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3. Why aren't we funding this!? Just kidding, but really though...

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I think that it's important to recognize that if bilingual education is going to be implemented successfully, then it requires effort from not only the students and teachers, but also parents and the community as a whole.

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2. I believe that if test scores improve that it is a clear sign that the new method has worked. There are probably other elements to take into consideration but that would mean that the school corporation monitor these elements

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I am still struggling with how to visualize a bilingual classroom. I understand why it might be necessary, but in terms of instruction and curriculum, the decisions that are made seem to baffle me. There are many different lessons and units that are apart of everyday grammar classes--how do you choose which language you do to make sure they know and understand the content you are giving them.

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Language proficiency is not only reflected by test scores. More than that it is important the implement learning strategies that also focus on context dependent language education.

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True bilingual education seems like the best way to do it, but I can think of a lot of arguments that too many people in power may have, such as the practice being anti-American and a waste of money on American soil.

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The students could be getting more help than they had before that isn't related to the language issue

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Brittany #2: Test Scores and Effectiveness

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Brittany #2: Test Scores and Effectiveness

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Though standardized test scores are going to improve, we need to also consider what skills improve outside of the regimented curriculum---more colloquial items, such as social speech, interviewing skills, public speaking, communication, self-expression, understanding of art and those around them.

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My main comment is that getting parental and community support in regards to bilingual education can be the best asset in a classroom with emphasis on bilingual education. Bringing in parents and members of the community to address the classroom gives opportunity to normalize bilingualism and show its prevalence in today's society.

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I think you can look at the policy as if it did work. But I think its very important to evaluate policies based on other things that are not test scores- such as how much the STUDENT feels they have grasped concepts. Test scores only mean so much. I think anything can be improved.

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pro: the people would vote for their own region instead of somebody else making the decisions
con: people with no education background and possible prejudices are given the reins but don't take in account the actual effects

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1. Pro- allows everyone to have a better education.
con-some might not like that everyone would have a better chance.
2. i think it only works out for that section of the program not the others like math, science, history,etc.
3. still trying to figure out how does it actually works.

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I don't think it necessarily means the policy worked because test scores are not always an accurate representation of a student's knowledge or potential. It can mean that the policy worked; I just don't know if it's like that 100% of the time. It's also important to consider how recently the policy was implemented and the methods used in the classroom to implement it.

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1. Pro - The people get to decide
Con - Some voters aren't properly informed

2. Enough time needs to pass before deciding if the higher test scores are the result of the new policy or something else

3. None

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If test scores improve after a new approach, it's totally possible that the new approach had something to do with it. However, it is most likely not the biggest cause. There are other things such as funding, environment, educational support, and teaching styles that can be more or equally as effective.

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1. Pro:
A ballot initiative would allow for more people to vote on the topic.
More people would become involved in their communities education system.
Con:
Depending of varying view points it could stir up arguments if the question is misunderstood.

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1.Pros: everyone has a vote.
Cons: some may not have enough knowledge about the issue or care as much.
2. If scores improve that doesn't necessarily show that the policy worked. It could just be showing that the teaching improved or it could mean it worked. It is good to keep in mind who is teaching, how they are teaching, to whom they are teaching to, different exercises used ext.

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1.
Pros: Allows democratic process and more exposure to the general public since it affects everyone in the community.
Cons: People have to have an opinion to vote, and many people will not do so for various reasons.

2. There could be several confounding variables in the equation, meaning that there isn't a guarantee that the changes were the direct cause of the increase in test scores. Plus, test scores do not always accurately reflect the proficiency of a student.

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Pros: Everyone can decide on it
Cons: every one can decide on it. meaning people who don't really understand or know what's going on can vote.
2. If test scores improved then it's reasonable to believe that this has had some sort of positive impact on the students but it could also be a lot of different things. like "better" teachers. Teaching just the new material could have an affect on the children
3. none

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1. Pros: parents have the right to choose factors that influence their child's education. Hopefully, the demographics will influence the results of the vote.
Cons: A large majority of voters will probs be English-only speakers and might not be educatedon the issue
2. It depends on what is being tested on and how much the scores improved. I also think it would be difficult to isolate one element.

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1.  Pros: ensures a fair representation of what the community wants to see done
Cons: many people aren't fully informed on the issues that need to be handled
2.  yes, although there can be many factors that resulted in better scores
3. -

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1.A con may be that of a majority being unaware or perhaps knowingly voting against policies that would be beneficial for a minority group. A pro, similar to the con, would be that a community in the process of voting would hopefully be familiar with the various needs of a community; the more local the scale of effect (of the policy) the more familiar and more well-informed the individual voter would be, ideally.
2. Not necessarily. A major policy change, one would hope, with regards to any issue, would be accompanied by a public change in perception of the issue in question. A policy change may provide resources or generate new methods, but it would also be accompanied by shifting public perceptions of what is helpful/deterring to progress and effective action. -- ethical and evidential groundings for policy or resistance to it
3.

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Pros: People can vote on an educational policy
The majority will get what they want
Cons: The majority will get what they want and the minority get left out.
People that are uneducated about specific policy consequences are voting for something they know nothing about.

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Pros:  Allowing the public to voice their opinions on the matter, direct connection between change and who the change will most affect

Cons: Who are the individuals that are most likely to be in charge of a ballot initiative? Is it legally acceptable to have hispanics head a ballot initiative, but socially prohibited?

