Yesterday, Wednesday July 1st, fifteen Student Multiethnic Action Research Team (SMART) members and leaders stepped up to give their testimonies at the Joint Public Hearing on the “Language Access for Education Amendment Act of 2015.” They explained their experiences in DCPS and how the lack of ELL support in their schools negatively affects their educational opportunities.
"My name is Miguel Castro. I’m a Lead Student Organizer at SMART which stands for Student Multi-Ethnic Action Research Team. I am a recent graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School and next year I'll be attending University. For the past five years, we have been conducting action research on graduation success among English Language Learner Students in DCPS. Our research has led us to write the Language Access for Education Amendment 2015 alongside the Language Access Coalition and Councilmember Grosso. Even though we believe that this is not the solution, it is the first step to improve the path to graduation."
The students provided Council members with examples of their experiences with lack of language access including not being able to enroll in schools, not receiving proper orientation, not having guidance on campus, not having teachers or staff members that understand how to interact with ELLs, not being able to communicate with school nurses and many more discouraging experiences. Mario Godoy for example explained that,
“during my first two years in high school I could not understand what the lunch staff were asking me. Sometimes I wouldn’t get lunch because I wouldn’t know how to ask for it.”
SMART members outlined specific ways each part of the Amendment will improve their and all future DCPS ELL’s experiences and educational attainment. They demanded these changes so that they can have the same opportunities that mainstream students receive with the respect and support they and ALL students deserve.
"My name is Miguel Castro. I’m a Lead Student Organizer at SMART which stands for Student Multi-Ethnic Action Research Team. I am a recent graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School and next year I'll be attending University. For the past five years, we have been conducting action research on graduation success among English Language Learner Students in DCPS. Our research has led us to write the Language Access for Education Amendment 2015 alongside the Language Access Coalition and Councilmember Grosso. Even though we believe that this is not the solution, it is the first step to improve the path to graduation."
The students provided Council members with examples of their experiences with lack of language access including not being able to enroll in schools, not receiving proper orientation, not having guidance on campus, not having teachers or staff members that understand how to interact with ELLs, not being able to communicate with school nurses and many more discouraging experiences. Mario Godoy for example explained that,
“during my first two years in high school I could not understand what the lunch staff were asking me. Sometimes I wouldn’t get lunch because I wouldn’t know how to ask for it.”
SMART members outlined specific ways each part of the Amendment will improve their and all future DCPS ELL’s experiences and educational attainment. They demanded these changes so that they can have the same opportunities that mainstream students receive with the respect and support they and ALL students deserve.
SMART members and leaders highlighted four aspects of the Amendment as being most important to student support.
First, DCPS needs to employ a Language Access Coordinator at every school with 3% or higher ELL student population:
“We believe that the Language Access Coordinator should organize an orientation for new students to navigate the school system and make sure interpretation is happening at parent teacher conferences within the school” (Franck Tchoukeu).
Second, bilingual or ESL certified staff members need to be employed in schools with ELL populations. Paola Perez stressed the importance of this when she explained, “counselors are there to advise students, to help students with their struggles. How can a counselor help an ELL student if s/he does not speak the language that the ELL student speaks?”
Third, as Hein Naing explained, there needs to be increased training for staff, teachers and counselors working with ELL students.
“The ELL students and the staff are having a hard time because there is a barrier between them. A barrier that can be broken by training the staff on how to handle and interact with ELL students.”
Finally, SMART members demand that there be translation of all visible signs and interpretation services available to all campuses. “It would have been easier for my parents, teachers and myself if an interpreter was used [at parent teacher conferences]. My parents and teachers would be able to speak freely and honestly.” Yordanos Zegeye
First, DCPS needs to employ a Language Access Coordinator at every school with 3% or higher ELL student population:
“We believe that the Language Access Coordinator should organize an orientation for new students to navigate the school system and make sure interpretation is happening at parent teacher conferences within the school” (Franck Tchoukeu).
Second, bilingual or ESL certified staff members need to be employed in schools with ELL populations. Paola Perez stressed the importance of this when she explained, “counselors are there to advise students, to help students with their struggles. How can a counselor help an ELL student if s/he does not speak the language that the ELL student speaks?”
Third, as Hein Naing explained, there needs to be increased training for staff, teachers and counselors working with ELL students.
“The ELL students and the staff are having a hard time because there is a barrier between them. A barrier that can be broken by training the staff on how to handle and interact with ELL students.”
Finally, SMART members demand that there be translation of all visible signs and interpretation services available to all campuses. “It would have been easier for my parents, teachers and myself if an interpreter was used [at parent teacher conferences]. My parents and teachers would be able to speak freely and honestly.” Yordanos Zegeye
The Council members expressed their frustration around the lack of language access from agencies. They also expressed gratitude to SMART members for attending and speaking to their school experiences at the Language Access for Education Amendment bill 2015 Hearing not only for themselves but for future ELLs as well. SMARTies opened the Council members’ eyes to how deeply rooted this problem and this lack of support for ELLs runs in DCPS. SMART members felt proud of Councilmember Grosso when they heard him reference the specific experiences they had expressed in their testimonies when discussing the need for key aspects of the Amendment with government representatives from Office of the State Superintendent Education, the Public Charter School Board and Office of Human Rights.
As we keep pushing for more language access in our schools and work on the next steps in this legislative process, we would like send a special thank you to Councilmember Grosso, the DC Language Access Coalition and all the advocates and community who were present to share their stories and keep pushing for language access for ALL!
As we keep pushing for more language access in our schools and work on the next steps in this legislative process, we would like send a special thank you to Councilmember Grosso, the DC Language Access Coalition and all the advocates and community who were present to share their stories and keep pushing for language access for ALL!