Proposition 203 (Arizona), Impact of

Structured English Immersion (SEI)

SEI is considered one of the weakest forms of education for language minority students. The societal goal for an educational approach such as SEI is assimilation, and the language outcome for SEI is monolin-gualism. The distinction between SEI and mainstream education as written in Proposition 203 is vague. According to Proposition 203, mainstream education is defined simply as “students [in mainstream education] are native English speakers or already have acquired reasonable fluency in English.” Similarly, according to Proposition 203, SEI classrooms are defined by having books and instructional materials in English; reading, writing, and subject matter taught in English; curriculum and presentation designed for ELLs; and nearly all classroom instruction in English. [Page 689]In an SEI classroom, as long as all content area is taught in English, primary-language support is allowed by Proposition 203. However, teachers and students are warned by their building administrators not to talk in Spanish. Because of the similarity in concept between SEI and no differentiated program, teachers and schools struggle to understand the differences and advocates for ELLs question whether basic educational rights for ELLs are met through the use of this program.

According to a study done by Wayne E. Wright, following the implementation of Proposition 203, teachers were not distinguishing between SEI and mainstream instruction. According to the law, the two distinguishing factors between mainstream and SEI are specially designed curriculum and presentation, and primary- or home language support. Proposition 203 has resulted in confusion about what is allowed and what is not allowed in the classroom and what it means to be an SEI instructor. According to the Wright study, there has been little guidance by the Arizona Department of Education for SEI teachers, and many do not understand the difference between SEI and no program at all. Many teachers feel that as a result of Proposition 203, students are receiving submersion education instead of a structured immersion model of education designed for language minority students. Also at issue is whether the state of Arizona, as a result of Proposition 203, fails to meet the requirements outlined elsewhere in this encyclopedia relative to the ruling in Lau v. Nichols (191 A) of the U.S. Supreme Court.

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