Trustee English vote set

A district team proposes keeping some bilingual education.

Corona-Norco schools with large numbers of students learning English might not ditch their bilingual programs entirely.

Trustees are expected to approve a new bilingual education plan tonight that scales back bilingual programs to comply with Prop.

227, but does not eliminate instruction in Spanish.

Under the proposed plan, students with limited English skills will receive help in their primary language during language arts and history lessons.Other subjects, like math and science, will be taught in English.

For example, if a student starts school in Corona-Norco Unified School District, about 70 percent of their kindergarten and first-grade lessons will be in English.That amount increases to 80 percent in second grade and, by third grade, all of their lessons will be in English.

School districts around the Inland area have responded to Prop.

227, approved June 2 by voters, in a variety of ways.Some districts, like Riverside Unified, will use Spanish in kindergarten and first grade up to 40 percent of the day.Others, like Redlands Unified, are tossing out Spanish textbooks and moving to all-English classrooms.

Eliseo Davalos, director of bilingual education, said the team of teachers, administrators and parents that designed Corona-Norco’s new program felt that some primary-language instruction is needed to ensure students do not slip too far behind in academic lessons while they are learning English.

The new plan would have the most effect on campuses like Coronita and Jefferson elementary schools that have large populations of students who do not speak, read and write fluently in English, Davalos said.Schools like Prado View, with only a handful of English learners, already have English immersion programs that comply with Prop. 227, he said.

The district also will offer traditional bilingual programs for parents who want their children taught in Spanish.It will continue to let parents put their children in mainstream English classrooms.

Also on the trustees’ agenda:

Lincoln Alternative School officials will present the results of a parent survey on proposed mandatory school uniforms.Trustees are expected to approve the mandatory policy, which has drawn criticism from some parents who want to maintain freedom of choice.

District officials will present a report on creating a trial sixth-grade program at an intermediate school.Students could choose to stay at their local elementary schools or enroll in a sixth-grade class at an intermediate school.

Trustees will discuss the possibility of creating a year-round schedule at the high school level to ease strains on families with children on year-round schedules at elementary or middle schools and traditional schedules at the high schools.

Trustees meet at 6:30 p.m. at district offices, 2820 Clark Ave. in Norco.Information: 736-5000.



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