Californians
Together is a statewide coalition of parents, teachers,
education advocates and civil rights groups committed to securing
equal access to quality education for all children.
Founded
in 1998 after the passage of Proposition 227, Californians Together
joined with other organizations to foster full participation in
a democratic society through quality education for children and
parents from underserved communities.
What's New
Californians Together Launches The Seal of Biliteracy Program - Two Workshops
We encourage teams of district English Learner coordinator, curriculum specialist, board members, site administrators and teacher leaders to register to be able to work as a team on a district implementation plan. An overview of the awards, criteria for granting, and district step by step process for adopting a Seal of Biliteracy will be presented.
Californians Together Announces the Seal of Bilitereacy
 The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given by a school, school district or county office of education in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation. Appearing on the transcript of the graduating senior, the Seal of Biliteracy is a statement of accomplishment for future employers and for college admissions.
We are looking for school districts and schools that want to implement the Seal of Biliteracy Program. The attached brochure gives direction and support for establishing this program. Contact our office for more information 562-983-1333.
STAR 2009 Test Results and English Learners
SYSTEM FAILURE! For the seventh straight year, the achievement gap between English Learners and English proficient children has widened. The State Board of Education and State Superintendent equally share the blame for what can only be described as a system failure. Children, parents, teachers and administrators deserve better.
STAR 2009 EL Test Results Press Release
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LAWSUIT FILED TO PROTECT PROGRAMS FOR HOMELESS, NEGLECTED, MIGRANT, ENGLISH LEARNERS AND OTHER “AT RISK” STUDENTS
June 11, 2009: Concerned parents and community groups throughout California filed suit in San Francisco Superior Court today challenging State Superintendent Jack O’Connell’s decision to suspend monitoring of specialized education programs for Homeless, Neglected, Juvenile Justice, Migrant, English learners, and other disadvantaged youth for at least one year. The money for these special programs comes primarily from federal funding under the No Child Left Behind Act, and must be spent to augment general education programs funded by the state.
The lawsuit, Alejo, et al. v. O’Connell, et al, Case No. CPF 09-509568, alleges that the state must monitor and oversee the use of these funds by school districts to ensure that they are used to help academically “at risk” students overcome educational challenges. The state retains a percentage of these federal funds so that it can fulfill the promise it made to the U.S. Government to monitor and evaluate these programs. The Petitioners allege that the state is unlawfully spending the money for other purposes and leaving school districts to do the same.
Alejo, et al. v. O'Connell Press Release
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Alejo, et al v. O'Connell Petition to State Superior Court
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Immersion Film
Watch "Immersion Film" Directed By Richard Levien,
Produced By Richard Levien
Moises, a ten-year-old student, struggles to communicate in his new school with limited access to his native language. He has just immigrated to California from Mexico. He doesn't speak English, but he's good at math, so he hopes to do well on his first math test in the USA.
Using untrained child actors from public schools in the San Francisco Bay Area, “Immersion” plunges its audience into the visceral experience of a child who cannot understand his teacher. The film puts a human face on the education of English Language Learners and the punitive state testing system.
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Reauthorization Recommendations
Below are recommendations for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and NCLB that could make significant improvements for English learners. It is hoped that other organizations and agencies will incorporate these recommendations into their comprehensive set of recommendations and Congress will be able to modify the implementation of the law to fit the context and needs of students who come to school speaking a language other than English.
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