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1. Well, it means that a lot of people that are not well versed in the education field will be voting for something that could drastically change schools. This could allow for some new ideas to be put into schools, or it could lead to some disastrous results because we have random people deciding how students should be taught.
2. I would assume that if test scores improve and this policy was the only thing that was changed, then yes, this means that it probably worked. There are lot of variables that could be part of the situation as well, so it is hard to say for sure.
3. Is the bilingual education going to be for English speakers as well? We have other language classes now, but normally they are just Spanish or French (not that there's anything wrong with those). Will there be other languages offered in schools?
Look a picture!

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Ever wonder why you must sit through nearly a whole hour of Spanish class a day? Ever feel like learning French just isn't worth the stress? Ever wonder why you're required to have two full years of language just to be considered for colleges? Believe me, there's a reason.

For starters, we need to start considering ourselves lucky to even have foreign language offered at our school, let alone three different ones.Based on a study done by the Center for Applied Linguistics, 58% of middle schools and 91% of high schools across the nation offer these classes to their students today; these numbers may prove that over half of American schools teach language, but there are still the ones that do not. If the other 42% of American middle school students or 9% of high school students want to learn language, they have to go to some outside source to do so. We as teenagers are fortunate to have both the convenience and the consistency of attending high school language classes every single day, allowing us to learn everything from vocabulary to verb conjugations to foreign literature within our pre-existing curriculum. It is best to learn language while still young, so we are extra lucky in this aspect as well.

Languages, believe it or not, enrich the brain. I'm sure you've heard that you have different hemispheres of your brain, one being responsible for mainly visual and spatial learning while the other focuses on the logic thought processes - thus, learning languages. The left side of the brain contains some of the parietal lobe, temporal lobe, and occipital lobe, altogether making up a sort of "control center" for its language-learning side. This means that every time you write down a sentence in Latin or conjugate a verb in Spanish, you are increasing your memory and attention span. By strengthening the logical side of your brain, you can actually improve in other school subjects as well, such as math. Not only is this true, but once you learn one language, your brain is much more adapted to this style of processing information and you therefore have a far easier time learning even more languages if you so desire. Essentially, if you learn French now in school and want to learn Spanish later in life, you'll have a much easier time with this than someone who has never been taught a foreign language before.

Most people like the idea of traveling, right? Here's another aspect where language helps; 22 countries across the world speak Spanish and 16 French, many of which are popular tourist locations. This means that if you ever go to these countries, you'll actually know what the people are saying and be able to understand what's going on around you! Sure, language dictionaries and google translate exist, but isn't the cultural experience in itself enough? Think about it: by learning language, you can also immerse yourself in so much foreign culture that may otherwise be closed off to you. For example, you could possibly get a pen-pal in the language you are learning in school, or at least be able to visit other countries with a little more ease and less confusion! You also gain enough knowledge to truly appreciate the literature, films, etc. of other countries that just may not have the same effect if put in English subtitles.

Learning a foreign language now will actually help you down the road, too. Since learning second languages appears to be a decreasing value for many English-speakers, many more jobs are open in fields that both specialize in language and do not. Being a translator is the obvious one, but there is much more than that: for example, if you want to be a doctor or work somewhere in a hospital, it may be easier for you to get a position if you are bilingual or even multilingual, because you may be one of a small few who has the ability to assist foreign patients. Plus, there's certainly a success factor that comes with learning languages - don't you think it would feel awesome to say you know six languages? According to the General Social Survey, 25% of Americans report being able to speak a second language. Wouldn't you pride yourself on being apart of that percentage? Obviously, learning one or even two in high school cannot make you fluent in multiple, but it can definitely spark interest and teach you enough so that you are fairly comfortable with at least one by the time you graduate.

We are very fortunate t o have such great language opportunities at our school, so take advantage of them! Even if you despise the foreign language you take, be appreciative for the value and significance behind it - clearly, we learn them for a good reason.

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Ever wonder why you must sit through nearly a whole hour of Spanish class a day? Ever feel like learning French just isn't worth the stress? Ever wonder why you're required to have two full years of language just to be considered for colleges? Believe me, there's a reason.

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Pros: getting to vote in a democracy and letting everyone have a say, you can hear both sides of the argument for or against this policy
Cons: not everyone who votes it educated on the issues which may cause more problems than previously existed, in addition to not being educated on the issues, not everyone necessarily knows the fundamentals about education and how a policy would impact schools

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1. pros: people have a say, most if not all are represented by voting. 

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1. pros: people have a say, most if not all are represented by voting. 

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cons: people have a say, votes can be misinformed, etc.
2. I think test scores by no means is an accurate way to tell anything, but I think if there is an overall improvement, I think it is possible that the policy did work and is more effective for English language learners.
3. Why aren't we doing bilingual education now??

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A ballot initiative or petition can force a discussion about education and highlight the problems within the system. But there is no guarantee that issue being proclaimed will be acknowledged in a plebiscite because not ereybody might be as invested in the issue as the people who started the public vote or be as educated on the issue.

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Depending on demographic of registered voters, certain initiatives can hurt the school systems more than help them. When people who aren't aware of how the educational system works are asked to vote, students are the ones that end up living with those consequences. Ballot initiatives can be great if we ensure the public is made aware of what is being passed.