A review of bilingual education practices in urban schools: A glorious goal or a political problem

This paper reviews the current educational practices dealing with policy regulations, implementation of programs and instructional methodologies used in bilingual education for an ever growing number of Preschool-Grade 12 students with limited English proficiency (LEP). After reviewing some of the prevalent educational theories that impact language acquisition, it argues that a greater reliance on dual language bilingual programs can and should be implemented in today’s schools. Detailed statistics on Limited English Proficient students in New York City are highlighted and used as a point of reference for the issue facing most urban school systems today. Since the high percentage of student drop-outs and the defined “student achievement gap” are highly correlated to bilingual education practices, it is incumbent upon urban educators to strengthen their core knowledge on the design of language acquisitions program and to take social and cultural standards into account. A discussion ensues on the apparent contradiction between the need for bilingual skills for the future of our students and the limited way in which bilingual education is advanced, valued and rewarded in the national and state core curricula.