Eugene School District Board of Directors opposes Ballot Measure 58

This week the Eugene School District 4J Board of Directors came out in opposition to Measure 58. According to their resolution released on Wednesday, the measure would severely reduce the "district’s authority and ability to meet the unique needs our students who must learn English – while also learning academic skills".

If passed by voters in November, Measure 58 would prohibit teaching a public school student in a language other than English for more than two years. Education experts around the nation agree that the most effective way to help students learn English and promote high academic achievement has nothing to do with an arbitrary timeline.

In fact, children learn English more quickly, along with math, science and other academic subjects, when at least some of their instruction is in their native language. If passed, Measure 58 would take effective and proven teaching methods out of the hands of educators.

The Eugene School District 4J Board of Directors is projected to be just one of the many school boards that will come out in opposition to Measure 58 due to the negative and long-lasting impact it will have on children trying to learn English.

Below is a copy of Eugene School District 4J Board of Director's resolution.

Resolution

Statewide Prohibition of Teaching Public School Students in Language other than English for More than 1-2 Years

WHEREAS, Ballot Measure 58 and its resulting ballot measure would establish a statewide policy that English is the "language of opportunity" and mandate that non-English speaking students shall be immersed in English so they can be mainstreamed as quickly as possible; and

WHEREAS, Ballot Measure 58 proposes to place non-English speaking students in English immersion classes for state-specified, limited time periods based on grade level (a maximum of 1 year for K-4 students; 1.5 years for grades 5-8; and 2 years for grades 9-12); and

WHEREAS, this measure and its impact is not consistent with nationally-recognized best practices for serving non-English speaking students; and

WHEREAS, current, district-specified courses being taught to assist non-English speaking students who are unable to benefit from classes taught in English would effectively be eliminated,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Eugene School District 4J Board of Directors strongly opposes Ballot Measure 58 because it severely reduces our authority and ability to meet the unique needs of our students who must learn English – while also learning academic skills.

Adopted this 20th day of August, 2008
_______________________________________________
Chair, Board of Directors
Eugene School District 4J

related links
Measure Limiting English Learning to Cost Oregonians a Quarter of a Billion Dollars
Fiscal Impact of Measure 58
Ballot Title and Statement
Anti-ELL Instruction Measure Assigned Ballot Number

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Anti-ELL Instruction Measure Assigned Ballot Number

On Friday, the Oregon Secretary of State announced the numbers for the twelve measures that will appear on the November Ballot for Oregon's 2008 General Election. Of the twelve measures, eight are those that qualified from state-wide initiatives and four are measures referred to voters by the state legislature

Bill Sizemore’s anti-ELL (English Language Learner) instruction measure which “Prohibits teaching public school students in language other than English for more than two years” has been assigned number 58.

This November, Oregonians will have the chance to reject or pass this costly measure which would take control away from local school boards, families and educators and place it in the hands of convicted racketeer Bill Sizemore.

This measure, if passed, would also hinder the ability of ELL students to learn and grasp the English language, thereby having a detrimental impact on their future.

As the “No on Measure 58” campaign gears up, CAUSA and the Oregon Coalition for Educational Equity will need volunteers for canvassing, phone banking and organizing house parties, community and voter forums.

To get more details on the campaign and how to get involved, please contact CAUSA at info@causaoregon.org, or by calling 503-984-6816.

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Editorial: Bilingual education getting dissected

This editorial appeared in the Woodburn Independent on Wednesday. The Woodburn Independent, a twice-weekly community newspaper serving the Woodburn and North Marion County community.

Bilingual education getting dissected
Woodburn Independent
July 23, 2008

The debate of whether or not schools should teach English as a Second Language (ESL) will swim to the forefront this election year. Initiative 19 prohibits teaching in a language other than English for more than two years.

So, if passed, according to the initiative itself, it “provides that no public school student shall be taught in language other than English for more than two years, with the exception for classes teaching foreign language to English speakers.” If it fails, it will “retain the requiring of English course for students unable to profit from classes taught in English, permitting multiple-language instruction to assist transition to English.”

There are pros and cons to both. The ESL program is very expensive and the program takes a long, long time. However, English immersion programs are showing mixed results around the country. A study from Harvard University showed that students in California and Arizona, two states that went to English immersion programs, were not acquiring English faster or doing better than they were before bilingual education was abolished.

The initiative’s bottom line is that it doesn’t want taxpayer money paying for these programs. We agree, however, the decision should be left up to individual schools districts, which make up their own budgets and know what they need on a year-to-year basis better than any state watchdog agency.

Each school board, or superintendent and his or her administrators should have the autonomy to do what works best for their district. If ESL doesn’t work in Hillsboro, but does work in Woodburn, those school districts should be able to make that choice on their own. If English immersion works better in Ashland or Burns, then they should not be under the same umbrella as the districts that don’t see the same benefits.

This is a problem that is becoming a national hot-button issue and when you have state and federal governments getting their hands in local school districts, usually it’s the students who suffer most.

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