Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 21

B4 SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2009 EBDIUim(D)K Lor! Baker, 602-444-NEWS (6397) lori.bakerarizonarepublic.com education.azcentral.com THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC Proficiency in progress Ariz, programs for English-language learners have become more effective, study says Jane Watson (center) and her students place their hands under their in Watson's classroom at Keller Elementary School in Mesa. English-language learners The "Quality Counts 2009" report shows learners compare with national averages. Key legal cases In the new report, "Quality Counts 2009: Portrait of a Population," the researchers cited several key legal cases involving the right of English-language learners to a public education. To read the full report, go to edweek.org. Bilingual Education Act (1968): Congress amended the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 by adding a major section designed to help children with limited English-speaking ability by providing federal aid for educational programs, teacher training, development of instructional materials and promotion of parent involvement.

Lau vs. Nichols (1974): The lawsuits challenged inadequate instruction for language minorities reached the U.S. Supreme Court. Parents of Chinese ancestry in San Francisco sued over the fact that the city's school system required mastery of English for high-school graduation, but failed to provide about 1,800 non-English-speaking students with special instruction so they could master the language. Equal Educational Opportunities Act (1974): Congress passed this law, which mandated that no state could deny equal educational opportunity to any individual by, among other things Flores vs.

Arizona (2008): The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Friday to decide whether Arizona is providing enough money for programs for students who are learning the English language. The justices said that they will consider overturning lower court rulings that the state has failed to provide adequate funding for programs for students who are learning English and that the failure violates a federal law requiring equal opportunities in education. The 9th Circuit Appeals Court ruled in February 2008 that Arizona must comply with a U.S. District Court decision requiring it to do more to adequately fund instruction for English-language learners.

Source: edweek.org. By Ray Parker The Arizona Republic Arizona schools will move more students out of English-learner programs once they have mastered the language, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Home said last week. The number of English-language learner students moving out of the program has recently doubled across the state. Of Arizona's 163,165 English-language learner students, 10.7 percent progressed into regular classrooms for the 2006-07 year, while the latest state Department of Education figures show 22 percent progressed in 2007-08. "We are about to experience a skyrocketing in reclassifying our ELL students into (English) proficiency," Horne said.

A new national study supports that view. Called "Quality Counts 2009: Portrait of a Population," by Education Week magazine, the annual report analyzes and ranks the 50 states' efforts in a number of areas, including a special analysis this year on the steps to address the increasing English-language learner population. Throughout the nation, English-language learner students have increased by 57 percent between 1995 and 2005 for a total of 5.1 million. Arizona schools got high marks for rigorous standards and for holding schools accountable, including those for its English-language learners. Currently, there are more than 140,000 English-language learner students in Arizona, or slightly more than 10 percent of Arizona's 1 million public-school children in about 330 districts and charter schools.

The state took special measures to attract and train more English-language learner teachers because of a new program begun this school year. Unlike most other states, the report cited Arizona for having English-language learner teaching standards, while offering incentives for educators to earn a teaching endorsement. This year, students not proficient in English are given four hours a day of language instruction, much greater than the 30 to 60 minutes a day in the past. Arizona is under a court order to improve instruction to children struggling to learn English. The new English-learner program calls for: Four hours per day of English instruction in speaking, listening, grammar, reading and writing.

Number of English-language learners 163,165. 4.3 million, receiving federal funds (2006-07) Number of certified English-language 10,500. 142,148. learner teachers (2006-07) Number of English-language learners 16. 19.

per certified teacher (2006-07) Needed increase of English-language 14.3 percent. 38.4 learner teachers in next five years percent. (2006-07) Teacher standards for English-Ian- Yes. 33 states, guage learner instruction (2008-09) Teacher license requires competence Yes. 3 states, in English-language learner instruction (2008-09) Incentives to earn English-as-second- Yes.

11 states, language license andor endorsement (2008-09) Instruction in English only Yes. 46 states. Native-language instruction banned Yes. 7 states, or restricted (2008-09) English-language learner students re- 10.7 percent. 12.9 percent, classified out of program (2006-07) English-learner students must be kept out of mainstream classes during those four hours.

Students must be grouped according to four levels of English proficiency. Classes are taught by highly qualified teachers or those certified in English as a second language. Before the new program, MARK HENLETHE ARIZONA REPUBLIC chins while counting word syllables glish-language learner students, which amount to more than 10,000 students of the district's 69,700 populatioa "We have tried to do our best to implement the four-hour model," said Susan DePrez, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. She cited the more than 2,000 teachers earning an endorsement in English as a second language. More importantly, English-language learner students have tested out of the program and into mainstream classrooms at a higher-than-required rate of 14 percent.

