00:00Federal policy is changing how schools help students learn English, with more than 5 million students affected.
00:09President Trump's order making English the official language has led federal agencies to pull longstanding guidance that helps schools support English learners.
00:19Trump says keeping English the predominant language will help those who come here learn the language of business and promote national unity.
00:26The Justice and Education Departments have reversed course on how schools accommodate English learners.
00:32Back in 2015, federal civil rights officials reminded schools of their duty to remove language barriers so students could fully participate in class.
00:42That guidance, rooted in Supreme Court decisions and congressional mandates, has now been rescinded under the Trump administration.
00:48Julie Sugarman, Associate Director for K-12 Education Research at the Migration Policy Institute, says,
00:55The document was never law, but helped federal agencies assess schools' compliance with civil rights protections.
01:02We know that students who have particular learning needs need particular resources in order to achieve the same outcomes.
01:11And so, you know, the foundational principle of, you know, equity in American education has always been to provide every child what they individually need.
01:24She noted schools not focused on English learners may feel empowered to cut services, while those committed to student success are likely to keep programs in place.
01:34Trump's March order revokes a Clinton-era policy that expanded translation and interpretation services.
01:41The Justice Department was also directed to withdraw prior guidance.
01:45We have been hearing that some places have sort of started to dismantle their programs or, you know, reassign teachers or, you know, do things that they haven't been able to do.
01:59The DOJ issued a memo detailing how it will implement the policy, such as suspending public language access resources, phase out multilingual materials deemed unnecessary, and review translation services across the department.
02:13Trump and his administration, including U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, point to federal civil rights law and the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause as a legal basis.
02:23They argue scaling back resources for English learners does not constitute discrimination but applies the same standard to all students.
02:32You can read the full story right now on SAN.com or through the Straight Arrow News mobile app.
Be the first to comment