[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 156 (Tuesday, October 16, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2149]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF PROVIDING RESOURCES TO IMPROVE DUAL LANGUAGE EDUCATION 
                              ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. HILDA L. SOLIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 16, 2007

  Ms. SOLIS. Madam Speaker, access to high-quality early childhood 
education programs, including dual language programs, can play a 
significant role in closing the education gap. So I am proud to rise 
today to introduce the PRIDE Act, which will establish dual language 
education programs.
  One in every five students who enters schools in the U.S. speaks a 
language other than English at home. The English language learners 
(ELL) population represents more than five million students in the K-12 
public school system, which constitutes about 10 percent of our total 
public school population. In Los Angeles County, ELL students are no 
longer a subgroup of students. Rather, ELL students represent the 
student population the school district serves. More than 40 percent of 
students in the Los Angeles Unified School District are ELLs. Of those 
students, 94 percent speak Spanish as their native language. The vast 
majority of ELL students are native-born U.S. citizens.
  English language learners and low-income children start kindergarten 
well behind their peers, and this gap continues to widen over time. For 
example, by kindergarten, only 50 percent of Latino children are able 
to name and recognize letters of the alphabet compared to 75 percent of 
Caucasian children. The National Task Force on Early Childhood 
Education for Hispanics cites that only 23 percent of Latino ELLs who 
knew little to no English at the start of kindergarten score at high 
levels of reading comprehension in the 5th grade. By 8th grade, 71 
percent of ELL children score below basic in reading and math.
  Dual language programs are in extremely high demand across the 
country. Programs in very affluent communities have long waiting lists 
of children. These programs help train biliterate and bilingual 
children. Although schools in low-income communities have instituted 
dual language programs to improve ELL instruction, these communities 
have less access to programs that truly follow the dual language model. 
We must provide our public school system with the tools necessary to 
ensure the success of all students, especially those in underserved 
communities and school districts.
  That is why I have introduced the Providing Resources to Improve Dual 
Language Education Act of 2007 (the PRIDE Act). The PRIDE Act would 
serve children in economically disadvantaged communities and limited-
English proficiency students from preschool through 5th grade. The 
PRIDE Act would recruit, train, and continuously develop staff to 
implement high-quality, dual language programs. These programs focus on 
instruction, second language acquisition, and content knowledge.
  We know how important the role of a family is in a child's education. 
The PRIDE Act would also establish a responsive infrastructure for 
positive, active, and ongoing relationships with students' families and 
the community, one that reflects the needs of the community and goals 
of the program.
  The PRIDE Act is endorsed by at least 30 groups, including the 
National Council of La Raza, the National Education Association, the 
Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, the National Black 
Child Development Institute, and the National Association for Bilingual 
Education.
  Madam Speaker, in order for the U.S. to remain globally competitive, 
Congress must address the ongoing challenges in our education system. 
We must promote and build bilingual skills for all our children, 
including those in impoverished communities. As a diverse nation, this 
includes ensuring education meets the needs of all students, including 
ELL children. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor the PRIDE Act, because 
educating our children is a commitment that we must not abandon.

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