Thread: Percentage of ESL students increases in Harrisonburg schools

Percentage of ESL students increases in Harrisonburg schools

Associated Press - September 23, 2007 2:15 PM ET

HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP) - Forty-one percent of Harrisonburg's public school students are in the English as a Second Language program -- the highest rate in Virginia.

Of the district's approximately 4,302 students, 1,765 are in the ESL program.

According to the school division's Web site, students in the ESL program in 2006-07 spoke 44 different languages. The Web site says 76% of the ESL students spoke Spanish.

Superintendent Donald Ford says in four to five years, the school system could see half its students in the ESL program.

The trend in Harrisonburg's ESL growth has lasted a decade.

Sam Nickels is the cultural diversity coordinator at New Bridges Immigrant Resources Center, which provides services to new arrivals. Nickels says immigrants are attracted to Harrisonburg because of jobs.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

http://www.wric.com/global/story.asp?s=7116311

Students who don't speak English......how d--- many years does it take for them to learn? And Durbin wants to take away our kids DREAMS and give them to these students?????

BULL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'd love to see the dollar figure that all this is costing the taxpayers in Harrisburg.

Originally Posted by reform_now

I'd love to see the dollar figure that all this is costing the taxpayers in Harrisburg.

I wouldn't know the exact fogures but common sense says if 40% of their students are ESL, then it's costing them about twice as much, keeping in mind that most those kids shouldn't even be there. That 40% will soon increase and pretty soon the American kids will be the ones who need special programs and teachers.