The Huffington Post – Rebecca Klein
“A walk through Heritage Elementary School in Woodburn, Oregon, can make you feel like you’re touring Europe. In one classroom, a group of third-graders learn to read in Spanish. In another, students recite multiplication tables in Russian. In other parts of the school, students are receiving instruction in English…It’s part of the Woodburn School District, which has an expansive dual-language program although the vast majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch…In the decade since the district enacted its dual-language program, the gap in graduation rates between Woodburn’s English language learners — or ELLs — and native English speakers has closed. Experts say that if implemented properly, dual language programs not only encourage students to appreciate other cultures as well as their own, but can even help desegregate districts where minority students and their white counterparts attend separate and unequal schools.”(more)