Author Archives: Don Soifer
Bilingual Schools
Letter to the Editor, The New York Times
The March 12 front-page article about Manhattan’s Liberty High School provided intriguing insights on a program which seeks to offer new immigrants a smooth beginning to their American education (“Schools Help Immigrants [Read More...]
The Charter School ‘Advantage’
Article Published in the Investor’s Business Daily
Charter schools continue to experience explosive growth, with over 1,700 currently in operation across the United States. While their impact can be felt throughout American education, it is in our cities where it [Read More...]
The Bilingual Reform Movement is Growing
Article Published in the Worcester (MA) Telegram & Gazette
State Senator Guy Glodis plans to introduce important new legislation this week which would radically change how Massachusetts English learners are taught the vital language skills they need. The Glodis plan [Read More...]
Capitol Hill Teacher Union Conference
On October 26, the Lexington Institute will be sponsoring a 9 AM – 12 Noon conference on Capitol Hill (2168 Rayburn House Office Building) on:
“TheTeacher Unions: How School Choice is Breaking Their Monopoly.”
The purpose of this conference is [Read More...]
Title VII Grants: Bilingual Education Programs That Hurt Kids
Executive Summary
Federal bilingual education programs are funded through discretionary grants from the Department of Education’s Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs directly to local education providers. “Federal bilingual education projects have demonstrated effectiveness in teaching English,” asserts [Read More...]
No Way to Learn
Letter to the Editor, New York Daily News
Your September 6 editorial is right on target with its assertion that “it is imperative that the Board of Ed make an honest assessment of its English language programs.”
But English learners [Read More...]
Old Bilingual Method is Discredited
Article Published in the Worcester (MA) Telegram & Gazette
Since last June, when California voters put an end to that state’s discredited bilingual education programs, policymakers, educators and parents around the nation have sought ways to make similar changes to [Read More...]
Bilingual Education Reform: Critical for Hispanic Student Success
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for inviting me to participate in today’s discussion on federal education programs for Limited English-Proficient (LEP) students. My name is Don Soifer and I am the Executive Vice President of the [Read More...]
Bilingual Education Reform Moves Northeast
Article Published in The Waterbury (CT) Republican-American
Bilingual education reform has become one of the nation’s fastest-growing public policy movements. Last June, California voters approved an initiative pulling the plug on most of the state’s widely-criticized bilingual education programs. Since [Read More...]
A Chance to Fix Bilingual Woes
Article Published in The Tribune (Phoenix, AZ)
Arizona right now faces a major opportunity to help its Limited English Proficient (LEP) students by reforming current bilingual education programs.
Bilingual education is widely used in school districts throughout Arizona. While the [Read More...]