Spanish-speaking students often enter American classrooms, struggling and falling-behind as they try to interpret the English language.  California has identified the problem, although previously assigning these students to English-only speaking teachers.

With the largest Hispanic student population in the nation, it’s surprising to learn that California ranks last in Hispanic reading and math achievement.  Studies show about one-third of Spanish-speaking students ultimately drop out altogether.

So, what’s being done to improve on the situation?  California educators are now expanding their bilingual learning programs for native Spanish speakers.  Bilingual classrooms teach English as a second language (ESL), easing the transition for many students who have little to no English knowledge at all.

Educators hope the revamped ESL programs improve upon knowledge retention for Hispanic students, while transitioning them into a new language along the way.