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Benchmark Name: Bilingual Education Act of 1968

Basic Summary of Benchmark: Act was introduced to give federal funding to school districts to make educational programs for students who could only speak some English to help them learn it. It was originally just for Spanish-speaking students but then expanded to many other languages as well.

Key Manifestations: A year after the act was passed, Congress approved $7.5 million funding for it and 27,000 students were served. From this act, many more bilingual acts were passed which opened doors for many new programs in schools. This bill also later led to 37 other bills being passed which became known as the bilingual education act.

Key Personnel: Senator Ralph Yarborough of Texas first introduced a bill in 1967, which set up a plan to establish an educational program for LESA (Limited English Speaking Ability) students. He wanted Spanish to be taught as a native language and English to be taught as a secondary language.

Why/ How a Benchmark? The Bilingual Education Act was a benchmark in education because it provided students with less ability in speaking English a chance to learn the language and therefore be more successful in English speaking schools. This act also encouraged multicultural awareness, and led to bilingual education programs during the civil rights movement without being in violation to segregation laws, which were in affect at that time. Many new resources were also provided with this act such as teacher training, new parent involvement programs and new materials, which were all provided under federal funding.

Links: http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/pubs/classics/focus/06bea.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilingual_Education_Act