Measuring Up: My Take on the Florida Consent Decree

Dominique Ferguson
Dr. West-White
LIT 3333
26 September 2008

The Florida Consent Decree gives right to different multicultural groups that were unavailable before 1990. The eight groups: League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), ASPIRA of Florida, The Farmworkers’ Association of Central Florida, Florida State Conference of NAACP Branches Haitian Refugee Center ,Spanish American League Against Discrimination (SALAD), American Hispanic Educators’ Association of Dade (AHEAD), and Haitian Educators’ Association. Each group represented a community of multicultural citizens who felt that their children’s educational needs were not being met due to language barriers. There were various educational plans put into effect after the law was determined. The Decree settlement focuses on issues such as Identification and assessment, Equal access to appropriate programming and Outcome measures.
The identification and assessment branch of the consent decree requires home language surveys and LEP committees in each school. I love the fact that the LEP committees are comprised of just more than teachers and guidance counselors. Parents as well as social workers are allowed to determine the eligibility of a student for ESOL services. The Equal access to appropriate programming “develops as effectively and efficiently as possible each child's English language proficiency and academic potential. Such programs should also provide positive reinforcement of the self-image and esteem of participating students…” (FCD Section II). This part of the Consent Decree that ESOL students are taught to succeed and not feel left behind academically because of language barriers.
Although I am familiar with ESOL programs I never stopped to think that laws have been put into place to ensure the success of an ESOL student’s academic career. I am glad that the organizations above fought and lobbied so hard and tirelessly to have this agreement enforced. It is upsetting to think that before August 1990 there were no laws, agreements or anything much to protect the rights of an ESOL student. Moreover many of the ESOL students before 1990 were either retained or pushed through a school system that had no idea how to teach them. However, because of the court case eighteen years ago ESOL students now have a much better chance at success, this means that more students are learning and becoming successful citizens instead of high school drop outs with dead-end jobs.
In the classroom this consent decree means that I am held accountable for accommodating ESOL students and not simply giving them busy work. All of my lesson plans will need to incorporate the different learning styles of the different cultures and languages in my classroom. Honestly this scares me. I am not sure what I will do if I am given a level 3 students in my language arts class but I do hope that by the time I graduate from Florida A&M University will be more equipped to handle any and every type of student.