Not everyone thinks that the new requirement for all public preschools in Illinois to offer bilingual education is a good idea, according to an article published this week by the Chicago Tribune. Some feel it’s an unnecessary burden for schools.
But some specialists in English-language learners both in Illinois and elsewhere have applauded the mandate because they think it will help preschoolers who speak a language other than English at home to get a better start.
School districts must provide a bilingual education class if they have 20 or more students share a native language other than English. If they don’t have 20, they can offer English-as-a-second-language classes instead.
Mary Ann Zehr was an assistant editor for Education Week. Her beats included English-language learners, bilingual education, immigrants, dropouts, achievement-gap issues, and charter and private schools. She was the author of the blog Learning the Language.
A version of this news article first appeared in the Learning the Language blog.
Don't miss the big stories
Stay informed with EdWeek Update, our daily newsletter.
Reprints, Photocopies and Licensing of Content
All content on Education Week's websites is protected by copyright. No part of this publication shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic or otherwise, without the written permission of the copyright holder. Readers may make up to 5 print copies of this publication at no cost for personal, non-commercial use, provided that each includes a full citation of the source. For additional print copies, or for permission for other uses of the content, visit www.edweek.org/help/reprints-photocopies-and-licensing-of-content or email reprints@educationweek.org and include information on how you would like to use the content. Want to seamlessly share more EdWeek content with your colleagues? Contact us today at pages.edweek.org/ew-for-districts-learn-more.html to learn about how group online subscriptions can complement professional learning in your district or organization.
