Bilingual Education
The Times is to be commended for the recent article (Part A, Nov. 21) and editorial detailing the critical educational problems facing our so-called “receiver” schools. As you reported, 20,000 students are bused every day from overcrowded schools to schools that lack the teachers, aides, and other materials needed for effective bilingual instruction.
The Westside communities I represent on the Los Angeles Board of Education are confronted with this problem daily. The problem is magnified as new students continue to arrive, forcing additional reorganization of classes and underscoring the glaring lack of resources.
We cannot continue along this path any longer. We must fundamentally redesign our policies to address our growing enrollment. We must place effective classroom instruction as our highest priority and plan accordingly.
In coming weeks, the Board of Education will consider a series of options to address the overcrowding problems in the district. I encourage all interested persons to communicate their views on these issues to the board.
MARK SLAVKIN
Board of Education Member
Los Angeles Unifed School District
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