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No child left behind: repealing and Unpeeling federal language education policy in the united states

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Abstract

For more than three decades US language education policy was realized through the Bilingual Education Act, enacted in 1968 to meet the educational needs of language minority students. The Bilingual Education Act emphasized bilingual education and provided options for the development of students’ native language as well as their English language proficiency and academic achievement. In 2002 the Bilingual Education Act expired and was replaced by the English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement Act. Drawing on Ricento and Hornberger’s [(1996) TESOL Quarterly, 30(3), 401--428] ‘onion metaphor’ for the multi-layered nature of language planning and policy, this paper considers the potential impact changes in language education policy may have on programs and practices for language minority students. A summary of interview responses from a small sample of Southern Oregon educators provides an added perspective.

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Abbreviations

LEP:

Limited English Proficient

OBEMLA:

Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Language Affairs

OELALEAALEPS:

Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited-English-Proficient Students

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Southern Oregon University, 1250 Siskiyou Blvd, Ashland, OR, USA, 97520

    Bruce A. Evans

  2. University of Pennsylvania, 3700 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 19104-6216

    Nancy H. Hornberger

Authors
  1. Bruce A. Evans
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  2. Nancy H. Hornberger
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Correspondence to Bruce A. Evans.

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Evans, B.A., Hornberger, N.H. No child left behind: repealing and Unpeeling federal language education policy in the united states. Lang Policy 4, 87–106 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10993-004-6566-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10993-004-6566-2

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