Title VII Bilingual Education in Hawaii: Lessons Learned

by Josephine Pablo, Belen Ongteco, and Stan Koki*

The number of culturally and linguistically diverse students is increasing steadily in public schools today.  As a result, educators are facing a growing need to know how to teach students whose primary language is not English.  Language minority students, especially the limited English proficient, require special attention: appropriate assessment, appropriate language environment, a challenging curriculum, and “creative delivery of instruction relevant to their English language development as well as their performance in subject matter content and skills” (Carrasquillo & Rodriguez, 1996).

To respond to these needs, educators are increasingly embracing bilingual education both as an educational strategy and as a means to make sure that students achieve proficiency in English.  Recent research evidence is “overwhelmingly in favor of bilingual education as the best way to educate limited-English proficient, or LEP children” (Yzaguirre, 1998).

In Hawai‘i, bilingual education projects have been implemented over the past two decades, beginning in 1974.  Hawaii, one of the most linguistically diverse states in the nation, is a potential leader in bilingual and multicultural education, given the strengths and capabilities of its multicultural population.  This briefing paper reviews the implementation of Title VII bilingual education in Hawaii for the purpose of sharing the lessons that have been learned from the experience.

Bilingual Education on a Federal Scale
In 1968, Federal support for the purpose of educating students with limited English skills was established through the enactment of the Bilingual Education Act—Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).  This act was designed to provide equitable educational opportunities for elementary and secondary students whose first languages are other than English and who have limited English proficiency.

In 1994, Congress charted a new policy direction for the Bilingual Education Act when it re-authorized the law for the fifth time.  The change came in response to developments in educational research over the past three decades: insights about how children acquire languages and how they excel in other subjects.  Drawing on this body of knowledge, the new law (known as Title VII, Part A, of the Improving America’s Schools Act) incorporates two important principles:

• Given access to a challenging curriculum, language-minority and limited-English proficient students (LEP) can achieve the same high standards as other students.
• Proficient bilingualism is a desirable goal that can bring cognitive, academic, cultural, and economic benefits to individuals and to the nation.

This comprehensive law expresses the Federal government’s commitment to bilingual education (Crawford, 1997).

Hawaii’s Bilingual Education Effort
In the mid-70s, following the landmark decision by the Supreme Court (Lau v. Nichols, 1974) about providing equal educational opportunities to students who speak a language other than English, state and local educational agencies, including those in Hawaii, were faced with the challenge of providing meaningful educational opportunities to students.  Federal funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1968 were made available to provide developmental or demonstration projects to meet language and cultural needs of limited-English proficient students.

The initial intent in Hawaii for securing Federal funds was based on the community’s concern that students of limited English proficiency were not receiving appropriate services due to insufficient state resources (Office of Instructional Services, 1985).  Since 1985, the goal for bilingual education has been to “provide equal access to education and equity for language-minority students who speak a language other than English by institutionalizing bilingual/multicultural education” (Office of Instructional Services, 1985).  The following objectives for bilingual education are aligned with this goal:

• Increase the ability of state educational agencies to provide quality bilingual/multicultural education to language-minority students through the use of innovative, creative, and cost-effective projects.
• Increase the number of qualified teachers in bilingual/multicultural education through pre-service and in-service education.
• Increase parent involvement through empowering activities such as the development of literacy; work and parenting skills; and advisory, advocacy, and other leadership roles.

Since 1975, a total of 30 Title VII Hawaii Department of Education projects have been developed, implemented from one to five years, and evaluated.  These projects do not include grants received by the University of Hawaii or by technical assistance centers.  These Title VII bilingual education projects have been addressing the same general education curriculum requirements and performance expectations for all students, which are outlined in the Hawaii State Department of Education’s Foundation Program Objectives and the Hawaii Content and Performance Standards.  However, the mode of delivery has concentrated on using explicit, distinctive, and innovative instructional approaches and techniques that are based on students’ specific language and cultural orientation and that build upon their existing capabilities.  These projects have provided bilingual instruction, utilizing the native language and cultural background of students to facilitate learning.  Curriculum content and classroom activities are integrated and coordinated with services provided by the ESLL program, the overall umbrella for educational services to language minority students.

