Evaluation of Structured English Immersion and Bilingual Education on Reading Skills of Limited English Proficient Students in California and Texas

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of the structured English immersion program and the bilingual education program on the reading performance of limited English proficient students. The sample of this study is comprised of fourth grade Hispanic Spanish-speaking limited English proficient students from six campuses in southern California and six campuses in southern Texas who participated in the 2005 Reading National Assessment of Educational Progress. To determine the impact of these English language acquisition programs on these students' reading skills, a multiple regression analysis was conducted. After controlling for several factors, results of the analysis show that neither structured English immersion nor bilingual education have a significant impact on the reading skills of LEP students. When deciding which program to implement, educators and policymakers may want to compare costs associated with each and determine the priority that a community places on maintaining a student's native language.