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Ohio's Bilingual Education
Ohio became the first state to adopt a bilingual education law (German-English) at parents' request (Gandara & Escamilla, 2003). -
New Mexico's Bilingual Education
New Mexico Territory enacted bilingual education for Spanish & English after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, where NM became a U.S. territory (Gandara & Escamilla, 2017). -
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Restrictive Language Policies
Restrictive language policies were adopted throughout the U.S. (Gandara & Escamilla, 2017). -
Naturalization Act of 1906
Required the ability to speak English in order to become a U.S. citizen (Gandara & Escamilla, 2017). -
English-only Policies
23 states had English-only instruction policies (Gandara & Escamilla, 2017). -
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka
The U.S. Supreme Court decided it was against the law "to discriminate against individuals for arbitrary reasons (Garguilo & Bouck, 2020, p. 39). The separation between schools for colored and white students was outlawed, as it went against the 14th Amendment. Although race was the issue concerning this case, at this point, it served as foundation to request equal educational opportunity for students with disabilities. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
It did not directly affect bilingual education, but it set a foundation that allowed assistance to bilingual programs in the long run. -
Elementary & Secondary Education Act
Resulted as part of the War on Poverty of President Lyndon B. Johnson, which provided federal funds to school that served poor students, with the goal of closing the achievement gap. It aimed to provide equal opportunity for all students, regardless of physical or mental disability, learning difficulties, or the need to learn English (Garguilo & Bouck, 2020). -
Bilingual Education Act
The 1986 Bilingual Education Act (Title VII of the historic Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965) was established. It was vague about teaching bilingual education versus teaching English to ELs. It has been reauthorized several times, and was replaced with “English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement Act" (Gandara & Escamilla, 2017). -
Diana v. State Board of Education
The issue was class placement. English learners must be tested in their primary language in order to be placed in special education (Garguilo & Bouck, 2020). -
NM- Bilingual Multicultural Education Act of 1973
The first state to have a Bilingual Multicultural Education law. It provided financial support (New Mexico Public Education Department, 2021). -
Equal Educational Opportunities Act
Required schools to provide adequate resources for ELs (History.com, 2021). -
Lau v. Nichols
The U.S. Supreme Court said “there is not equality in treatment merely by providing students with the same facilities, textbooks, teachers, and curriculum; for students who do not understand English are effectively foreclosed from a meaningful education.” Required schools to offer special language programs to English learners in order to confer equal educational opportunity” (Garguilo & Bouck, 2020, p. 42). -
Preposition 227
California banned bilingual education, and Arizona and Massachusetss followed with similar antibilingual policies (Gandara & Escamilla, 2017). -
No Child Left Behind
Was supposed to provide help and support for all students, including English learners (with financial support through Title III, but instead focused on high-stakes testing and had many other downfalls associated with assessments (Gandara & Escamilla, 2017). Under NCLB the Bilingual Educaion Act became the English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement Act (Britannica, 2021). -
Biliteracy State Seal (2015 in NM)
New Mexico was the 5th state to incorporate a Biliteracy Seal for high school graduates. -
Every Student Succeeds Act
This was a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. It revoked many unpopular provisions given by NCLB. For bilingual education, it required that schools provide better services for emergent bilinguals (Duignan, Nolen, & Jeannette, 2021).
