Education plan benefits need more explanation

This month, the New Mexico Public Education Department rolled out some data-driven changes that it says will:

• Streamline the way the state administers bilingual education by going from five disparate to three strong programs,

• Help ensure the students who need and want bilingual education get it by improving the curriculum while increasing the appeal and value of a public school bilingual/biliterate education,

• And deliver more education dollars to schools for bilingual programs.

But change is hard. And to say some educators and community leaders are expressing concern about the proposal’s impact on the educational futures of at-risk student populations would be an understatement in any language.

At a recent public hearing on PED’s plan, they voiced concerns that fewer students would be served and that the importance of bilingual education was being ignored.

Not true, says PED Director of Educator Quality Matt Montaño.

Granted, the plan is to drop two programs: one called “maintenance” and the other called “enrichment.” Instead, the state would beef up and focus on its three other programs, providing services for just as many students as the current system.

Montaño, a licensed special education teacher, says the maintenance and enrichment programs were redundant and superficial. Students in those programs will be channeled into the revamped “transition” and “heritage” programs, and they and other students will be encouraged to strive for the gold-standard “dual-language” program.

That program goes beyond simply teaching students a language to teaching them varied content in that language. Students who graduate from a dual-language program receive diplomas that recognize the achievement; Montaño likens them to those from International Baccalaureate programs.

Meanwhile, Montaño says fewer programs does not mean less money is going to bilingual ed. The three programs will help just as many students. And the dual language program is actually worth three hours of funding-formula monies compared to one hour for the programs being phased out.

The department estimates the number of dual-language programs would increase by 50 percent over the next three years. Around 50,000 K-12 students — roughly 15 percent — are in bilingual education programs now across the state.

The new regulations don’t take effect until the 2018-19 school year.

The harsh criticism at the recent hearing shows PED has a long way to go to explain the new plan. And by adding another day of public comment — scheduled for Aug. 9 — PED acknowledged that.

It is essential PED uses the time between now and Aug. 9 to better translate what its changes will do for students, teachers and parents.

Because all involved should support the goals that English-language learners, like all students, receive the best curricula available, and that more students are given the opportunity to become truly bilingual and biliterate.

— Albuquerque Journal