History Chapter 9 Zappala by Mia R Zappala

1968: Bilingual Education Act (Title VII)

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This act required schools to start bringing students' home languages into the classroom using federal funding so that students who were "educationally disadvantaged" could effectively learn appropriately in school (Baker & Wright, 2021, p. 186). This was so important because it created political relevance for bilingual education. Attached is a picture of Lyndon B. Johnson, the president at the time signing other documents related to education at the time.

1974: Lau vs. Nichols

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Chinese-speaking students in San Francisco sued and explained that identical instruction wasn’t equal when the students can’t understand English. The Supreme Court verdict outlawed the use of these programs for students who were not yet proficient in English (Baker & Wright, 2021, p. 185). This is important to bilingual education today because bilingualism became related to civil rights, and it changed it for future students who needed meaningful language access in schools to come.

1906: Nationality Act

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The Nationality Act of 1906 required all immigrants applying for U.S. citizenship to demonstrate the ability to speak English. This was the first time English proficiency was legally tied to becoming an American citizen (Baker & Wright, 2021, p. 183). This is so important today because all bilingual education policies followed this act, and it linked to the start of a national identity.

1998: California Proposition 227

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Voters passed Proposition 227 which effectively replaced many bilingual programs in California with short English immersion models so that children could quickly learn English for economic and employment opportunities (Baker & Wright, 2021, p. 188). This is so important because it demonstrates how political shifts can quickly reshape the practice and supply of bilingual education as a whole.

2015: Every Student Succeeds Act

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This act, signed by Obama, replaced No Child Left Behind as there were some flaws in the system (Baker & Wright, 2021, p. 195). This created more realistic expectations for learners and reconsidered the difficulty and interpretation of standardized testing scores. This has created a more fair learning environment for students today, and a better way to track their learning progress.