Bilingual Programs

Our district has had a maintenance bilingual program since I was in elementary school in the mid-1970's.  TESOL has been a component of that bilingual program for those students who were found to be LEP/ELL.  But now, our new superintendent and our new bilingual program director are changing the program to be completely TESOL.  However, based on the recent memo given to us, the number of students in our bilingual program are being referred to as ELL students.  Many of our current bilingual students are in the bilingual program because their parents want them to maintain their native language.

Rumor has it that the parents in the district were the ones who reported irregularities with our program.  Recently the state came to interview bilingual program teachers about the district bilingual program at my school.  I found it interesting that instead of interviewing the 10 teachers designated as bilingual teachers, our district offered up three teachers.  Who are they?  One is a veteran teacher of the program.  The second one is a second year teacher who is not in the bilingual program.  The third is a first year teacher who is a bilingual teacher.  I am a bit distressed that our maintenance program is being dismantled and the district is sending out the message that maintaining a native language is not important.