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History of Language Minority Education: 1960-1980
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Bilingual Program for Cubans
Dade County, Florida implements a full bilingual program for Cubans. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Federal government enacts the Civil Rights Act of 1964, including a provision to protect constitutional rights in public facilities and public education. “No person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color or national origin… be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” -
Bilingual Act of 1968
Congress passes the Bilingual Act of 1968, which gives federal funding to school districts to try to incorporate native-language instruction. This was the first piece of US federal legislation that recognized the needs of Limited English Speaking Ability (LESA) students. The bill was passed as Title VII, an amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). -
Federal Government in Education
The Federal government begins to play a bigger role in subsidizing education and wants evidence of a positive return on investment. Standardized testing becomes a tool for measuring school performance. Previously, test scores were for internal use; testing is now reported to the government and public. -
Back to Basics Movement
The Back to Basics movement is born, along with many state minimum competency tests to ensure high school graduates’ mastery of basic reading, writing, and math skills. The Back to Basics movement was not only about focusing children on specific subjects but also about intensifying the curriculum, making students work harder for good grades, increasing the structure of the classroom and teaching virtue and patriotism. -
Special Education Classified
Students are classified for special education or remedial education based upon test scores. -
Bicultural Education in Crystal City, Texas
Chicano students in Crystal City, Texas demand to speak Spanish, study Chicano history, and be taught by Chicano teachers. After staging a walkout, the school district inaugurates an unprecedented district-wide policy that calls for bilingual and bicultural education. -
Lau v. Nichols
Eight-year-old Kenny Lau sues the San Francisco School District over English-only instruction. Lau v. Nichols, rules that school districts must provide remedies for non-English-speaking children so that the students nationwide can be treated with equality among schools. -
Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974
Equal Educational Opportunities Act, rules that no state can deny equal educational opportunity on the basis of race, color, sex, or national origin on faculty, staff, and students. States must take “appropriate action to overcome language barriers that impede equal participation by its students.” -
National Association for Bilingual Education
The National Association for Bilingual Education is founded. It provides teacher training, educational leadership, and lobbying efforts on behalf of legislation regarding individuals learning English as a second language. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act
Education for All Handicapped Children Act, required by all public schools accepting federal funds to provide equal access to education. Every student with special needs is entitled to receive a free and appropriate public school education. It also required that the school districts provide procedures so that parents of the children can dispute decisions made about their children’s education. -
Population of Foreign-Born Residents Increases
The population of foreign-born residents increase by 40 percent, the population of speakers of minority languages grows by 38 percent, and 37 percent of the United States residents report some difficulty with English -
Higher Education Standards in Industries
The rapid development of new technologies eliminates many unskilled jobs and puts a premium on well-educated workers who understand mathematics, science, and technology. Business and government push for higher education standards to attract new industries and jobs to states. -
Anti-Bilingual Ordinance
Voters in Dade County, Florida pass the anti-bilingual ordinance prohibiting any voluntary expenditure “for the purpose of utilizing any language other than English, or promoting any culture other than that of the U.S.” The measure is repealed in 1993 but the harsh language of the ordinance exposes growing anti-immigrant sentiment.
