Demographic Changes

1
Demographic Changes New Challenges AND
Opportunities!
2
The Changing Landscape

• The 2000 US Census recorded that out of 281.4
  million people, 31 million were foreign born
  including at least 276 ethnic groups.
• According to Education Week, during 2000-2001,
  more than 4 million students or almost 10 of
  students enrolled in pre-kindergarten through
  12th grade were limited English proficient.

3
The Changing Landscape

• The National Center for Education Statistics
  reported that 47 states reported how many
  enrolled students who were ELL students and were
  receiving English language services.
• In 2001-2002, one-fourth of all students in
  California, or 1.5 million, were ELL students who
  received language services, while the number of
  students who received ELL services in Texas was
  more than half a million or one in seven
  students.
• (nces.ed.gov/fastfacts, 2004).

4
The Changing Landscape

• Most ELL students are found in larger, urban
  schools, NCES (2004) also reported from its
  1993-1994 Students and Staffing Survey that of
  the schools with LEP students, one third provide
  either English as a Second Language or bilingual
  programs and 71 of students determined to be LEP
  attend those schools.

5
The changing Landscape

• Forty-two percent of all public school teachers
  had at least one LEP students 30 of the
  teachers instructing LEP students had received
  training to teach ELL students while only 3
  actually held a degree in ESL or bilingual
  teaching (NCES, 2004).

6
The Changing Landscape

• ELLs are projected to compose 40 of the school
  age population by the decade of 2030 (Collier
  Thomas, 1999).
• All long term research studies of ELL students
  found that it takes a minimum of four years for
  these students to reach grade level performance
  in their second language (Thomas Collier,
  2002).
• 42 of all public schools have at least one ELL
  student, yet only 30 of the teachers instructing
  these students had any ELL training (NCES, 2004).

7
ELL/ LEP Students

• 4,416,580 students enrolled in public schools
• (PK -12). 1999-2000 school year.
• 9.3 of total public student enrollment.
• Some 400 different world languages.
• 76.6 are Spanish-speakers.
• Some 40 percent never graduate from high school.

8
What Are the Most Common Language Groups for LEP
Students? Anneka Kindler, NCBE

• In 1999-2000, states reported over 400 languages
  spoken by ELL/ LEP students nationwide.
• Spanish (76)
• Vietnamese (2.3)
• Hmong (2.2)
• Haitian Creole (1.1)
• Korean (1.1)
• Cantonese (1.0). 
• All other language groups represented less than
  1 of the LEP student population. 
• http//www.ncbe.gwu.edu/askncbe/faqs/05toplangs.ht
  m

9
Black Hispanic Growth

10
Academic Needs of L2/Bilingual Learners
11
U.S. Challenges in L2 Education

• Teacher preparation professional development
• Program selection, design and implementation to
  fit local goals needs
• Second-language and academic content instruction
  based on high academic standards

12
Hispanic/Latino Population

• Now number 37 million (2002) census
• During the 1995-2050 period, the percentage of
  residents aged 5-24 is projected to increase by
  222

13
A word of caution

• Latino/Hispanics are
• An unusually diverse community
• Share a common language
• But there are many differences
• Socioeconomic and academic
• Culture and ethnicity
• Nationality

14
Latino/Hispanic HS Completion Rate

• In 2000, the HS completion rate was 64.1 1972,
  was 56.2
• Trend has been fairly similar over the past three
  decades

15
Changing Times New Challenges

• Empowering Parents Expanding beyond traditional
  parental involvement
• School Culture Barrier for Change or Bridge for
  Improvement?
• Broadening US schools community partnerships
  Engaging people from all cultures and walks of
  life

16
Changing Times New Challenges

• The parents of ELLs often find it difficult to
  guide their children through the US educational
  process
• Many parents do not understand the process
• Communication problems with teachers and
  administrators are often due to linguistic
  barriers

17
Community-based Organization School Partnerships

• Existing Hispanic/Latino CBOs can be invited into
  partnerships with local schools
• When schools partner with these organizations, it
  can be a catalyst to developing parental
  involvement

18
CBOs and School Partnerships

• Groups may already exist in your community
• A mens soccer group, a quilting group, a group
  that teaches national dances. These are real
  resources waiting to be utilized!

19
Examples of CBOs in the Metro Area

• Mi Casa (Affordable housing)
• Spanish Education Development
• Latino Student Fund
• Neighbor Consejo (Homeless)
• Salomon Zelaya (Rehabilitation Center)

20
Expanding Beyond Traditional Parental Involvement
Activities

• Schools must give all parents including those
  from culturally and linguistically diverse groups
  the power to become involved in the schools
  their children attend.

21
Building Bridges
22
Parental Involvement in Schools

• Parents can participate in both formal and
  informal ways
• Parents can serve as classroom aides or work on
  fund-raising projects
• Parents can also be involved at home by providing
  a learning environment for their children

23
Exploring Cultural ExperiencesDiverse Schools
and Classrooms

• Educators should explore their own cultural
  experiences, values, and attitudes as they relate
  to child rearing practices in school
• Educators should learn as much as possible from
  parents about their cultural experiences, values
  and attitudes (i.e., image of authority figures,
  views about school, etc.)

24

• Schools knowingly or unknowingly often assume
  that parents know how to interact with school
  personnel
• However, because many Hispanic/Latino parents
  come from different educational traditions, many
  may feel powerless to participate in school

25
Is this a cultural issue?

• Hispanic/Latino parents tend to separate the
  school system and home and treat them as
  different domains
• The role of the school is to instill knowledge
  and teacher their children
• The role of parents is to provide nurturance, and
  teach morals, respect and good behavior

26
Successful Parent/School Partnership Issues

• School Environment Creating a friendly,
  welcoming environment
• School Culture Valuing home and community
  culture
• Teachers as Cultural-brokers Overcoming
  misperceptions and stereotypes

27
Successful Parent/School Partnership Issues

• Overcoming linguistic and cultural barriers
  Disconnect between home, community and school
• Parents Educational level and previous experience

28
Best Practices

• Establishing community networks and partnerships
  with other CBOs
• Building trust and personal relationships
• When publications are translated, making sure
  they are culturally acceptable. Attention to
  literacy is important.

29
Theme 1 Community Involvement

• How can community leaders and faith-based
  organizations
• Inform and educate parents about the educational
  opportunities available for every child?
• Encourage their local officials to take advantage
  of all federal, state, and local educational
  opportunities?

30
Theme 2 Developing Partnerships Community

• Where can schools look for CBSs and informal
  groups?
• How can they engage them?
• How what the CBO is already doing can be of
  benefit to the school and children?

31
Theme 3 Developing Policies

• How can State Educational Agencies (SEAs) develop
  policies that encourage and enable their school
  districts and schools to promote successful
  school-community partnerships that are responsive
  to the diverse populations they serve?