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Research Paper

Ensuring Academic Success for all Arizona Students

“Jose, I know you know this. What is the capital of Arizona?” Jose, a new student from Mexico, answers with a blank stare on his face, and shrugging his shoulders, he stays silent. Mrs. Smith, Jose’s new fifth grade teacher, was upset that he could not remember the lesson taught to him ten minutes prior. However, it is possible, and most likely, that Jose could remember the lesson, but simply could not speak English to answer her. </b>

Public schools across the nation are facing a horrific problem and that problem is language barriers. Arizona specifically has a vast majority of Hispanic students enrolled in public schools. Out of 978,128 students enrolled in Arizona schools, 355, 295 of them are from the Hispanic culture, and among those 355,295 students 100,000 students cannot speak English (www.ade.state.az.us). Arizona’s department of education’s mission statement is “to ensure academic excellence for all students” (www.ade.state.az.us). This statement did not read to ensure academic excellence for all student’s except Spanish speaking students, therefore something needs to be done in our school systems to ensure that this mission statement holds true.

Low Budget

In order to accommodate ELL, English language learners, in schools, educators and administrators must know about their culture, so that they will have a better understanding about whom they are serving. To begin with, this cultural group is increasing and increasing everyday throughout the United States. Predictions say that by the year 2020 “more than one in five children will be of Hispanic origin” (Manning, 2000, p. 140). In the next sixteen years about 20% of students will be Hispanic. This critical fact makes it imperative for teachers and educators to be informed about their culture. Hispanic students are particularly family oriented, concerned about others and nature, self-conscious, and accepting of those they associate with (Manning, 2000, pp. 141-145). The Hispanic culture treats their family with respect. Teachers also must know that “the family structure is that of the extended family” (Morales, 1998, p. 13). This concept is important to understand because the entire family helps the child with their schooling. Hispanic students also value individuals. Sometimes the Hispanic student will stop his or her work just to help someone else (Morales, 1998, p. 14). Individuals are held in high reserve within this culture. It is imperative that teachers learn about this culture so that success can be wrought when working with them.

After educators learn about the Hispanic culture itself, schools are heading towards the right track in eliminating problems that are occurring today in regards to these students. So, what are these problems I keep referring to? The initial problem facing schools in regards to ELL learners is low budget. Research has shown that Arizona only spends about 58.6% percent of the budget in classrooms. The national average for money spent in the classroom is 61.5% (Kossan). Arizona is definitely below the average, and there is a cause for concern on where the rest of the money is going for education. Most of Arizona’s money is going towards paying administrators and staff, rather than for the use of helping students achieve. Catherine Safford, Avondale Elementary Superintendent, says that because there is such an emphasis on testing, “anybody we do hire in that area has to be coded as administrative costs” (Kossan). Arizona should spend less money on administrators, infrastructure, and salaries, and more money inside the classroom. Study after study shows that Arizona also ranks in at the bottom in regards to money spent per student. Arizona invests only “$5,006 per student, compared to the national average of $7,079, and to a high of $9,362” (Scottsdale Unified School District). Arizona needs to spend more money on education to help all students achieve success.

Not enough Time and Lack of Parental Support

Following the problem of having a low budget, time is also causing conflict to occur. Learning a foreign language does not vivaciously happen overnight. From personal experience, even after two years of learning Spanish, my vocabulary is limited, and total proficiency is not intact. Realizations occurred to me that learning a second language is a challenging task that takes time. According to Linda Hubbard, “Abstract language skills used in classrooms, may take seven years or more to acquire” (p. 176). Even though research shows that students cannot fully comprehend a second language until seven years or more, Arizona schools have said that all Spanish-speaking students must be English proficient within three years (Tom Horne’s Inaugural Address). By not allowing students enough time to learn a new language, failure will happen, it is simply a matter of when it will happen. The old English proverb that states, “Practice makes perfect” needs to be remembered when setting time limits on learning another language.

Another problem is that these students may lack parental support to encourage and motivate them to achieve excellence. Most of the Hispanic students enrolled in schools are immigrants. Many parents decided to make the decision to move to America to provide a better life for their child, a life in America they did not enjoy themselves. The determination of the parents is wonderful, but after their arrival, then what? Not knowing English themselves makes helping their child on homework impossible to all degrees. In the 2000 United States census, statistics have shown that “9.7 million children ages five to seventeen--one of every six school--aged children-spoke a language other than English in their home” (Hubbard, 2003, p. 175). In addition, many of these families come with small increments of greenbacks to support their loved ones. Some students have stated that because of their low-socioeconomic status, college, or secondary education, seems merely a fantasy that will remain a fantasy (Manning, 2000, p. 150). With these antagonistic thoughts filling in their heads, it is no wonder success within this culture is diminishing.

