Educators and Proposition 203

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In Arizona, Proposition 203 placed severe restrictions on bilingual education. Proposition 203 was thought by some to be the answer to educating ELLs and have them acquire the English language faster in order for them to succeed in core subjects. Unfortunately, after Prop 203 teacher preparation for ELLs was significantly reduced, only focused on instructional strategies for SEI, and therefore lacked other critical areas for ELLs. Due to Prop 203, practicing teachers who have obtained their ESL/BLE endorsement have questioned the way they have been teaching and have changed the way they have used their students’ native languages during instruction. If the reason for Proposition 203 was to benefit ELLs, wouldn’t they want to ensure that teachers are prepared and confident in educating their students, rather than making it easier to be qualified by reducing the coursework?