Question:
San Bernardino County public schools are spending more than $34 million in state and federal money this school year to educate English learners, a group whose population has doubled since 1995.
That amount doesn’t include additional funding for services and programs available to English learners as well as other students.
Fueled by skyrocketing immigration over the past 15 years, the growth is forcing school districts to make dramatic changes in the classroom.
Districts are making huge investments in teacher preparation and training, hiring bilingual aides and purchasing bilingual materials to help teachers handle the demographic shift.
Some are concerned about the need to focus limited resources on students who may be in the country illegally or whose parents are illegal immigrants. Federal law requires public schools to provide a free kindergarten through 12th grade education to all students regardless of immigration status.
“A lot of parents came here illegally with their children or had children born here. It’s creating a huge burden on the state,” said Assemblyman Steve Knight, R-Palmdale, whose district includes Victorville and the High Desert. “We have to have so many of these classes that it takes away from the core classes that I’d like to fund.”
http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_14302298