Last Problem and First Solution

Continuing the “problem timeline,” government always seems to find ways to assist in educational mistakes. On November 7, 2000 Arizona registered voters passed proposition 203 which states that “all classes be taught in English” (Unz, Education Reporter). This proposition caused more problems than solutions in helping these children learn English. Lydia Guzman, Arizona MAPA State President, has said that because of proposition 203 “more students will drop out of school at an earlier age due to language frustration” (The New Mexico Association for Bilingual Education). This proposition ruined students because they simply were placed in a foreign classroom, and cannot comprehend what is being taught because of the language barricade placed in their path of success.

Problems remain problems until solutions come along to repair the damages made. A solution designed to eliminate the lack of parental involvement is by schools organizing a family literacy night. Nicole Karanetos, a representative from Galveston Elementary, spoke in an Introduction to Education course about the family literacy programs offered at Galveston. Karanetos said that an important factor in having this program be effective is by allowing it to be a non-cost event. Her school has found great success in doing this program. Parents can come to the school and learn English free of charge. Other studies have shown that “parents became more active in their child’s education, had more literacy materials, and expressed greater confidence in sharing literacy with their children and helping them with homework” (August, 2003, p. 33). Enabling programs like this allows for parents of Hispanic students to become actively engaged in their child’s learning process.

Better Programs and More Money

Something else that can be done is implementing better programs in schools for students to participate in throughout the school day. All research has pointed to signs that two-way immersion is the most effective way of teaching English to Spanish speaking students. Immersion is “an educational approach that integrates native English speakers and native speakers of another language for content and literacy instruction in both languages” (Christen, p. 8). Immersion shows that proposition 203 is non-effective because research shows that both languages need to be heard and used by the student in order to fully transition to English. Assistant professor, Joseph M. Guzman has also agreed that immersion “seems to smooth out, and presumably speed up, their transition” (p. 10). Immersion allows a gradual change to occur in the students’ life, which will cause for a better transition from Spanish to English. Through interviewing RJ Hart, a certified Spanish English interpreter for Mesa public schools, a realization has occurred that many schools in Arizona have implemented immersion programs. Immersion programs have also shown to speed up the process in which students learn English. When embedded carefully in schools, immersion programs offer the promise of having literate students in the time limit Tom Horne has given, which is three years (Christian, p. 8). Two-way immersion has also promised that after finishing these programs students will have developed “grade-level academic ability, well-developed language and literacy skills in two languages, and cross-cultural competence” (Christen, p. 23). Immersion is one outstanding way of annihilating many problems that students face.

Money provided for schools needs to be redirected to the right areas to help Spanish-speaking students just as immersion programs help. As previously stated, the majority of money allotted for education is going into administrative costs. At a presentation given by Tom Horne, superintendent of Arizona public schools, at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Tom Horne said that students need the money used for supplies and positive programs rather than having administrators receiving a pay raise (Inaugural Address). Money does need to be redirected into areas of concern. Arizona is finally getting on the right track. Arizona’s Governor Janet Napolitano has created a fund called, The Arizona Early Education Fund, which is going to help with this problem. Napolitano is hoping to raise $5 million dollars in one year (Steckner, 2004). More funds like this need to be in place to help manage this money problem. Money has always been an issue and with the unmanageable debt Arizona and the world is in it is hard to say whether it will ever truly be resolved.

The Final Analysis

The final analysis is that Spanish-speaking students are becoming more prevalent in public schools today. Problems have expanded and need to be eliminated. With the help of parents, teachers, voters, and concerned people, a difference can be made and schools can renew strategies where learning can truly be present for every student within the walls of the classroom. These past problems seem endless, but Hugh White has said, “The past cannot be changed, the future is still in your power.” Turn attention to solutions and act upon them. Follow research and allow immersion programs to roll forward in all districts, do not give up hope, and eventually the Arizona Department of Education’s mission statement, “Ensuring academic success for all students” will ring truth.

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Author: heidi farrelly
Last modified: 8/25/2005 4:27 PM (EST)

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