Successful Bilingual Schools Six Eff ective P rog ram s in ...

Successful Bilingual Schools

Six Effective Programs in California

October 2006

Successful Bilingual Schools

Acknowledgements:

Many thanks to the principals and the staffs of the six schools featured in this report.

The project team is indebted to the principals and staffs at all the schools contacted and visited for their excellent work with children, and for their willingness to respond to our many questions.

Our sincere appreciation goes to:

Cher Lecours, Breeze Hill Elementary School Lloyd Houske, Cahuenga Elementary School Jerry Nerio and Thomas Donfrio, Gascon Elementary School Elena Coronado, Ansgar Larsen Elementary School Craig Newman and Albert Mendivil, Olivewood Elementary School Mary Ellen Mendoza, San Fernando Elementary School

This project started with a conversation, and ended with this report. Throughout the last two years the following colleagues have provided essential guidance, encouragement, and inspiration: Donna Heath, Rosalia Salinas, Shelly SpiegelColeman. Their direction, support and patience are most appreciated. Elizabeth Jimenez and Oscar Medina were indispensable members of the research team, conducted site visits, and provided essential guidance as the project moved ahead. Eduardo Jimenez helped with the data collection.

Toni Marsnik provided a critical readthrough and feedback on the entire draft. Her thoughtful perspective and editing improved every page. I cannot thank her enough for her contributions. While I gratefully acknowledge support and contributions of all these and many more, I take full responsibility for the factual accuracy of this report.

Norm Gold

Sacramento, CA October 2006

Publication Information: Cite as: Gold, N. (2006) Successful Bilingual Schools: Six Effective Programs in California. San

Diego: San Diego County Office of Education.

Project direction: Donna Heath, Senior Director English Learner Services Learning Resources and Educational Technology Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment San Diego County Office of Education 6401 Linda Vista Road, Room 324 San Diego, CA 92111

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Successful Bilingual Schools

Learning from Success Our most underutilized opportunity to continue improving EL performance may lie in fostering ways for schools and districts to learn from one another. Current state accountability methods identify schools that are underperforming or failing in some way. We believe it is important for the state to place equal, if not greater, emphasis on districts and schools that are realizing authentic, lasting success with their ELs. To do this, the state will need to establish criteria for identifying successful districts and schools in regard to EL performance, publicly acknowledge them, and create vehicles for disseminating what is occurring in these successful sites to others. Effects of the Implementation of Proposition 227 on the Education of English Learners, K?12 Findings from a FiveYear Evaluation Parrish, et al., 2006, p. VII3

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Successful Bilingual Schools

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

I. Introduction

II. Background ? Student Characteristics ? Effective Schools Research ? Types of Bilingual Education ? Definition of a Bilingual School ? Definition and Assessment of Success

III. Procedures ? The selection process ? Selection criteria ? Limitations of the project

IV. Results: Six Case Studies

? Breeze Hill Elementary School Vista USD

? Cahuenga Elementary School Los Angeles USD

? Gascon Elementary School Montebello USD

? Larsen Elementary School Hueneme Elementary SD

? Olivewood Elementary School National Elementary SD

? San Fernando Elementary School Los Angeles USD

V. Discussion, Conclusions and Recommendations

Appendix: Summary Tables

References End Notes

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