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U.S. Govt and Cherokee Tribe Treaty
The U.S. Government recognized the language rights of the Cherokee tribes and granted the tribes land that would not be taken away from them. -
The 14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment of the constitution provides equal protection of the laws and says states cannot discriminate against groups of people (like English Language Learners). It was used in major court cases regarding school systems and segregation. -
Brown vs Board of Education
The Brown vs. Board of Education decision of 1954 was one of the biggest advancements for students of different national origins and languages in America. It established the principle of equal education for all students. The courts ruled it illegal to separate white and black students. This was the start to desegregation and equality in education for all children. -
Civil Rights Act Title VI
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act prohibits the discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in the operation of all federally assisted programs. -
Bilingual Education Act Title VII 1968
The Bilingual Education Act of 1968 was created as a part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. It allocated funds for innovative programs and recognized the unique education disadvantages by non-English speaking students. It was reauthorized in 1994 to assure families with limited means and ELL children continue to get equal education for their children in the public school system. -
Serna vs Portales Municipal Schools
Parents whose children attended a school with the majority of students having a Spanish-surname claimed their children were not offered an equal education to other schools in the area and they were discriminated against. The claim was the programs at the school were geared towards white middle class students. The court ruled the content was not discriminatory but more programs were needed to assist the ELL students. -
Lau Remedies
This was a mandate that required schools with more than 5% minority students to offer special language instruction and does not allow schools to place ELL students into classes for students with handicaps. The Lau Remedies are still used in most states today. -
Plyler vs Doe
This Supreme Court case overturned a state statute which denied immigrant children access to public schools. Before this case schools would try and charge undocumented illegal students $1,000 a year to attend public school. -
No Child Left Behind Act
One goal of the NCLB act was to have every child performing at grade level by the year 2014. The government wanted to improve every students' achievement by providing support for standards, assessment, and accountability. It also provided funding for ELL programs. -
Common Core State Standards
The CCSS is pushing states to reevaluate their ELL programs so they align with the CCSS. This is beneficial to students in schools who had weak programs because teachers are given the chance to further their education through professional development in teaching EL's.
