Alberto M. Ochoa

Towards Promoting Biliteracy and Academic Achievement: Educational Programs for High School Latino English Language Learners

The Latino student presently faces many obstacles to achieve educational equity and excellence at the high school level. This article examines academic programming for Latino middle and high school English language learners (ELLs) and provides recommendations for addressing programming that promotes biliteracy policy and programming as a valued outcome for academic and life success. One of the largest high school districts in California was selected to evaluate middle and high school programs for Latino ELLs. Eight quality indicators were used to assess the services to Latino ELLs. The study was guided by two research questions focusing on services to Latino ELLs to support and develop biliteracy development and competence. The findings revealed that while the school district has the capacity and personnel to provide pedagogically sound programs to Latino ELLs, the district is lacking the consistency and academic rigor needed to provide equal educational access. The results suggest the need for a language policy that is supportive of additive language programs that have multiliteracy as an educational standard.

International Education in Higher Education: A Developing Process of Engagement in Teacher Preparation Programs.

This article reviews the collective body of articles in this publication. It provides a brief discussion of the contextual need for global perspectives in teacher preparation programs for preparing teachers to acquire global perspectives. In the process, a number of questions are asked for making international teacher preparation possible. The article identifies important proposals that address exposing prospective teachers to international experiences and integrating international global education into the process of their preparation as teachers. The article also points to tensions that need resolution as the field of teacher preparation works to promote and integrate international global education in preparing globally minded educators and cosmopolitan educators.

Addressing the Learning Disability Needs of Limited-English Proficient Students: Beyond Language and Race Issues:

Students with exceptional learning needs should not be denied access to special education programs because of their language or race. However, such factors should not be ignored either. This paper examines the issue of disproportionate representation of limited-English proficient Hispanic students in classes for the learning disabled. On-site reviews of school districts suggest inadequate assessment, evaluation, placement, and re-evaluation of limited-English proficient Hispanic students. Sixteen policy considerations are provided in an effort to help school districts to ensure that limited-English proficient learning disabled students receive equal access to appropriate learning opportunities.

Operationalizing Transformative Parent Engagement in Latino School Communities: A Case Study

The article examines a model for transformative parent engagement in predominantly Latino and ethnically diverse school communities. A case study illustrates the initial phases of the five-level process and the challenges of actualizing the parent engagement process. The authors challenge commonly accepted boundaries of bicultural parent involvement. A case study provides a real-life example of a large urban school district that has introduced community school-based reform to create and apply the hopeful vision of what authentic and democratic parent engagement can become, and how parents can be transformative change agents for their children and their schools. The authors outline challenges and provide recommendations to operationalize transformative parent engagement in predominantly Latino communities.