Arizona dual language education supporters demand Tom Horne allow all students to participate

A group of supporters of dual language programs walked through the sweltering 100-degree heat on Thursday to deliver a packet of more than 2,800 signatures to the offices of state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne demanding that all students, including English learners, be allowed to participate in the programs.

At the state Capitol rally, the dual language program supporters blasted Horne, a staunch proponent of English-only immersion, for threatening to withhold education funding from schools that allow English learners to participate in dual language programs, where students spend half the day learning in English and half the day learning in another language, typically Spanish.

Horne's threats will prevent English learners from gaining the benefits of dual language programs, including learning English while maintaining their first language, said Georgina Monsalvo, Arizona organizing director for Stand for Children, an advocacy organization that supports dual language programs.

Monsalvo and other supporters of dual language programs said Horne's attempt to bar English learners from dual language programs exceeds his authority and are asking the State Board of Education to step in to settle the dispute by July 19, when the new school year begins for many school districts.

Horne maintains that Proposition 203, a ballot measure approved by voters more than two decades ago, bars English learners from enrolling in dual language programs unless they have first obtained a parental waiver.

"We believe that by investing in language acquisition, embracing diverse perspectives, and providing inclusive learning environments, we can build a society that celebrates diversity and equips all students with the necessary skills to thrive," Monsalvo said at the rally attended by about 50 people.

Following the rally, groups delivered a 2-inch thick packet — 183 pages with a total of 2,833 signatures — to the offices of the State Board of Education and the Department of Education demanding that English learners be allowed to continue to enroll in dual language programs.

On the way, one of the groups ran into Horne, who was entering the offices of the Arizona House of Representatives.

Horne slipped into the offices without answering questions from the supporters of dual language programs. But Associate Superintendent Margaret Garcia Dugan, who accompanied Horne and stopped, said Proposition 203 explicitly bars English learners from being taught in any language other than English, which is why English learners cannot participate in dual language programs without waivers. The department is trying to ensure that English learners adequately learn English, which is the key to their success, Garcia Dugan said.

In a written statement, Horne emphasized that he has not eliminated dual language programs.

"We are only requiring waivers that are required in the initiative that was passed by the voters, and that the State Board has never sought to eliminate," Horne said.

"The statements about the benefits of dual language by the advocates are anecdotal and are clearly contradicted by the real-world data," he added.

Ratcheted up: Tom Horne to schools: Stop teaching English learners in Spanish or lose funding

Horne claimed in the statement that English proficiency rates for a structured English immersion program he implemented when he was superintendent of public instruction from 2003-11 climbed to 31% from 4%.

Separately, four Democratic lawmakers, state Reps. Jennifer Pawlik, Laura Terech, Nancy Gutierrez and Judy Schwiebert, have also asked Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes for an official legal opinion on whether dual language programs satisfy the requirements of Proposition 203 and whether Horne has the authority to restrict access to the programs.

Spokesperson Richie Taylor confirmed the Attorney General's Office had received the request but said it is still pending.

Horne's attempt to block English learners from dual language programs has reignited a long-standing debate in Arizona over the most effective methods for teaching English learners. Arizona is the only state in the nation where schools are required by state law to teach English learners only in English. In most other states, schools are given the flexibility to teach English learners through a variety of methods, including dual language and bilingual education models.

Proponents of dual language programs say research shows that dual language programs are more effective at helping English learners learn English without falling behind academically than English immersion models. At the same time, dual language programs help students become fluent in more than one language, better preparing them for the job market.

The Legislature in 2019 passed a law that directed the State Board of Education to create additional models to give school districts more flexibility to teach English learners. The change followed years of data showing that English learners were not learning English and were falling behind academically.

The Board of Education came up with four models, three of them based on English immersion, and a fourth that allows schools to offer dual language programs that teach students half the school day in English and half in some other language. Existing dual language programs typically include both English learners and students who are proficient in English. In addition to Spanish, some school districts offer dual language programs in Mandarin Chinese.

In a written statement issued in June, Sean Ross, executive director of the Arizona Board of Education, said Horne, as head of the Arizona Department of Education, has the authority to exclude English learners without parental waivers from participating in 50-50 dual language programs.

However, in a statement issued Thursday, Ross said the board will use the attorney general's opinion to guide its next steps once the opinion is released.

"At this time, the board will not take action against schools that use any of the four approved" structured English immersion models for instruction, Ross said.

More than 900 English learner students were enrolled in dual language programs in the 2021-22 school year, according to Arizona Department of Education data. Data for the 2022-23 school year has not yet been released, but likely increased as more schools have implemented the programs allowed under the State Board of Education's guidelines, which were not in effect for long before the pandemic took hold.

Daniel Gonzalez covers race, equity and opportunity. Reach the reporter at daniel.gonzalez@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8312. Follow him on Twitter @azdangonzalez.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Protesters deliver Arizona dual language petition to counter Horne