LULAC Washington Youth Leadership Seminar Position Paper 9/30/98

The 1998 LULAC Washington Youth Leadership Seminar
Bilingual Education-The Attack-The Solution
Participant Position Paper 9/30/98

On Wednesday, September 30, 43 outstanding young Hispanic leaders met during the LULAC Washington Youth Leadership Seminar to discuss the future of bilingual education in the United States. After an intensive discussion the students adopted the following positions as representative of their views:

Learning English while Preserving Native Language: We believe that it is important for all Americans to learn English, but that it is also very important to preserve the native language one is born into. America is a melting pot society. What makes America a great country is its accumulation of such diverse cultures.
Expand Dual Immersion Bilingual Education Programs: This promising program helps language minority students learn English at the same time that it teaches English language students a second tongue. This would ensure that America remains competitive in the global market place because we would have the ability to converse fluently with partners in other countries. With a program such as dual immersion, we as a unified people can help bring all citizens together to strengthen our country and continue to display the vibrant colors of our unique background.
Allow Local School Districts Flexibility: We oppose state and federal mandates on the length of time required to learn English fluently because this assumes all students learn at the same level when research has shown this to be a false assumption. In fact, research has shown that it takes 5 to 7 years to master academic English. Flexibility in selecting curriculum allows school districts to tailor their programs to meet the needs of their particular student population.
Parental Involvement: We believe that in order for limited English proficient students to learn English and perform well in school they need strong parental guidance and encouragement and that this factor is the most important determinant in student success. Therefore we encourage increased federal support of programs to engage the parents of LEP students in their child's education including the use of translators in parent teacher conferences. It is also important to increase funding of adult English language instruction because this will facilitate the child's learning of English.
Teacher Training: As in all subjects, good teachers will ensure the success of bilingual education programs. We support increased funding for training and certification programs for bilingual education teachers. We also support the funding of evaluation systems to determine the progress of the teachers and students in bilingual education programs.
Student Motivation: The key to the success of bilingual education students is their own motivation to learn English and perform well in school. High quality teachers, engaged parents, and a supportive learning environment will help to increase the motivation of students to learn.

Hispanic Youth Meet Army Leaders

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