Proposition 227 Research Paper

The issue of English language learners (ELL) and their rights to an education has been a major topic of debate for many years. Should ELL students be taught in their first language? Will they learn English, or should they be put into English speaking classes? That has been the topic of discussion amongst educators. Which method is better for the student? The arguments continue and many states and school districts have made a decision on what to do. One state in particular had a serious ELL problem, so California took action. In 1998, California implemented a program called Proposition 227.

Proposition 227 was legislation that was put to a vote by the California government. Proposition 227 was passed on June 2, 1998. Proposition 227 changed the way schools were to teach to ELL students. Before proposition 227, ELL students were taught in their first language and English was mixed in. The hope was that eventually the ELL
That is still a question that does not have a definite answer. It depends on who is asking that questions. English skills have improved in California but they are not drastic changes. There has been improvement but it has been minimal. Students definitely need to learn English, without English proficiency, students will struggle throughout their lives. That is not the issue; everyone can agree that English proficiency is probably the most important thing a student can learn. The debate arises when the discussion of how students should acquire this proficiency, is brought into light. We do live in the United States and our main language is English, so if students are enrolled in our school systems, they should be able to speak English. The controversy of how to obtain proficiency in English will continue, especially in today 's society, where more people are trying to maintain their ethnic heritage. It will be interesting to see what our educational system will look like 10 or 20 years from