ELL: "No child left behind" vs. Native lg. immersion in US publicschools

[Akira Y. Yamamoto]

Dear Tony and all:
	Bill Wilson (Hilo, Hawai'i) was with us at the Oklahoma Native
Language Association's (ONLA) annual gathering, and he presented a draft of
resolution concerning "No child left behind."  Teachers and community
people all supported the resolution and it is now being cleaned up by the
presidet of ONLA, Greg Bigler (who happens to be an attorney from Euchee
Tribe in Oklahoma).  I will ask Bill and Greg to make the resolution
available for the list members.  So, yes, something is being done, and we
need more.  Akira

>I am currently in Chevak, Alaska, a Cup'ik-speaking community which has
>been considering a Cup'ik-only language immersion program in its
>publically-funded schools. Among other things I am working with people
>here on plans to bring such a program about.
>
>Under the rubric 'No child left behind,' the federal government has is
>establishing a system of standardized testing of children at various
>"benchmark" points, including the third grade (8-year olds, basically).
>Schools with performance below a certain level are subject to draconian
>interventions, including loss of federal funds, closing down, or being put
>under entirely nonlocal control.
>
>The trouble is that these tests are in ENGLISH, and the require that
>students have training in English. That pretty much destroys any effort to
>institute immersion because the negative consequences for the community as
>a whole are immense.
>
>In the case of Chevak--which hasn't quite taken the plunge yet--federal
>rules like these make immersion seem prohibitively risky.  In the case of
>schools in the area which took the plunge several years ago and have been
>enjoying the benefits of immersion education, things are even worse.  In
>Bethel, AK, where there is an immersion school in Yup'ik (closely related
>to Cup'ik) the immersion school was granted a waiver from the benchmark
>tests for several years but now has been told it must take them, despite
>inadequate preparation on the kids' part. Chris Meier, co-principal of the
>school, writes (Tundra Drums, Aug. 29,2002):
>
>"This is not only immoral, it is illegal, and is in direct conflict with
>the Native American Languages Act [an act of the US Congress in
>1991--acw].  This law states: 'The right of Native Americans to express
>themselves through the use of Native American languages shall not be
>restricted in any public proceedings, including publically supported
>education programs.'  The law further instructs Federal departments to
>"'Evaluate their policies and procedures in consultation with Indian
>tribes and other Native American governing bodies as well as traditional
>leaders and educators in order to determine and implement changes needed
>to bring the policies and procedures into compliance with the provisions
>of this title.'"
>
>OK here is my question:  Is there any wider effort among communities or
>educators or linguists involved in language immersion in the lower grades
>to fight this?
>
>What strategies are being undertaken?  Has there been any organizing or
>coalition building?
>
>I would very much like responses from people who are well versed in the
>specifics of the "No child left behind" question and have dealt with or
>know about its effects on language immersion.
>
>Many thanks,
>Tony Woodbury
>
>--
>Tony Woodbury                       Phone: +1 512 471 1701
>Chair                               Fax:   +1 512 471 4340
>Department of Linguistics
>University of Texas at Austin
>Calhoun Hall 502
>Austin, TX 78712
>
>Web:   http://www.utexas.edu/depts/linguistics/
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Akira Y. Yamamoto
The University of Kansas
Department of Anthropology
Fraser Hall 622
1415 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence, KS 66045-7556
Phone: (785) 864-2645
FAX: (785) 864-5224
Anthropology: http://www.cc.ukans.edu/~kuanth/
Linguistics: http://www.linguistics.ukans.edu/


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