Dual Language Education in Washington State – Becoming Law

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Starting in the early years, a dual language education has many benefits for children that can impact them for the rest of their lives. This includes health benefits, academic benefits as well as future career opportunities. According to a study in 2016 (link below) in the National Library of Medicine, students in dual language programs outperformed students in mainstream English programs in both English and math standardized test scores. It is because of these benefits, and many more, that the state of Washington may be putting a law in place in favor of dual language education.

The House Bill 1228, sponsored by Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self, D-Mukilteo, would create permanent funding to make more dual language programs available to every school district in Washington State by 2040. This bill was passed unanimously in both the House and the Senate. The Legislature plans to fund at least 10 new dual language programs annually with an average grant award of $40,000. This would help programs’ startup costs, support professional development for teachers, and provide instructional materials in the second language that would be taught.

It would allow for districts to apply for funding through the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to either start or expand their current dual language or tribal education programs. Currently, 141 schools offer dual language programs, with 122 of those using English and Spanish. This also covers any type of dual language program, including those that are 50/50 between the two languages and programs where kindergarteners have the second language 90% of the day and English 10%, with an increase in English each year until they reach 50/50.

Class name plates isolated cartoon vector illustration. Signs areas of class in two languages, put dual name plates on boxes, bilingual classroom, immersion preschool program vector cartoon.

However, this bill not only has a focus on dual language education, but it intends to increase tribal education as well. This would allow for Indigenous students to reconnect with their language, culture, and oral tribal traditions in schools across the state. Indigenous languages are included in the bill’s definition of world languages. The bill gives priority to schools with over 50% of the student population being students of color. This bill is well on its way to creating more dual-language educational programs which takes the state, and then the country, one step closer to a better education overall.

Read more here:

Bazzaz, Dahlia. “New Report: WA Student Test Scores Inching up in Math and Reading.” The Seattle Times, The Seattle Times Company, 14 Sept. 2023, www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/wa-student-test-scores-in-math-and-reading-inch-up-newest-release-shows/.

Bialystok, Ellen. “Bilingual Education for Young Children: Review of the Effects and Consequences.” International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6168086

“Bill Status-at-a-Glance.” Bill Summary RSS, 2024, app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1228&Year=2023.

Romero, Jacquelyn Jimenez. “Dual Language Education Is One Step Closer to Becoming a WA Law.” The Seattle Times, The Seattle Times Company, 15 Mar. 2024, www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/dual-language-education-is-one-step-closer-to-becoming-a-wa-law/.

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Fanni is Radnóti's wife
Located near the Tang capital city of Chang’an, site of the modern city of Xi’an in Shaanxi province, in central China.
Soldiers of that time commonly wore a white head cloth, similar to what is still worn by some peasants in China today.  The implication is that the conscripts were so young that they didn’t know how to wrap their head cloths, and needed help from elders.
Before China’s unification under the Qin dynasty in 221 B.C. there were several competing smaller kingdoms.  Han and Qin were two of these kingdoms. Han was located east of famous mountain passes that separated that area from the power base of the Qin dynasty, with its capital in Chang’an. The Qin dynasty itself only lasted about 15 years after unification due to its draconian rule, but soldiers under Qin rule retained a reputation as strong fighters.
The area of Guanxi, meaning “west of the passes”, refers to the area around the capital city of Chang’an.
This is an alternative name for a province in western China, now known as Qinghai, which literally means “blue sea”.  Kokonor Lake, located in Qinghai, is the largest saline lake in China.  
Before China’s unification under the Qin dynasty in 221 B.C. there were several competing smaller kingdoms.  Han and Qin were two of these kingdoms. Han was located east of famous mountain passes that separated that area from the power base of the Qin dynasty, with its capital in Chang’an. The Qin dynasty itself only lasted about 15 years after unification due to its draconian rule, but soldiers under Qin rule retained a reputation as strong fighters.
Oulart Hollow was the site of a famous victory of the Irish rebels over British troops, which took place on May 27, 1798. The rebels killed nearly all the British attackers in this battle. (Source: Maxwell, W. H. History of the Irish Rebellion in 1798. H. H. Bohn, London 1854, pp 92-93, at archive.org)
The phrase "United Men" is elaborated upon in the Notes section below.

Ghetto

An Italian word meaning “foundry.” It originally referred to a part of the city of Venice where the Jews of that city were forced to live; the area was called “the ghetto” because there was a foundry nearby. The term eventually came to refer to any part of a city in which a minority group is forced to live as a result of social, legal, or economic pressure. Because of the restrictions placed upon them, ghetto residents are often impoverished.

"You’re five nine, I am do-uble two"

A reference to the year 1959 and the year 2020.

"The Currency"

Meaning US dollars - this is drawing attention to the fact that Cuba is effectively dollarized.

"Sixty years with the dom-ino stuck"

This sentence is a reference to the Cold War notion that countries would turn Communist one after the other - like dominos. Cuba was the first domino, but it got stuck - no one else followed through into communism.

رحلنا

رحلنا, or "rahalna," means "we have left."

Habibi

Habibi means "my love."

Ra7eel

Ra7eel, or "raheel," means "departure."

3awda

3awda, or "awda," means "returning."

أهلاً

أهلاً, or "ahalan," means "welcome."

a5 ya baba

a5 ya baba, pronounced "akh ya baba," means "Oh my father."

golpe

Treece translates "golpe" as "beating", which is correct, however misses the secondary meaning of the word: "coup".

Carlos

The “Carlos” referred to in the poem is most likely Carlos Bolsonaro, a politician from Rio de Janeiro and the second son of Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s current president. His and his father’s involvement in Marielle’s murder has been questioned and investigated.