Research in bilingual education remains underdeveloped, and despite 20 years of classroom experience, curricular and methodological refinements, and gains in student achievement, there is continued skepticism about its effectiveness. Contends there has been overreliance on simplistic and ill-designed evaluation research and urges instead basic…

This booklet aims to help educators make informed decisions about which students need special language services, what kind of services they should receive, and how well the students and the language program have succeeded. It focuses on the following issues: (1) how the larger social context affects teachers' decisions and students' success; (2)…

During 1986-87, the Dallas (Texas) Independent School District (DISD) conducted an alternative certification program. This report evaluates the program. The introductory section defines alternative certification (any significant departure from the traditional undergraduate route through teacher education in universities and colleges) and explores…

The National Advisory Council on Bilingual Education's seventh annual report outlines the Council's mandate and activities and looks at the current state and future needs of bilingual education in the United States. In a section on program implementation, the report outlines local, state, and federal support efforts, program design and…

A review of recent research in child language development examines how this research can be used to inform policy that will enhance the capabilities of English-speaking and non-English-speaking children to develop strong language skills and promote the success of at-risk children. Focus is on the research most applicable to policy planning. First,…

While French is the official language of the Congo, the study of English is compulsory throughout the entire seven years of secondary education. A study evaluated the effectiveness of English education, focusing on the training, qualifications, motivation, and morale of the English teacher; the suitability, appropriateness, and design of existing…

This report focuses on the achievement in basic skill areas attained by participants in compensatory education activities in New York State, which has established the priority areas of reading and mathematics. Over 200,000 pupils participated in Chapter 1 reading programs, and over 86,000 participated in Chapter 1 mathematics programs. Ten tables…

This examination of computer use in schools provides an overview of current trends, as well as detailed analyses of the use of computers in programs for disadvantaged learners funded by Chapter 1 of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act of 1981, and programs for students with limited English proficiency. A summary of this report and a…

A policy forum featured a presentation by Linda Chavez on the public policy needs of the Puerto Rican community. The forum also included a panel of experts from the Puerto Rican community to provide critical feedback on Chavez's presentation. Chavez argued that Hispanic Americans can move into the mainstream of United States society, and that…

This new serial publication is designed to provide teachers, administrators, and policy makers who work with English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students with a forum for presenting innovations, concerns, and recommendations related to the schooling of language minority students. The main section of the publication, "Describing Our…

Three large urban school districts located in the Midwest, Southwest, and West Coast regions were involved in a study designed to reveal district personnel's perceptions of change within their school district. After describing the study, this document analyzes perceptions of change related to one district's new bilingual program that was…

A statewide study was conducted to identify and describe successful voluntary school desegregation programs funded under Chapter 636, a 1974 amendment to Massachussets' Racial Imbalance Law. Programs selected were of four types: (1) school-based (elementary, middle, and high); (2) school system- or district-wide; (3) part-time and full-time…

This report examines the status of Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) programs in Massachusetts in 1989. Forty-seven of the 50 school districts operating TBE programs responded to a request for statistical data concerning the following major program areas: (1) student enrollment; (2) former TBE students; (3) TBE students who dropped out; (4)…

This document presents in detail the master plans for the 1983-84 school year of the District of Columbia public schools. Priority areas were identified as instruction, management improvement, planning, quality assurance, resource development, and community relations. General statements of long-range objectives and achievement indicators are…

Reviews research literature on the effectiveness of bilingual education programs. Argues that scientifically valid evaluation studies offer no consistent support for transitional bilingual education as a superior practice for improving the English-language achievement of limited English proficient (LEP) children and, in fact, suggest evidence of…