ARIZONA, USA — Arizona State Superintendent Tom Horne has revived a push towards English immersion learning in the classroom, a signature position during his first tenure as the top educator in the early 2000s.
Horne announced last week that schools will risk losing state funds if they enroll English language learners into dual language classes “without the requisite parental waivers.”
Critics call Horne’s announcement a biased interpretation of the law. Horne said he is merely ensuring schools comply with the law.
50/50 Dual language model debated
In 2000 voters passed an English-only mandate for school instruction. In 2019, the Arizona state legislature passed what is viewed as a revision to that law by reducing the English immersion requirement during the school day from four hours to two hours.
“A reduction in structured English immersion from four hours to two is okay, but the rest of the day must be spent in regular classrooms with the English-speaking students, not in classes taught in Spanish,” Horne stated in his written memo to educators.
Currently, many schools offer dual enrollment programs that include a portion of the day in Spanish-only instruction.
Horne’s announcement cites a recent memo from attorneys at the state legislature stating a 50/50 dual language model likely violates Arizona law if those students are not yet proficient in English.
Several parents and educators attended a state school board meeting Monday to publicly ask the board to prevent Horne’s initiative from moving forward. The board did not officially address the issue and it’s not clear if they could in a future meeting.
Speakers argued that dual language programs allow Spanish-first learners to build their vocabulary and academic competence in both languages.
Horne: No classes in Spanish unless competent in Spanish
“It is not fair. It is not right,” said Lucinda Peralta, an elementary school principal speaking about Horne’s announcement. “Dual language programs are an additive program. They add a second language to students who already speak Spanish and want to learn English. But putting a test before them is discrimination.”
Peralta said Horne’s position is unjust because, unlike Spanish-speaking students, students whose first language is English don’t have to prove competency in another language to participate in a dual language program.
Horne said national research and Arizona’s history with dual language programs support his argument that full English immersion is best for non-English speaking students.
“For these students to succeed, they have got to become proficient in English as quickly as possible,” Horne said.
Horne said while he was superintendent beginning in 2003, implementation of a “structured English immersion program” produced significant gains, going from 4% of students becoming proficient in English over the course of one year to 29%.
“After leaving office things became more lax and the proficiency rate has come down,” Horne said.
“He (Horne) cannot make unilateral decisions”
Current and former dual-language instructors said Monday that “50/50 dual language programs” keep students engaged and prepare them for bilingual jobs in the future.
“Superintendent Horne is making decisions that will set our schools back decades based on false narratives,” said Anna, a former bilingual educator.
The state’s teachers union calls Horne’s announcement unenforceable.
“This is a weekly thing. He has a press conference. He says a lot of stuff but it has no weight to do it,” said Marisol Garcia, President of the Arizona Educators Association. “He cannot make unilateral decisions like this. He would have to go to the board, the legislature or the voters.”
Parents and educators said they worry Horne’s announcement, whether enforceable or not, will undermine dual language programs in schools.
“Please keep the waivers for our native Spanish speakers,” said one parent through a written statement on Monday. The parent, whose three English-first-speaking children are in the Tucson Unified School District, said the dual language program provides “unique magic” to their children’s educational experience by integrating them with Spanish-speaking students.
Impact to schools unclear
It’s unclear how Horne’s announcement might impact enrollment at schools. A spokesperson for Arizona school districts said the timing is not ideal because most teachers already signed contracts in February and March.
Over the past two decades, states have conducted various studies regarding the effectiveness of dual language programs. A 2021 study in the International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism examined Arizona’s test scores a decade after Prop 203, the English immersion requirement, was passed. It concluded the law did not result in better outcomes for English learners in Arizona.
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