English Learner Roadmap - California Leads the Way

This week’s article is not focused so much on tech as on improving educational programming for English learners in California.  As “State board: ‘English Learner Roadmap’ to aid 1.4M students” reports, the CA State Board of Education just approved a policy called the English Learner Roadmap, and since 1 in 4 students in California are English Learners, this is going to mean big changes.  Due to its diverse student population, other states often look to California for examples of how to support their ELs, so it is possible these changes may spread to other states in the coming years.  It seems that something like this has been a long time coming.  It will remove many outdated “barriers to bilingual and multilingual instruction,” and is in fact the first time in 20 years that a new policy like this has been created.

The English Learner Roadmap is a response to the voter approved proposition 58, which does several things:

       1. It includes a requirement that public schools ensure students become proficient in English.

2     2. It requires school districts to reach out to parents and communities for input in developing          
           language acquisition programs.

            3. It authorizes school districts to set up dual-language immersion programs for both native and non-      native English speakers.

With all of the research agreeing that dual language programs are the highly beneficial for all students involved, I am very encouraged that California is headed in the right direction with this policy.  It is also one of the states that includes the Seal of Biliteracy on its diplomas for graduates who have demonstrated dual language skills.  What a great advantage these students will have when going on to college and the job market!

Wondering why this matters for all students?  Check out The Many Benefits of BeingBilingual!