澳彩开奖

A Louisiana school district at the center of a federal civil rights investigation prematurely pushes students out of classes for English language learners and ultimately 鈥渟tifles educational opportunities鈥� for these students, according to new findings uncovered by the 澳彩开奖.

Among the findings in the Jefferson Parish Public School System, students who could not fluently read or write in English were removed from the English as a Second Language (ESL) program if they could converse in English. These violations of federal civil rights law were added to an existing 澳彩开奖 federal complaint against the school district today.听

The original complaint, which described widespread discrimination against Latino students and their families, sparked a joint investigation by the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice shortly after it was filed in August. That investigation is ongoing.

鈥淓very student has a right to an equal opportunity to learn in school,鈥� said Jennifer Coco, staff attorney for the 澳彩开奖鈥檚 Louisiana office. 鈥淭he treatment of Latino students in the Jefferson Parish Public School System violates this basic right and creates a major obstacle for future success, for both the students involved and for the communities of Jefferson Parish.鈥�

The Equal Educational Opportunities Act requires all school districts to take appropriate action to help non-English speaking students overcome language barriers.

The 澳彩开奖鈥檚 findings include a study听of the school district鈥檚 ESL program. The study, written by Gerardo R. L贸pez, Ph.D., an education equity expert at Loyola University New Orleans, found that students are often quickly removed from ESL programs 鈥渙nly to find themselves struggling in academic areas down the road.鈥�

L贸pez added: 鈥淎 disturbing trend is that students are being promoted to the next grade level (and to the next successive course) when they are barely passing their coursework at the most basic/rudimentary level of understanding. This practice ultimately sets up students for academic difficulty and possible failure in subsequent school years.鈥�

The 澳彩开奖鈥檚 findings also include accounts by students in the district. Y.A., a West Jefferson High School student, was removed from ESL class and told she didn鈥檛 need it anymore because she 鈥渟poke English.鈥� Yet, her test scores showed that she was barely able to read or write in English. Without becoming fully proficient in English, Y.A. has failed multiple classes and hasn鈥檛 passed any of her standardized state tests. 听

L贸pez found that the district 鈥渃learly struggles鈥� to show that LEP students are making annual yearly progress and faces 鈥渟ignificant challenges in ensuring all LEP students perform at satisfactory levels on state tests.鈥� The study also found that the district does not have enough teachers certified to teach English as a Second Language classes. The district also may not be enrolling many of the students that need these classes.

鈥淚t is my professional opinion that [the Jefferson Parish Public School System] stifles the educational opportunities of English Language Learners enrolled in the district,鈥� L贸pez wrote.

He added: 鈥淭his leaves LEP students at a disadvantage when it comes to preparation for higher education, as well preparing them with the skills and credentials necessary for gainful employment in today鈥檚 workforce.鈥澨