BILL TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN BILINGUAL EDUCATION MOVES FORWARD

St. Croix- Members of the Committee on Education and Workforce Development, chaired by Senator Genevieve R. Whitaker, met Tuesday in the Frits E. Lawaetz Legislative Conference Room and consider several Bills on the day’s agenda.

First on the agenda was Bill No. 34-0154, which is an Act seeking to amend Title 17 of the Virgin Islands Code, chapter 5, section 41(a) relating to bilingual education to direct the Department of Education to establish and maintain the Bilingual and English Language Development Program in the public schools. The measure seeks to establish the Division of Bilingual and English Language Development and directs the Department of Education to establish and maintain an English Language Development Program. The program may consist of implementing a bilingual education curriculum or an English as a second language support program, as stated in the bill.

Senator Whitaker, one of the sponsors of the bill, indicated that it is the fundamental responsibility of the Legislature to put the statute in place and set the standards for the education curriculum. The legislation does not only focus on students learning how to speak English but also encourages students who speak English to learn another language. Senator Samuel Carrion is also a sponsor of the bill.

Currently, the Virgin Islands Department of Education (VIDOE) is providing accommodations for English Learners (EL) on state assessments and developing accountability systems to ensure equal academic opportunities for bilingual students; according to VIDOE Deputy Commissioner of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Renee Charleswell who read the testimony into the record on behalf of VIDOE Commissioner Raquel Berry-Benjamin. Furthermore, Charleswell noted that changing the existing title from Bilingual Education to Bilingual and English Language Development Program applies to the classroom settings.