Free Republic

Chris Romer is a freshman Colorado Senator. He's a bright fellow with a degree from Stanford in economics and more than 20 years of experience in the private sector as a public finance investment banker, specializing in municipal and state budgets. The son of former Gov. Roy Romer, he has a good political pedigree. He describes himself as a "lifelong Democrat," but I don't necessarily hold that against him. After all, Ronald Reagan was once a Democrat. Romer was awarded a seat on the Education Committee. Since Colorado governments - at all levels, combined - spend more money on education...

AUSTIN - The State Board of Education plans to discuss English-immersion instruction as a possible alternative to the bilingual programs in place in Texas schools. Supporters of both methods of teaching English are expected to speak at the board's meeting next week. The 15-member elected board oversees the state's public schools. In bilingual classes, students are taught in their native languages while they are learning English. In immersion programs, the students receive all or most of their instruction in English. Proponents of immersion programs say they capitalize on the ability of young students' brains to absorb a new language. But...

Texas education officials are ready to hear pros and cons of English immersion AUSTIN - The State Board of Education will consider the controversial topic of English-immersion instruction as an alternative to the state's bilingual programs at its meeting next week. The board has invited a California school superintendent and a representative of a conservative East Coast think tank to speak Feb. 9, opening a debate that could extend to the Legislature. In traditional bilingual classes, students are taught in their native languages while they are learning English. In immersion programs, the students receive all or most of their instruction...

The 10th annual Latino Education Summit, just held in San Diego, wasn't much different from the previous nine. Each year, San Diego County's Office of Education reports to educators, parents and students on how well Hispanics are faring in county schools. The news this year, as in summits past, wasn't good – while nationally there is evidence the achievement gap between Latino and white students is narrowing, especially among younger students, a sizable gap still exists in San Diego. The gap is even larger – up to 51 percentage points at some schools – for English learners, most of them...

<p>Three months after Massachusetts public schools launched voter-approved English immersion classes for thousands of immigrant children, reality is hitting home for their teachers: Many students will have to remain in immersion classes longer than the one-year time limit specified by the new law.</p>

17 Lawrence teachers fight fluency rule By Anand Vaishnav, Globe Staff, 7/25/2003 eventeen Lawrence teachers who failed an English fluency test required by the state's new English immersion law have hired a lawyer to challenge the rule and persuade the district that they should keep their jobs. Attorney Jennifer Rieker met yesterday with Lawrence school officials to try to negotiate a compromise for her clients, a week after four Cambodian-born Lowell teachers filed discrimination complaints over the test, arguing that they were singled out to take it because of their race. In Somerville, at least three teachers who failed the...

Bilingual Feud Turns Fiery Arsonists burn car of leader behind Amendment 31 By John J. Sanko, Rocky Mountain News October 19, 2002 Rita Montero, a leader of the ballot initiative to scrap bilingual education in Colorado's public schools, said Friday someone torched her car while it was parked in back of her home. Denver fire investigator Craig McCann confirmed the incident. "It did happen, it was arson," he said. McCann declined to say how the car fire started, but said a garage door across an alley from Montero's car also was damaged. Montero, a former Denver School Board member, said...