The Hawaii State Department of Education’s Title VII bilingual education projects provide support for the English for Second Language Learners (ESLL) program, formerly called the Students of Limited English Proficiency (SLEP) program.  Title VII projects develop, demonstrate, and build the state’s capacity to provide adequate and appropriate educational services to students whose language is other than English.  Over the years, various Title VII bilingual education projects have strengthened the state’s capacity to provide quality education to language-minority students through such means as:

1. Providing increased resources for the education of these students.  Annually, 16 percent of the population have been provided with supplemental services through Title VII funds.  Hawaii Creole English speakers are also able to receive bilingual and English as a Second Language services through Title VII projects that are not available through the state-funded ESLL program.
2. Hiring and training of bilingual personnel who eventually become state-funded through the ESLL program or mainstream classes.  Almost 60 percent of former Title VII project staff are now in state-funded positions or programs.
3. Developing and disseminating successful strategies and outcomes of the various projects, including:

• Bilingual and English as a Second Language instructional materials;
• Parental involvement materials;
• Instructional delivery models such as team teaching/intervention, newcomer or learner centers, and use of resource teacher(s) at the school, district, or state levels;
• Cross-cultural counseling;
• Multicultural awareness modules and activities;
• Evaluation designs with modified assessment instruments (math and science);
• Parent involvement strategies and models;
• Preschool and early childhood education model and strategies;
• Alternative instructional programs and strategies, such as Sheltered English instruction, cooperative learning, and test-taking skill development;
• Career guidance and education;
• Bilingual/ESLL strategies in mathematics and science;
• In-service training workshops or courses in bilingual/multicultural education and English as a Second Language; and
• Action research and studies in the education of language-minority students.

Currently, 6.7 percent of Hawaii’s students speak a first language other than English.  By 2001, the number of national origin language-minority students is predicted to increase to more than 10 percent in Hawai‘i, 20 percent in New York, and 30 percent in California—these three states have the largest language-minority populations in the country.  Bilingual education projects have been in existence in Hawaii for almost a quarter of a century, a Federal program lifetime surpassed only by Title I (Pablo, 1993).  An evaluation report for each project is on file with the Hawaii State Department of Education.  Although projects had varying levels of success, all efforts provided valuable knowledge and experience for the bilingual education effort.  Hawaii’s experiences can help to inform bilingual education programs in other states.

Lessons Learned
Hawaii’s extensive experience in implementing Title VII bilingual education projects has taught practitioners a great deal about the promises and pitfalls of bilingual education as a delivery system.

1. Successful and effective projects have depended on the following critical elements:

• Strong commitment and support at all levels of the system.
• The administrator’s belief and mission to provide equal access to second-language learners, their parents, and their teachers.
• Good working relationship between regular classroom and bilingual resource personnel.
• Competent staff members (educational officers, educational assistants, field demonstrators, part-time temporary teachers, and resource teachers with bilingual capabilities or ESLL training) who are dedicated, caring, and able to work well with other school personnel.
• Support of related programs, projects, and community agencies, and efficient coordination or integration of available resources to serve the ESLL population.
• A structured, systematic, and comprehensive staff development plan and program (including both pre-service and in-service training) for project staff and other interested teachers.
• Full-time staffing whenever possible.
• Curriculum and strategies that address needs and prior knowledge and incorporate the language, content, and culture of ESLL students.

2. Parental and community involvement is a constant challenge, but language minority parents can be involved at all levels of participation in school affairs, given the appropriate opportunities, support, and commitment from school administration and staff.

3. Funding for at least five years is necessary, in order to build commitment and capacity for schools and districts to continue providing educational services to students of limited English proficiency without reliance on Federal dollars.
   It is hoped that Hawai‘i’s experiences will be useful for Pacific educators to consider as they work to develop and implement bilingual education programs in their communities.

References
Carrasquillo, A. L., & Rodriguez, V.  (1996).  Language minority students in the mainstream classroom.  Philadelphia: Multilingual Matters.

Crawford, J.  (1997).  Best evidence: Research foundations of the bilingual education act.  Washington, D.C.: National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education.  [Online].  Available: http://www.ncbe.gwu.edu/ncbepubs/reports/bestevidence/index.htm [1999, January].

Office of Instructional Services.  (1985).  Report on an assessment of bilingual education in Hawaii.  Honolulu, HI: Hawai‘i State Department of Education.

Pablo, J.  (1993).  Title VII bilingual education projects: Past, present, future.  Report to the Assistant Superintendent, Office of Instructional Services.  Honolulu, HI: Hawai‘i State Department of Education.

Yzaguirre, R.  (1998, August 5).  What’s wrong with bilingual education?  Education Week, 17 (43).

* Josephine Pablo is a Special Programs Management Specialist, Bilingual Education, Hawai‘i Department of Education; Belen Ongteco is an Equity Specialist, Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL); and Stan Koki is a Program Specialist, Pacific Resources for Education and Learning.