initiative to Colorado, I must admit I'm alarmed. Not that I'm afraid of the initiative process - it was created as a means for local groups to maintain a voice in how things are run, and that's a positive thing. What alarms me is that Unz's pay-by-signature strategy undermines the very purpose of the initiative process and that his slick media campaign conceals some very disturbing information. No doubt, the term bilingual education is a trigger word that sets off a lot of nationalistic emotions, perhaps even more so since Sept. 11. Because of this, some people have difficulty getting past the trigger to see that the real purpose of this initiative has very little to do with learning English. In reality, this initiative is about taking away parental choice and restricting local control. It's about forcing every community to conform to one approach to teaching children. It's about an assembly-line approach to education in which schools are viewed as factories and children as mere replicas to be churned out one after the other, regardless of who that child is or what their needs are. I'm sorry, but my children and my grandchildren are not assembly-line material. Neither are yours - or anyone else's for that matter. Moreover, Unz's assembly line isn't even working very well in spite of claims of incredible growth on test scores in California. Folks, in California, there isn't any place to go but up. Last year, only two grade levels had more than half of their students score at the 50th percentile. Here's an example: Only 35 percent of the state's tenth-grade students made it to the 50th percentile. If you are unfamiliar with the 50th percentile, it represents average ability. That means a majority of students in California can't even demonstrate average reading ability, let alone proficiency. Moreover, the achievement gap between English and non-English speakers is growing larger. In 1998, 24 points separated the number of proficient readers within each group. In 2001, the point difference between the two groups jumped to 37 points. To boot, four years ago Ron Unz promised California that English learners needed only one year to mainstream into regular English classes (he's promising the same here). Currently in California, two-thirds - close to one million children - still have not been transferred into all-English programs. Why would we in Colorado even consider an educational approach that produces such dismal results, especially when we already are so far ahead? And why do we need a statewide initiative that would dismantle our current constitutional right to local control for a program that affects only 16 out of the 176 districts here in Colorado? Moreover, while this initiative insists it will return parental choice to parents, it in fact does the exact opposite. School districts can deny programs to parents without any explanation, even if students demonstrate special needs. It further requires that parents write an essay to the school principal and superintendent explaining why their child should be placed in the program. Parents must deliver this essay in person to the school. Gee, what's next? A required essay for algebra, art or special ed programs? As if that weren't troubling enough, this initiative opens the door for teachers, administrators and school board members to be sued for violating the initiative. If found guilty, they would be disqualified from education for five years. The initiative permits parents to sue for damages up to 10 years after a child has left the program. I can see it now teachers will have to take out malpractice insurance along with their credentialing fees. This threat will discourage teachers from entering the profession, as well as prevent top-notch people from being recruited. Not exactly a smart move if you want to alleviate the critical teacher shortage in Colorado. Ron Unz and Rita Montero would have us believe that they can save Colorado's educational system. Thanks, but no thanks. We don't need their type of "salvation." Colorado students are becoming proficient in literacy at a rate that most states, including California, can only dream about. Our state constitution guarantees a level of local control that serves as a model for how to meet individual community needs. Moreover, parents here have a strong voice in what's best for their child. This initiative would change all that. Regardless of your feelings about bilingual education, why would we give up all that we have in place for a lockstep approach that clearly cannot measure up to our current educational systemand whose punitive measures will discourage teacher recruitment. Priscilla Shannon Gutierrez of Lakewood (pgutierr@jeffco.k12.co.us) is director of Rocky Mountain Deaf School. 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