The landscape of K-12 education funding in the United States is exceptionally complex. When it comes to funding an equitable, high-quality education for English Learners (ELs), discussions often focus on federal funds under Title III of the "Every Student Succeeds Act" (ESSA)--an important source of funding for many aspects of ELs'…

An analysis of the judicial and educational issues surrounding the Lau V. Nichols case in which suit was brought on behalf of 1800 Chinese-American students attending San Francisco public schools on the basis that they are being denied equal educational opportunity because they do not speak English. This case commentary argues for the plaintiffs…

Traces recent developments in the Supreme Court's view of the responsibilities of school districts to offer educational programs for linguistic-minority students. Also outlines various conceptions of appropriate instruction for these students ranging from English as a Second Language (ESL) to bilingual-bicultural programs. (Author/RK)

This report of the New Hampshire Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights contends that the Manchester, New Hampshire, school department has failed to provide adequate bilingual instruction for language minority students in that district, as specified by the provisions of Title VI and the "Lau v. Nichols" decision. It…

This newsletter contains seven articles related to the educational rights of culturally diverse language-minority students. "20 Years after Lau: In Pursuit of Equity Not Just a Language Response Program," by Alicia Salinas Sosa, points out that educational responses to Lau vs. Nichols have been minimum-compliance programmatic responses…

Lau vs Nichols is a 1974 Supreme Court decision which charged that the San Francisco Unified School District had denied equal educational opportunity to non-English-speaking students by failing to provide them with any special language instruction. The court decision was based on Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which provides against…

In a question and answer format, this booklet describes the Lau v. Nichols decision in which the Supreme Court ruled that the San Francisco Unified School District was guilty of discrimination because non-English speaking students were not given special language instruction. The booklet presents the basis for the Lau decision, describing a…

The Lau v. Nichols decision and its implications for school districts are explained in this question and answer format paper. Lau compliance plans are described in full. The number of students necessary for development of a plan or program, what a Lau plan should include, and appropriate program types are detailed. (MK)

This report focuses on issues relating to the development and implementation of educational programs for and placement of national origin minority students identified as having limited English proficiency. It examines the present-day barriers that prevent students with limited English proficiency from having an equal opportunity to participate in…

A narration of the federal Department of Education's attempt to promulgate regulations protecting minority-language students' civil rights examines the roles of federal agencies, Congress, state and local governments, the courts, civil rights groups, teacher and administrator groups, and the media in the regulatory process. An introductory section…

The "Lau" decision of 1974, which was related to the education of Chinese-speaking students in San Francisco (California), ushered in new programs, teaching approaches, frameworks, legislation, and government agencies designed to redress fundamental inequities in the educational opportunities available to language minority students. This…

Analyzes commonalities between "Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas" and "Lau v. Nichols" compliance efforts and outcomes, recommending strategies for the next decade, including reduction of residential segregation, desegregation by socioeconomic status, untracking, funding initiatives, family friendly policies, and…

Equity in access to educational resources faces new challenges in the age of technology, with great disparity in access to educational technology. The article proposes an alternative direction for equity of access to global learning networks as a catalyst for genuine educational reform that upholds civil rights law. (Author/SM)

Examines how U.S. public schools have responded to increasing numbers of limited English proficient students, given the limited supply of bilingual teachers and, in this context, examines language segregation in desegregated schools. Educational policymakers have a difficult time reconciling desegregation goals' requirements for comprehensible…

The history and issues leading to the Supreme Court decision which recognized the special educational needs and rights of limited English speaking students is traced in this article. Also discussed are the ensuing community struggles for the right to fashion the appropriate relief mandated by the Supreme Court and for the right to have quality…