California Department of Education Responds to Questions About Instruction and Services to English Learners
SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Education's (CDE) English Learner Support Division Director, Dr. Karen Cadiero-Kaplan, issued the following statement regarding media reports of claims made by the American Civil Liberties Union about English-language instruction:
"Despite the enormous financial strains of recent years, California has made dramatic progress in seeing that all English learners receive appropriate instruction and services. School districts—which are responsible for providing instruction to students and appropriate services to English learners—currently report that more than 98 percent of the state's 1.4 million English learners are receiving services.
"The Department has yet to see or review the claims made today, although it is noteworthy that a previous action by some of the same parties was recently dismissed with no adverse finding against the CDE. Furthermore, a recent Court of Appeal decision affirmed that the Department and the State Superintendent had fulfilled their legal obligations related to on-site monitoring of English learners.
"The Department encourages any parents concerned about the instruction of their children to work with their local school district and, if necessary, make use of the Department's complaint process to resolve any concerns."
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Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100