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A program for English Language Learners at Las Animas Elementary
School has proven so successful that the school district is
creating steps to implement it at other schools.
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“A program for English Language Learners at Las Animas Elementary School has proven so successful that the school district is creating steps to implement it at other schools.”
So goes the opening line in a story about the Dual Immersion Program at Las Animas School. Congratulations to the students who are succeeding and the dedicated staff of teachers in the Dual Immersion Program. If dual immersion is successful, we may have come upon a bilingual program that truly enhances the educational experience for children. We are still a few years from knowing if that is indeed the case, but the program looks promising so far.
In the book “Structured English Immersion” by Joanna Haver, dual-language instruction is touched on briefly. The author states that is an inappropriate instructional program for students who score below the 75th percentile in reading, language or math on standardized tests in English. It is suggested that schools must have the option to admit into the program only students who test at academic levels equal to those already in the program and to transfer out students who fall behind into classes where most of the instruction is given in English.
I give her words a lot of weight, because the district uses Structure English Immersion as the basis of all language arts instruction in our district. It is tempting to ask why “English immersion” strategies are being used not just on the 30 percent of students who are Spanish speakers, but also on the 70 percent of students whose primary language is English.
I am not sure if the policy for admission to dual immersion in GUSD follows these high-admission guidelines. Clearly, a dual immersion program is wanted by parents in this community, and that is the primary reason we should support it. It should remain in existence and expand when it becomes a proven success.
The self-contained GATE program at Rucker is a proven success. We have years of data, in the form of Rucker graduates, to back up this program. There has been talk of duplicating the program at other sites, which is wonderful in theory. The trouble is, there remains a pitiful lack of support for a program that has been in place for many years, perhaps duplicating a program that gets no support should be put on hold for the time being.
The Las Animas dual immersion program is flourishing because parental input into the program was and remains valued. The district listens to these parents, and the principal at Las Animas is supportive of the program. The Rucker GATE program is in jeopardy, because the district has little interest in meeting the needs of these parents and students. Rucker Principal Steve Gilbert shows more interest in what is going on at his former school than he does in the GATE program at Rucker.
The GATE test this year was administered to more than 200 students, the highest degree of interest ever. The smallest number ever passed the SAGES-2 test, a test which was new this year and is not as stable as the tried and true SOI test which was given for many years. Once it was public knowledge that a whole bunch of gifted and extremely bright students were not “passing the test”, the district scrambled to look at some other tests.
Again, parents were never asked for input as to what criteria would be used to determine GATE eligibility. As a member of the GATE parent advisory committee, I can assure you that what I ask for is very simple. Allow me and other GATE parents to advise. We want the same thing those parents at Las Animas want, the right to help design the program that our children will be enrolled in. This starts in elementary school, and ends when our students walk across the stage at Gilroy High School.
This year, more than half of the Gilroy High seniors profiled in The Dispatch were graduates of the Rucker GATE program, as was Valedictorian Josh Arribere.
They are the proof that the Rucker GATE program is a success. If this program is allowed to come under the sole control of the district office, it will not survive. It is up to Rucker families past and present to make sure that the program not be allowed to just fade away. It is time for the District to listen to those stakeholders who want to shape the future of the Rucker GATE program.
