Defending bilingual education (again) in the Dallas Morning News
Research supports bilingual education (Bilingual education is better than immersion)
Published in the Dallas Morning News, December 1, 2012.
Re: L. Wooley, “An argument against increased school funding,” November 26
Contrary to Lynn Wooley’s statements, evidence for bilingual education is strong.
Wooley says scores “shot up” in Oceanside after bilingual education was dismantled in California in 1998. But scores for all students increased in California between 1998 and 2000; gains for Oceanside's English learners were similar to gains made in many districts that kept bilingual education.
The increase occurred because a new state test was introduced. The first time a new test is given, scores are low; scores then increase each year as students and teachers become more familiar with the test. After a few