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Farrington v. Tokushige
States’ authority to determine authority to determine the language instruction in public schools but while protecting the right of the parents to organize after-school and weekend heritage classes for their children. This can affect EL students by giving them the opportunities to further their learning. -
Brown v. Board of Education
An example of one of many cases that states that ELs cannot be fully separated from other students throughout their education. This affects EL students because it states the need for equal educational opportunities and made way for high-quality bilingual programs. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
This act helped monitor school funds, policies, and procedures that targeted students from low-income families. This affected EL students because too often schools ignored the language needs of these students and were not given the right to a proper education. -
Bilingual Education Act
Provided grants to school districts but the purpose and goal overall was for students to benefit from instruction in their home language. This act was modified 6 times because of the lack of specification and confusion on the purpose of the grant money. This act affected English language learners because it made people more sensitive to the needs of growing language minority. -
Lau v. Nichols
Chinese American students were placed into mainstream classrooms even though they lacked the English proficiency to do so. This ruling stated that there was no equality of treatment by providing the same materials and instruction. Due to this, it led to a Lau Remedies which targeted schools who ignored the needs of ELs. This affects ELs by ensuring that they get a meaningful education no matter what language they spoke, or the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974. -
Castaneda v. Pickard
School district fell short in meeting requirements of the EEOA. This affects EL students because now there is a three-pronged test to determine when and if a school is taking the appropriate action necessary to meet the needs of ELs. -
Language Policy (Corson)
Sets out the school’s intentions on what to do about the areas of concern regarding providing instruction appropriately. The school must provide/ abide by the three policy principals. These principals ensure that ELs have equal access to education opportunities on the local level. -
No Child Left Behind Act
A federal policy for language minority students learning English which was a plan for reauthorizing the ESEA. Any program for EL students must have met only two requirements, to teach English and teach academic content. Overall, NCLB was too rigid and unrealistic in student academic gains. This affected EL students because it took there was no longer recognition of the personal and societal benefit of bilingual education. -
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
A $44 billion in stimulus funding for education which in-turn embodied the Race to the Top. As long as schools follow the four general requirements they can receive the grant; which were to adopt international benchmark standards, retaining effective teachers/principals, and supporting effective intervention strategies to turn around the lowest performing schools. This affects EL students by giving them the opportunity to excel in all aspects of school. -
Common Core State Standards Initiative
The idea is to have a state-led effort in developing language arts and mathematic standards that state voluntarily adopt. This would ensure that all students no matter which state they are in all are prepared for academic rigors of college coursework and the demands of the workforce. This affects ELs by not replacing the specific language standards but to develop academic language/skills needed which can help support dynamic bilingual development.