Early observations of 13 culturally and linguistically diverse elementary schools, each of which is implementing one of six internally-developed school restructuring designs, are reported here. The schools are all located in one demographically diverse county, and the restructuring process occurred over a 4-year period. The study examined a range…

This booklet for Spanish-speaking parents of young children with disabilities describes Colorado's Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) process. It explains guidelines, shares family stories and reflections for families and care providers, and the describes the values that drive the IFSP process in Colorado. Information is provided on…

This report examines the policies and practices of the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights (OCR) for determining whether school systems are providing appropriate educational services to language minority students who are learning English as a Second Language (ESL). Data are drawn from OCR documents in the public domain, including…

This book examines the ways in which people belonging to different language and cultural communities live together in the same political community, and how political and structural tensions arise to divide them along language lines. It analyzes the historical background and recent controversy over language in the United States, then compares the…

An urgent educational crisis threatens the futures of a growing number of Asian Pacific American students, both immigrant and American-born. This crisis is largely invisible to most Americans, even to many in the teaching profession, because many see all Asian Pacific American students as members of a model minority destined to excel. This image…

This document aims to help teachers make the transition to standards-based teaching and learning. It describes the first phase of a 3-year applied research project on professional development for teaching to high standards in culturally and linguistically diverse middle schools. Standards-based teaching and learning requires teachers to reach a…

This book examines the experiences of four Mexican children in American middle schools struggling to learn English. It discusses policy and instructional dilemmas surrounding English language education for immigrant children. Using analysis of the children's oral and written language and examination of their classrooms, schools, and communities,…

This paper examines methods that can help prevent a rise in the dropout rate of Hispanic students in the United States, focusing on five principles that form the basis for research by the Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence. The first principle states that learning should be facilitated through joint productive activity…

This report reviews statistical data collected by the New York City (NYC) Board of Education (BOE) and New York State Education Department documenting the rise in school dropout rates among English Language Learners (ELLs) and their unacceptable educational outcomes, incorporating students' comments gathered during focus groups held with NYC high…

This is an evaluation of the first 3 years of Project REALM (Reading English And Learning Mathematics), a project funded by Title VII. This project provides additional support to improve the quality of elementary education for new refugee students. Project REALM has 5 major objectives, including the following: (1) to increase participants' English…

This handbook is a guide to creating and managing citizenship programs for the elderly learner; a task made more urgent by the passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, which denies many federal and state benefits for non-citizen elderly people. The handbook brings together insights and observations…

The text of a November 1995 Slovak Republic law concerning language use in that country is translated and analyzed from the perspective of a recent Linguistic Society of America (LSA) statement on language rights stating that speakers be allowed to express themselves, publicly or privately, in the language of their choice. The law provides that…

This study analyzed aspects of educating young children in Tanzania and then transitioning them to the U.S. and Canada, examining parents' perspectives of their children's transitions. Researchers collected data via questionnaires and interviews with 30 Tanzanian parents about 35 children's adjustment to new education systems, highlighting…

The paper investigates how adult immigrants with low literacy levels are being taught language skills in Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. Particular attention is paid to the reasons why large English-as-a-Second-Language programs (ESL) in the area do not offer native language literacy (NLL) courses and why some students seek NLL…

This factsheet provides information about young people from ethnic minorities in Britain. In spring 1997, 48% of the ethnic minority population of Britain was under 24 years of age, in comparison with 31% of the White population. Twenty-two percent of the ethnic minority population was of compulsory school age, compared with 14% of the White…