The Guardian
12 February 2020
Text / 800-1500 Words
Guam
CHamoru, the indigenous language of the Mariana Islands, is endangered. In an urgent move to save the language, Chief Hurao Academy was founded, a nonprofit that offers a CHamoru summer immersion program, an after-school immersion program, and a CHamoru-language preschool. There are barriers to its success, particularly funding, but the response has been overwhelming and already the children can chat casually in CHamoru.
http://www.opb.org/radio/programs/thinkoutloud/segment/live-from-woodburn-high-school
Dave Miller
Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB)
9 March 2016
Radio / Over 15 Minutes
The four academies that make up Woodburn High have exceeded the Oregon state average by double digits for two years in a row, despite high poverty rates. What's driving the school's success?
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/10/opinion/sunday/how-to-fix-the-countrys-failing-schools-and-how-not-to.html
David L. Kirp
The New York Times
9 January 2016
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Newark, N.J., had major politicians and investments try to "flip" its school system; the much smaller Union City had teachers and parents. The solution was no silver bullet—just the slow and steady approach of gradual improvement.
http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/schools/could-a-new-vision-help-lafayette-high-schools-immigrant-students-succeed-20140714
Sandra Tan
The Buffalo News
14 July 2014
Text / Over 3000 Words
Better teacher training and strategic programming for non-English speakers could turn things around in high schools with large immigrant populations.
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/tomorrows_test/2016/06/how_the_ka_papahana_kaiapuni_immersion_schools_saved_the_hawaiian_language.html
Alexandria Neason
Slate
8 June 2016
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With the emphasis on teaching English in American public schools, many non-English speaking students can lose the language of their family’s heritage. Hawaii has “language-immersion schools” that teaches children the native Hawaiian language until about fifth grade and then English is introduced. While the schools have preserved the native tongue and its cultural values, there are still challenges for students who face competition in English-dominated secondary education and the job market.
http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-07-20/wanted-bilingual-teachers-and-heres-how-one-school-filling-gap
Kate McGee
Public Radio International (PRI)
20 July 2015
Radio / 3-5 Minutes
Laws make it mandatory for schools with more than twenty English Language Learners (ELLs) in a single grade to have bilingual teachers to support them. One Texas school takes an initiative to find more bilingual teachers for their students as the non-English speaker becomes a more common student in their classroom.
http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-06-25/language-great-equalizer-one-school-louisiana
Nina Porzucki
Public Radio International (PRI)
30 June 2015
Radio / 5-15 Minutes
A program at a public school in Baton Rouge is using bilingual education to attract middle class families back into the public school system to increase diversity among the student population.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/09/12/one-boston-teacher-quest-connect-with-his-students/1sUlrC3fmsQTdpkQHXkbgM/story.html
James Vaznis
The Boston Globe
12 September 2015
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Boston professors visit countries and homes of foreign students to better understand their culture and gain insights about how to better teach them. The goal is to reach across cultural divides to help a big part of the student population — emigres from faraway lands — that is plagued with low standardized test scores and high dropout rates. Accompanying photojournalism: http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/bigpicture/2015/09/12/seeking-cultural-connections/L3mIQAQM3v9YT9A2K4JliL/story.html
http://www.yesmagazine.org/happiness/how-seattle-made-dark-alleys-safer-by-throwing-parties-20150826
Araz Hachadourian
Yes! Magazine
26 August 2015
Text / 800-1500 Words
Alleys in Seattle were once places of illicit, illegal, and unsanitary activity. The International Sustainability Institute in Seattle began organizing music and art events to bring in people, which, in turn, cleaned-up the crime and garbage. As an urban development strategy, adjacent vacant storefronts re-opened for business and beautification could be seen in new gardens.
http://www.minnpost.com/learning-curve/2014/05/mps-looks-oakland-model-work-differently-african-american-boys
Beth Hawkins
MinnPost
5 May 2014
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African American boys were being treated less-than-equally by the Oakland Unified School District – a change of culture was implemented and the playing field leveled. Now, Minnesota is looking to adopt the same system that was started in Oakland by creating schools that are exclusively for African American males in hopes to help them reach higher standards of achievement.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/04/03/global-economy-mass-lags-teaching-foreign-languages/HO2IL1ddRvYMZ7BYuiSElL/story.html
James Vaznis
The Boston Globe
4 April 2016
Text / 1500-3000 Words
In a global economy, helping students succeed means offering them the opportunity to become multilingual. States such as Utah, Indiana, and Delaware have stepped up their efforts with immersion programs for elementary students.
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