The Virtual Library:
Bilingual Education

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Educating Latinos: An NPR Special Report. Claudio Sanchez listens to Spanish-speaking Americans' concerns about how they learn English. Bilingual education has been on the ballots of several states, and these policy debates have been hot. This extraordinary five part series aired in December 2002. Links include a rich, well selected body of additional resources.

Proposition 227: Summary of Articles and Opinions. Author and journalist Jim Crawford has gathered together in one place the most remarkable collection of material. From this site, you'll be able to review a virtual library of news articles, polls, commentaries and editorials on Prop. 277. You'll find links to the organizations on both sides of the fight, post-election analysis of the vote, and links to background articles on the state and federal laws that define the turf.

What Are the Newest Language Laws and Bills in the US.? Read up on Jim Crawford's review of Congressional efforts to repeal the Bilingual Education Act. Review the overturning of Arizona's English-only amendment. Survey the 19 states that have adopted variations of the Official English legislation, and the bills considered by legislatures in another 14 states. Study the complete archive of Congressional statements on "Official English" legislation from 1981 to 2001.

Does Bilingual Education Really Work? A Guide to the Research. This site reviews the divided research on bilingual education, and is a perfect place to deepen your own understanding of the issues. The point-of-view of this site by Jim Crawford favors bilingual education, properly implemented. He critiques the research that finds native-language instruction an impediment to English language acquisition. Consider this an advocate's guide to the research, and consumer's guide to the politicization of scholarship.

Overview of Bilingual Education in California. The good people at EdSource, like the League of Women Voters, have created a place where citizens can come to learn about the issues without encountering a heavy dose of persuasion. Long on facts and low on opinion, this long essay is good at sorting fact from fiction. It covers who's learning English, what schools must do to meet state and federal requirements, what exactly is bilingual education, how to best teach students who need to learn English, and what are the best measurements of progress.