United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2001-02-23 monographic deposited born digital 56 p. GA 1.13:GAO-01-226 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-226 P0b002ee1803a12e4 f:d01226 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-226 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-226 GAO-01-226 Bilingual education Educational testing Public schools Minority education Educational standards State-administered programs Aid for education School districts Dept. of Education Emergency Immigrant Education Act Program Migrant Education Program HHS Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Program Dept. of Education Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Act Program Letter Report Y1999

Experts disagree about the best methods to teach student who speak little English. Even though different approaches to English language instruction may be effective, many variables may influence a given school's program choices. Moreover, there is no clear time line for acquiring English proficiency. Local decisions about the amount of time needed to attain proficiency and the amount of language support that should be provided may differ. Of the two main instructional approaches, English-based instruction is more common than instruction in which a student's native language is used. From information given at the state level, most students spent four or less years in these programs. School districts are required to ensure that English-language instruction is adequate and to provide these children with equal educational opportunities. The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has adopted procedural requirements for criteria for judging the adequacy of local English-language instruction programs in meeting those needs. In three policy documents, OCR set forth requirements that school districts must meet to pass a three-pronged test established by the courts. When the adequacy of local English-language instruction programs is questioned, OCR investigates and, if problems are found, enters into agreement with the district specifying how the district will address the issues. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-226/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-226.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-226/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-226.pdf GAO-01-226 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-226 Letter Report GAO-01-226; Public Education: Meeting the Needs of Students With; Bilingual education Educational testing Public schools Minority education Educational standards State-administered programs Aid for education School districts Dept. of Education Emergency Immigrant Education Act Program Migrant Education Program HHS Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Program Dept. of Education Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Act Program Title 20 Section 1400 Title 20 Section 1703 Title 20 Section 2301et seq. Title 20 Section 6300 Title 20 Section 6391 Title 20 Section 7401 Title 20 Section 7541 20 U.S.C. 1400 20 U.S.C. 1703 20 U.S.C. 2301et seq. 20 U.S.C. 6300 20 U.S.C. 6391 20 U.S.C. 7401 20 U.S.C. 7541