Gov. Hobbs visits Phoenix dual language programs under attack by School Chief Tom Horne

Gov. Katie Hobbs visited two dual language immersion programs on Tuesday, where she witnessed students learning in English for half of the day and in Spanish or Mandarin Chinese for the other half.

Hobbs, a Democrat, said she wanted to show support for dual language immersion programs, which have come under attack by Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne, a Republican.

Horne, a staunch proponent of English-only language immersion, has tried to bar English learners — students not yet proficient in English — from participating in dual language programs.

"I wanted to make sure we are doing what we can to support" dual language immersion programs in light of Horne's attacks, Hobbs said following the visits. The English-only approach wasn't working for students, she said.

Hobbs visited two dual language programs, one at Kyrene de los Lagos Dual Language Academy in Ahwatukee and one at Tarwater Elementary School in Chandler. Most students in both programs are fluent English speakers, not English learners.

At Kyrene de los Lagos, Hobbs visited a third-grade classroom where students were being taught in Spanish by teacher Diego Lopez.

The students then switched classrooms where they were taught in English by co-teacher Kathryn Childers.

"Do you know Spanish?" one of the students, Alan Robles, 8, asked Hobbs as she strolled around the classroom taught in Spanish.

"Un poquito," Hobbs told the boy.

"I know a lot," Robles said.

What parents should know: Dual language programs for English learners are being challenged

At Tarwater, Hobbs visited a fourth-grade class where students learn in English half the day and the other half in Mandarin Chinese. Teacher Amanda Yang was giving a lesson on sharks. She spoke only in Mandarin, which the fourth-graders seemed to have no trouble understanding, raising their hands when Yang asked questions.

Chandler Unified School District Superintendent Frank Narducci told Hobbs their dual language program helps students compete on the national level. It is modeled on programs in other states that have embraced dual language programs, including Utah and Oregon, he said.

"Chandler has always felt like we want to compete with the nation," Narducci said. "To do that, programs like dual language provide our kids the opportunity and access — and all kids need access."

Hobbs said she was impressed at how proficient the students at both schools had become in two languages.

"It's just really amazing to watch," Hobbs said. "The proficiency that they have so young is pretty incredible."

Hobbs praised the dual language programs as a more effective way for English learners to succeed academically. By producing students who are bilingual and biliterate, dual language immersion programs also better prepare students to compete in the job market and contribute to the state's economy, Hobbs said.

"Obviously, geographically, Spanish is important, and it's a great skill," Hobbs said. "But we're getting so many companies moving here from Taiwan, and it's creating really high-quality jobs for Arizonans. So these students here will definitely have an important leg up in that job market."

Dual language programs: Supporters demand Tom Horne allow all students to participate

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company is building a massive factory complex in north Phoenix. The factory is expected to bring several thousand jobs to Arizona.

Hobbs' visits came two weeks after Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said Horne does not have the authority to withhold funding from schools that allow English learners to participate in dual language immersion programs, as he had threatened.

Horne argues dual language immersion programs inhibit English learners from mastering English. He also contends that dual language programs that allow English learners to participate are not following state law. Proposition 203, a ballot initiative passed by voters in 2000, requires that English learners only be taught in English.

Horne said Tuesday he is preparing to file a lawsuit asking a judge to declare dual language programs that include English learners in violation of state law.

In her official legal opinion, Mayes declined to weigh in on whether the 50-50 dual language immersion model complies with Arizona law but noted that the model was approved by the State Board of Education as a result of bipartisan legislation passed unanimously in 2019. That legislation aimed to give schools more flexibility to provide English language acquisition instruction to the state's 93,000 English learners, who make up about 8.5% of all Arizona students.

Horne said Hobbs' visits were intended to generate public support for dual language immersion programs, but he asserts state data shows dual language programs are less effective at teaching English learners than English immersion instruction.

"It's a contest between feel-good mediocrity and data-supported excellence," Horne said.

Laura Toenjes, the superintendent of the Kyrene Elementary School District, said English learners in dual language programs acquire English just as fast as English speakers acquire Spanish.

"Just like our English students have a portion of the day in the English classroom, the other half of their day is in Spanish. It's just flipped for our Spanish students since they get half of their day in Spanish and half of their day in English," Toenjes said.

Arizona attorney general: English learners can't be blocked from dual language programs

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

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Gov. Katie Hobbs visits dual language programs threatened by Tom Horne