By: Ashmar Mandou

Last month, Governor Pat Quinn signed House Bill 3819 into law that allows the Illinois Advisory Council on Bilingual Education to examine and offer advice to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) on the level of bilingual education in Illinois. Under HB 3819, non-English speaking parents will be offered assistance through the implementation of ‘parent academies,’ an initiative to educate parents on how to become more involved in their child’s academic life. The bill, supported by Representative Linda Chapa La Via (D-Aurora), Senator Iris Martinez (D-Chicago), and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), will take effect January 1st, 2013. Senator Martinez phoned Lawndale Bilingual News to share her take on HB 3819 last week.

Lawndale News: As a sponsor of HB 3819, can you describe the significance of it coming into effect early next year?
Senator Iris Martinez: As one of the sponsors of HB 3819, I am really excited that this piece of legislation has been signed into law. Myself and Representative Linda Chapa [La Via], have worked tirelessly to make this happen. What this bill does is allow for change in the bilingual education program in this state. We can better screen the program and see if certain initiatives work better than others. A study by ISBE stated Spanish-speakers comprise 80 percent of students enrolled in English language programs. What this bill does is make sure students are being given the proper assessment throughout their time in the bilingual education program so that they are able to succeed and move on.

LN: In your own words, how exactly will initiatives like ‘parent academies’ assist families?
IM: There is nothing more powerful than informing parents on how they can stay on top of their child’s education. What makes this bill so special is that it will enforce parent, teacher discussion as well as inform parents of what goes on during the school year. It will educate them on how to get involve on their local school council and inform them on school testing, among other topics.

LN: What else would you like to see done to elevate the level of bilingual education in the State of Illinois?
IM: Well, we want to focus on HB 3819 and make sure it changes the level of bilingual education in our state. We want to offer students a better way to succeed after the bilingual education program so they are not in the program for longer than they have to be. More attention needs to be given to the non-English community because when they succeed, we succeed. The number of non-English speaking students needs to be reflected in our school system. They need to see teachers and administrators who are on their side.