[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 77 (Wednesday, June 1, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H3810-H3811]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             MEETING THE NEEDS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Puerto Rico (Mr. Pierluisi) for 5 minutes.

[[Page H3811]]

  Mr. PIERLUISI. Mr. Speaker, the 2010 census confirmed that Hispanics 
are a growing part of the American family. There are now more than 50 
million Latinos in the United States, accounting for more than half of 
the Nation's population growth between 2000 and 2010. Today, one in six 
Americans is Hispanic.
  This tremendous growth adds to our country's rich diversity, but it 
also brings challenges. The number of English language learners in our 
Nation's schools has increased by 50 percent over the past decade. 
English learners are found in States with traditionally large Hispanic 
populations, like Texas and New Mexico, and in States that have 
experienced a recent influx of immigrants, like Colorado and Indiana. 
And English learners are found in large numbers in the U.S. territory 
of Puerto Rico.
  How well our schools educate those students will determine the future 
success of our Nation. And providing a quality education means ensuring 
that they graduate from high school with proficiency in English. The 
benefits of learning English are clear for students living in the 50 
States where it is difficult to obtain most jobs without being fluent 
in the language.
  But learning English is also vital for students in Puerto Rico. In my 
life I have visited many countries around the world; and everywhere I 
have traveled, I have seen young people studying English with passion 
and determination. Puerto Rico's sons and daughters, particularly as 
American citizens living in a U.S. territory, simply must be proficient 
in English to compete effectively in the modern globalized world.
  Yet for too many years, some politicians in Puerto Rico sought to 
limit the teaching of English in our local schools in a misguided 
effort to influence the debate over Puerto Rico's political status. 
This cynical approach has harmed our children and our island. 
Regardless of one's views on Puerto Rico's status, there can be no 
question that proficiency in English, as well as in Spanish, is in the 
best interest of Puerto Rico's youth. To deny our children the 
opportunity to learn English is to deny them the countless 
opportunities that come with being bilingual.
  Accordingly, since arriving in Congress, one of my primary goals has 
been to improve English language instruction in Puerto Rico schools. 
That is why I have introduced a bill to raise a cap that restricts the 
amount of Federal funds the island can receive to strengthen its 
English language programs. In order to ensure that the children of 
Puerto Rico have the same opportunities as children in the States, it 
is imperative that the island be treated fairly when it comes to 
allocating Federal funding for English language programs.
  Moreover, our schools' success in teaching English learners in Puerto 
Rico and in the States will depend on the number of well-prepared 
bilingual teachers available to instruct these students. In Puerto Rico 
the challenge has been to find enough teachers who are sufficiently 
proficient in English to effectively teach the language. At the same 
time, the increased number of English learners in the States has left 
school districts scrambling to find enough teachers who are fluent in 
foreign languages, such as Spanish and Mandarin, as well as in English.
  In both cases, schools are asking themselves, How can I find an 
experienced teacher to meet this need? One answer: teacher exchanges.
  I recently introduced legislation that would fund teacher exchanges 
between school districts in different regions of the United States. 
Under my bill, for example, a teacher in Puerto Rico could improve her 
English ability by spending a year in the States trading places with a 
native English-speaking instructor who seeks to improve her Spanish 
language skills. Through this exchange the teachers and, more 
importantly, the students in each community would benefit. No wonder 
that organizations representing English teachers, foreign language 
instructors, principals, and school boards have all endorsed my bill.

                              {time}  1020

  As Congress works to reform the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act, I urge my colleagues to address the needs of English language 
learners, whether those students are located in Santa Fe, San Antonio, 
or San Juan. Our goal should be as simple as it is ambitious: to ensure 
that every student in our Nation has the opportunity to graduate from 
high school as a fluent English speaker.

                          ____________________