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Californians Together

Championing the Success of English Learners

Press Releases

LAWSUIT FILED TO PROTECT PROGRAMS FOR HOMELESS, NEGLECTED, MIGRANT, ENGLISH LEARNERS AND OTHER “AT RISK” STUDENTS

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Concerned parents and community groups throughout California filed suit in San Francisco Superior Court today challenging State Superintendent Jack O’Connell’s decision to suspend monitoring of specialized education programs for Homeless, Neglected, Juvenile Justice, Migrant, English learners, and other disadvantaged youth for at least one year.  The money for these special programs comes primarily from federal funding under the No Child Left Behind Act, and must be spent to augment general education programs funded by the state.
The lawsuit, Alejo, et al. v. O’Connell, et al, Case No. CPF 09-509568, alleges that the state must monitor and oversee the use of these funds by school districts to ensure that they are used to help academically “at risk” students overcome educational challenges.   The state retains a percentage of these federal funds  so that it can fulfill the promise it made to the U.S. Government to monitor and evaluate these programs.  The Petitioners allege that the state is unlawfully spending the money for other purposes and allowing school districts to do the same.
Alejo, et al v. O’Connell Petition to State Superior Court Alejo, et al v. O’Connell Press Release

2008 STAR Testing Results: Lack of Solutions to Help English Learners

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State School Superintendent Jack O’Connell again fails to recognize the lack of academic progress for 25% of California’s students. For the sixth consecutive year, he offers no solutions to address or improve student performance. School Districts across the state will continue to be deemed as failures because of the large number of “miss assigned” teachers, ineffective resources and inappropriate programs for English Learners.
2008 STAR Testing Results Press Release

California’s STAR Test Results – Growing English Learner Achievement Gap

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California’s 2007 STAR test results again show no significant improvement. According to State Superintendent Jack O’Connell, for the past five consecutive years, the achievement gap for California’s majority minority students, Latinos and African Americans, has reached an alarming point of “social disparity”. Superintendent O’Connell’s announcement fails to mention the lack of progress made for one of California’s greatest challenge — educating its 1.6 million English Learners.
California’s STAR 2007 Test Results – Achievement Gap

Plaintiffs Score Major Victory In No Child Left Behind English Learner Lawsuit Against The State Of California

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On August 5, 2005 United States District Court Judge William Alsup granted plaintiffs’ motion to remand the No Child Left Behind English Learner assessment litigation back to State Superior Court in San Francisco. Plaintiffs, including a broad coalition of school districts, Californians Together and other nonprofit organizations from throughout the State, filed their action in state court on June 1, 2005. Below is the court order and the press release on this action.

Court Remand Order Court Remand Press Release