Six: Structuring Inequality: How California Selectively Tests, Classifies, and Tracks Language Minority Students

摘要: STRUCTURING INEQUITY: HOW CALIFORNIA SELECTIVELY TESTS, CLASSIFIES, AND TRACKS LANGUAGE MINORITY STUDENTS Yang Sao Xiong, Doctoral Student, Department of Sociology, UCLA Min Zhou, Professor, Departments Sociology and Asian American Studies, “Today, education is…a principal instrument in awakening the child to cultural values, preparing him (her) for later professional training, helping adjust normally his environment. In these days, it is doubtful that any may reasonably be expected succeed life if he (she) denied opportunity an education.” U.S. Supreme Court, 1954, Brown vs. Board Education “These reforms express my deep belief our public schools their mission build mind character every child, from background, part America.” President George W. Bush on No Child Left Behind, January 2001 1 Since Court’s decision school desegregation more than half a century ago, its political leaders, educators, other professionals have held high firm democratic ideal equal opportunity, believing best way ensure enable all children, regardless race, class, national origin backgrounds, (Rothstein, 2004). Past recent research has repeatedly shown levels are strongly related earnings having diploma barely enough secure well-paying job. For example, Bureau Labor Statistics recently reported full-time adult workers with less had median weekly $401 2004, compared $574 graduates without college $916 holding at least bachelor’s degree. 2 However, after decades educational reform, achievement gap between non- Hispanic white students racial or immigrant minority been persistently large. A student’s race family socioeconomic status (SES) continued serve as most reliable predictors her outcomes. Race class often interact affect access achievement. Existing become severe disproportionately numbers low-income students. Students who cannot read write English greater likelihood dropping out they face lifetime diminished opportunity. 19 states exit exams,