Trustees will hear bilingual options

Officials say the plan was developed to ensure San Jacinto schools followed guidelines of Prop. 227.

SAN JACINTO—Limited-English students will continue to be taught primarily in English but native language instruction will be available, under a plan to be reviewed by the San Jacinto school board tonight.

The district’s plan to implement Prop. 227, the anti-bilingual initiative, would allow students to choose from three options, said Myrna Rohr, assistant superintendent of educational services.

“The biggest change is that overwhelmingly, instruction will all be in English,” said Rohr.

The plan was developed by a committee of teachers and administrators to ensure the district followed the guidelines of the new law.

Prop. 227, a statewide measure passed by voters in June, requires students to be taught overwhelmingly in English. Parents may seek waivers from primarily English-only classes if students are at least 10 years old, already know English or have physical, emotional, educational or psychological special needs.

Students younger than 10 must be placed in an English-language class for a minimum of 30 days. Once they have met that requirement, parents can request a waiver to choose a program that better suits their child.

About 11 percent of the district’s 5,000 students are considered limited-English proficient.

Under San Jacinto’s proposed plan, students can either join a regular class or choose one of two other options designed to boost their grasp of English by assisting them in their primary language.

A structured English-immersion program, usually limited to students younger than 10, allows students of different ages, languages, ability and grade levels to learn in the same classroom. Students are taught in English, but teachers may use the primary language to clarify points, instructions or rules.

Another option, available to all students, still requires lessons to be taught mostly in English, but allows teachers to use the students’ primary language more often during instruction.

All limited-English students will be tested at the beginning and end of the year to determine their ability in English. The programs are designed to keep students for one year, but parents of students who have not mastered enough English to succeed in a regular class can ask for an extension.

Rohr said if the board approves the plan in a future meeting, a letter will be sent to parents, explaining the programs and the waiver option. Schools also will organize parent meetings to discuss the changes in detail.

San Jacinto Elementary School teacher David Simolke, a committee member who helped develop the plan, said the options are similar to those offered before Prop. 227.

Simolke, who had taught bilingual education for 12 years, said teaching under the new law has challenged him to think in English first, rather than Spanish.

For children, he said, the impact has been minor.

“I think kids are fairly accepting of whatever is going on in school,” said Simolke. “I don’t see any big problems with the kids. Even though I’m using English, the kids will answer me in Spanish, so I know they are understanding.”



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