Your editorial on the test scores of immigrant and low-income students (“A test for politicians,” Aug. 21) was both inaccurate and unfair. California does not rank “dead last” on scores of limited-English-speaking students, as there are no nationally normed tests for which such subgroup scores are reported.

While the scores of English language learners remain too low, real progress is in fact being made. Despite language difficulties, for example, 22 percent of second graders with limited English skills scored above the national average in reading.

Since Gov. Davis took office in 1999, California has invested nearly $1,000 per pupil in new money to support improved student achievement. Historic funding increases have accompanied a new system of accountability for schools that for the first time bases rewards on the improved achievement of all groups of students, including English learners and students who are economically disadvantaged.

In this year’s budget, the governor proposed and the Legislature approved funding of $250 million – $400 per pupil – for after-school intensive English language instruction and another $10 million for English instruction to immigrant children and their parents through the public libraries. Additionally, 15,000 teachers of English learners are being provided with university-based professional development during the summer with follow-up throughout the school year.

Despite these efforts and the very real progress being made on the test scores of English learners, the governor recognizes that the achievement gap between English learners and students who are fluent in English remains too wide. Davis’ statement following the release of the test scores acknowledged that “we still have a long way to go,” adding, “We must remain committed to narrowing the gaps between English learners and students fluent in English, and between economically disadvantaged students and those who are not.”

The Examiner should give credit to Davis for a very substantial commitment to public schools and, more importantly, to the thousands of dedicated teachers and administrators who are making a real achievement difference in the lives of 1.4 million English-learner students.

John B. Mockler, California Interim secretary for education Sacramento

Your editorial criticized me for happily noting that the average test scores of over a million immigrant students in California have risen by about 40 percent since the general dismantling of bilingual education in 1998 by Proposition 227. If that doesn’t constitute good news, what does?

The same editorial commended academic educational theorist Kenji Hakuta for complaining that the test scores of immigrant students are still far too low for any rejoicing.

As a story in the New York Times noted, immigrant test scores in districts that fully complied with Prop. 227, such as Oceanside Unified near San Diego, have risen by 100 percent or more and are now fast approaching the average for middle-class white English-speaking students.

On the other hand, those districts that have partially retained their bilingual programs have far smaller gains, resulting in an average statewide gain of about 40 percent. Clearly, bilingual education was the ailment and Prop. 227 the cure.

Since both The Examiner and Kenji Hakuta long supported bilingual education and urged a “no” vote on Prop. 227, if the people of California had followed your advice there would have probably been no significant gain in immigrant test scores, and hence no need for any editorial. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Ron Unz, Chairman
Prop. 227-English for the Children
Palo Alto



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