Reauthorized Bilingual Education

Ovando & Combs (2012) explain that the original BEA of 1968 specified that Title VII services were intended for children that spoke at home languages other than English and with annual incomes below $3000. The 1974 reauthorization eliminated the poverty criterion and for the first time it required the use of the students’ native language and culture in the instruction of ELLs (Crawford, 1989). However, the purpose was not to develop the students’ native language, but to allow academic progress in the content areas while acquiring English (Lyons, 1990).
Congress again reauthorized the BEA in 1978. The amendments provided a new definition of eligible students. Lyons (1990) notes that by recognizing the importance of skills such as reading, writing,
This legislation established that the funding for the education of ELLs would become available through both Title VII and Title I funds. This legislation was important for ELLs since it promoted moving away from the remedial model of bilingual education toward an approach of enrichment and innovation (Ovando & Combs, 2012). The implementation of two-way developmental bilingual education was promoted as part of the educational reform for ELLs due to its proven success in developing fluency and literacy in both languages (Ovando & Combs,
According to Garcia, Jensen, and Scribner (2009) the term “English language learners (ELLs)” is used to refer to students who are not yet proficient enough in English in order to properly benefit from the instruction provided exclusively in this language. Garcia (2012) notes that research has categorized ELLs into three cohorts. Garcia (2012) exemplifies these three groups by indicating that in California, the long-term ELLs are the largest cohort that makes up about two-thirds of the ELL population in that state. The rest of the ELLs include recent immigrants who possess either low or high previous academic background (Freeman, Freeman & Mercuri, 2002). The report developed by the Grantmakers for Education (2010) states that even though many immigrant children are ELLs, most of the ELLs were born in the United States. Grantmakers for Education (2010) report that over 75% of ELLs enrolled in elementary grades are second generation or probably third generation Americans. This report also indicates that about 95% of immigrant children were born in the country. According to Garcia (2012) each of the three cohorts of ELLs identifies possess a unique set of academic and linguistic requirements. Distinguishing between U.S.-born ELLs and their immigrant counterparts is essential to meet the specific needs of each group through the use of different