In spring 2008, 22 percent of English-language learner students in grades K-5 tested as 20 percent of students in Grades 6-8 did so, as did 19 percent of high-school students. But these advances could hit a wall because of money. The state Legislature begins Monday and must cut more than $1 billion from the current state budget. Arizona's biggest problems, under the Education Week criteria, may be financing for the 2009 year, with the state receiv-. ing a D-plus grade from the magazine.

The report ranks Arizona 50th in the nation when it comes to student spending, or $7,112 per student, compared with a national average of $9,963, for the 2006 year. "We're still looking at a school system we consider an expense and not an investment," said John Wright, president of the Arizona Education Association. interview "I believe that what I do as an educator makes a difference in the lives of my students. I enjoy being in the classroom, getting students excited about the world, and helping them to understand the role science plays in their lives," she said. Meanwhile, Proctor decided to earn an airplane pilot's license when she completed her Ph.D.

"Flying had always been a dream of mine," she said, "and I was finally in a good position to make it happen. I found an instructor and within six months, I was a licensed private pilot. Nothing builds your confidence like flying solo for the first time." Coming full circle Better yet, earning her pilot's license spurred Proctor to have her eyes fixed. "I can honestly say it was well worth every penny," she said. "I knew that laser eye surgery could fix the problem, but I was always spending my extra money traveling the world.

I am pleased to say that I've had 2020 vision for the last year and a half." After repairing her vision, it was time to reconsider an old dream. "For the first time I fit all the requirements," Proctor said. "I had my Ph.D., 2020 vision, and, for the first time, NASA would be accepting my community college teaching as qualifying experience," she says. In the past, only K-12 was accepted for astronaut educators. how Arizona English-language For details, go to ed.week.org.

state-education officials said students could spend six or seven years in the old program before becoming proficient in English, while the new model means a much shorter track for learning English, or about a year, especially for elementary students. Mesa Public Schools, the state's largest district, already shows signs of advancing its En ronmental science from Edin-boro University in Pennsylvania. Then, she moved West to attend the Arizona State University masters program in geology and graduated in 1998. Proctor, now of Phoenix, went into a doctoral program in science education at ASU. In 1998, she was hired as South Mountain Community College's first full-time geology faculty and was given the rare opportunity to develop the program herself.

During the past 10 years, Proctor has brought prominence to the college's geology program. Classes are in demand and fill up quickly, and students are known for their persistence staying in and completing NEWS BY YOU Instructor's ambition wins NASA 1 SOUTH MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE Sian Proctor, a faculty member at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, will be interviewed by NASA for an astronaut post. What: The Arizona School Administrators organization is holding a news conference Monday prior to the start of the 2009 legislative session to share "facts and figures" in dealing with the state budget crisis. Whenwhere: 11:30 a.m. on the state Senate lawn, 1700 yV.

Washington St. Reflections: "As educational leaders, we are keenly aware of the budget deficit of $1.2 billion our state is facing this year and ASA wants to work with the legislature and governor in helping to solve the budget crisis," said Greg Wyman, superintendent of Apache Junction Unified School District and president of ASA. "Everyone in Arizona knows the need for belt tightening; however, we are adamant that our legislature not balance the budget on the backs of our students." Information: www.azsa.org. What: We're looking for parents and grandparents of students from preschool through graduate school to join our Parent Advisory Panel. Panelists provide us with story ideas as well as comments about educational issues.

Contact: E-mail Education Editor Lori Baker at lori.bakerarizona republic.com. Louise Gacioch of South Mountain Community College submitted this News by You article. When Sian Proctor was a teenager, she found that her eyesight and the loss of her beloved father thwarted the 2020 vision she had for life: to become an astronaut. So, who could have guessed that two decades later, this geology faculty member of South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, would be invited to interview for an astronaut position with NASA? "I am humbled by the opportunity to make it come true," she said. NASA will interview her for three days this month at the Johnson Space Center.

Only 10 to 15 of the 120 final candidates will be selected for the two-year training period to become an astronaut. Following footsteps Proctor, 38, was born on Guam where her father worked at the NASA tracking station during the Gemini and Apollo missions. After Apollo 13, the family moved back to the United States. At age 16, Proctor's then-poor, vision required her to get glasses. Her father died a few years later, deepening Proctor's belief that she would never be able to fulfill her dream.

"My life was all laid out, or so I thought," she said. "I wanted so much to follow in my father's footsteps. Growing up, I was good at math and science, I was in the Civil Air Patrol, and I wanted to go to the Air Force A-cademy. My ultimate goal was to fly F-16s and end my career as an astronaut exploring space. NASA had always been a part of my life." Then Proctor got glasses and her father was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.

Flying for the military was no longer an option. Neither was NASA. Both required 2020 vision. Outstanding scientist Disappointed but undaunted, Proctor followed her next big love: science. She earned a bachelor of science degree in envi.