EDUCATORS PUT FOCUS ON 227.Byline: Sherry Joe Crosby Daily News Staff Writer As some school districts were in court Thursday seeking to circumvent Proposition 227, Los Angeles-area educators met in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. to hash out Verb 1. hash out - speak with others about (something); talk (something) over in detail; have a discussion; "We discussed our household budget" talk over, discuss how to make the transition to one-year English immersion classes. Unlike emotionally volatile meetings of the past, the gathering in Van Nuys ran smoothly, with teachers and administrators seeking clarification on various aspects of the law that phases out bilingual education bilingual education, the sanctioned use of more than one language in U.S. education. The Bilingual Education Act (1968), combined with a Supreme Court decision (1974) mandating help for students with limited English proficiency, requires instruction in the native . ``Everybody is stepping up to the plate,'' said Forrest Ross, director of the Language Acquisition Branch of the Los Angeles Unified School District The Los Angeles Unified School District (the "LAUSD") is the largest (in terms of number of students) public school system in California and the second-largest in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population. . ``We want to make sure parents' rights are protected and that we move to develop English literacy for all students.'' Hundreds of educators from Valley-area schools received a primer on the implementation of Proposition 227, which requires students with limited English proficiency to enroll in one-year English immersion programs. In the past, students could remain in bilingual programs indefinitely. The four-hour meeting at Grant High School was one of six sessions designed for teachers, administrators, counselors and others responsible for implementing the new law, passed by 61 percent of California voters in June. Thursday's meeting was the only one scheduled for Valley employees. On the same day in Oakland, a judge ordered the state Board of Education to consider allowing school districts to keep bilingual programs despite passage of Proposition 227. Alameda Alameda (ăləmē`də, –mā`də), city (1990 pop. 76,459), Alameda co., W central Calif., on an island just off the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay; settled 1850, inc. as a city 1884. County Superior Court Judge Henry Needham ruled that the state board, appointed by Gov. Pete Wilson For others named Pete Wilson, see . Peter Barton Wilson (born August 23, 1933) is an American Republican politician from California. Wilson served as the thirty-sixth Governor of California (1991–1999), the culmination of more than three decades in the public arena that , must consider a school district's request for a complete waiver, which would let it keep its entire bilingual program. So far, 38 of California's 1,000 school districts have sought waivers from at least part of Proposition 227, said Michael Hersher, a lawyer for the state Department of Education. Los Angeles Unified School District board President Victoria Castro said the district is unlikely to seek such a blanket waiver. Fearful that such waivers may later be denied and cause further confusion for schools, Castro said she would rather monitor the situation. The Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. contributed to this story. |
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