18 • 24 DE JUNIO 2021
Buscan reforzar la enseñanza
en inglés a niños inmigrantes
Alumnos de la escuela pública de Nueva York estudian de forma remota desde su casa.
Por: Redacción Noticia
Teditorial@noticiali.com res legisladores demócratas y
uno republicano presentaron
un proyecto de ley que busca
mejorar la capacitación de los
maestros que enseñan inglés en
las escuelas a alumnos cuyo idioma
materno es otro. La iniciativa
la presentaron los representantes
demócratas Adriano Espaillat, de
Nueva York; Tony Gonzáles, de Texas;
Jim Langevin, de Rhode Island;
y el republicano Mark Amodei, de
Nevada.
Espaillat, senador por el distrito 31
de Nueva York, señala que es necesario
“asegurar que, a medida que el
país reabre las actividades después
de la pandemia y los alumnos que
necesitan aprender inglés retornan
a las aulas, exista el apoyo de educadores
califi cados”.
El proyecto de ley establece un
programa de donaciones para que las
instituciones de educación superior
cooperen con los distritos escolares
donde existe una necesidad mayor
de educadores bilingües a fin de desarrollar
programas de capacitación
para los docentes.
Desarrollar la educación pública
durante la pandemia del COVID-19
en áreas super pobladas como Nueva
York representa un gran desafío
para las autoridades locales. Pese a
las nuevas medidas adoptadas como
la enseñanza virtual o remota (con el
alumno estudiando desde su casa) o
la enseñanza híbrida (con el alumno
asistiendo ciertos días a la escuela),
los estudiantes más perjudicados
(Foto: Noticia)
han sido aquellos de familias de bajos
recursos o de familias inmigrantes
con poco conocimiento del idioma
inglés.
Según se indica en estos lugares
de Estados Unidos (por ejemplo el
sistema educativo en Nueva York recibe
a más de un millón de alumnos)
hay muy pocos maestros instruidos
específicamente para apoyar a la
comunidad creciente de estudiantes
que no hablan el inglés. Los legisladores
apuntan que el lenguaje no
debería ser una barrera en la senda
hacia una buena educación pública
en el país.
Escasez de maestros
“Más de uno de cada tres niños en
mi distrito hablan en casa un idioma
que no es inglés, y nuestras escuelas
necesitan estar equipadas de forma
apropiada, con suficientes maestros
que puedan enseñar inglés como un
segundo lenguaje”, dijo por su parte
el representante González.
Cabe remarcar que el senador republicano
John Cornyn, de Texas, y la
senadora demócrata Catherine Cortez
Masto, de Nevada, presentarán
una iniciativa similar en la Cámara
Alta del Congreso. Cornyn manifiesta
que es “absolutamente crítico” que
los educadores estén preparados para
atender las necesidades de aquellos
que deben aprender inglés además
de sus otros estudios.
Los legisladores destacan que el
proyecto de ley atiende la “escasez crítica
de maestros de inglés” y así los alumnos
que aprenden inglés tendrían “lo
que necesitan para estudiar en igualdad
de condiciones con sus pares”.
EDUCACIÓN
HIGHER ED TODAY
It’s no secret that the City University
of New York’s seven community colleges
play an invaluable role in making
the American Dream a reality for many
New Yorkers, including immigrants
who are the first in their family to go
to college. Our students never cease to
impress.
Just recently, three CUNY community
college students received prestigious
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
Undergraduate Transfer Scholarships,
given annually to top community college
students in the U.S., which provide
up to $40,000 per year so students can
complete their bachelor’s degree.
What’s more, 13 CUNY community
college students recently accounted for
the entire cohort of this year’s Kaplan
Leadership Program, which helps highperforming,
low-income students from
the New York metropolitan area complete
their associate degree, transfer
to a four-year degree program, and provide
them with much-needed financial
support.
These are just a few examples of
what our community college students
can accomplish. As the former President
of Hostos Community College, I
know from personal experience the vital
role such colleges play in the lives of
students.
Thankfully, so does the Biden Administration.
Our First Lady, Dr. Jill
Biden, is a lifelong educator, who has
spent nearly three decades teaching at
community colleges. President Biden
himself is the recipient of a public college
education, while Vice President
Kamala Harris is a proud alumna of an
historically Black university. This administration
understands the value of a
college education.
That’s why President Biden’s American
Families Plan is so important. Under
the president’s plan, community
colleges would be free for anyone who
wants to attend — including Dreamers
— giving students a financial lifeline to
make their educational goals possible.
His plan would also expand the maximum
Pell Grant award and aid many
more students enrolled in Historically
Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal
Colleges and Universities and Minority
Serving Institutions — including many
in the CUNY system, signaling his commitment
to making higher education
more accessible for Americans of every
background, regardless of their family’s
financial circumstances or immigration
status.
That’s good news for CUNY, particularly
for students like Lina Cruz, who
I met when I was president of Hostos.
Years ago, Lina left Colombia to attend
Hostos in the Bronx to study English.
Although she never intended to stay in
New York, she quickly found a home at
CUNY. “After enrolling in classes I realized
my future was here,” she says.
“CUNY became mi familia.” She recently
recorded a video sharing her
story.
Lina went on to graduate from Hostos
with her associate’s before earning
a bachelor’s at Baruch, where she is now
finishing her Master’s Degree. She’s
earned three CUNY degrees — yes,
three — in 12 years.
While at Hostos she interned with
the New York Yankees in a program I
helped create. Lina turned that internship
into a career. She now works as a
team manager, leading their multicultural
and Spanish-language outreach
efforts, and supporting a variety of initiatives,
such as a new mentoring program
between the Yankees and CUNY
students.
For Lina, attending a CUNY community
college was a game changer. And
she’s not alone: Tens of thousands of our
students begin their educational journey
at a community college, later continuing
on to one of CUNY’s 11 four-year
college. At community colleges, CUNY
has pioneered initiatives like ASAP, a
nationally recognized student success
program that has more than doubled
timely associate degree graduation
rates for participating students.
President Biden’s American Families
Plan would be a boost to our community
colleges, ensuring that CUNY
can help more students like Lina, preparing
them with the necessary skills
to thrive in a dynamic, post-pandemic
economy. It would also help make higher
education accessible to all Americans,
no matter their financial situation, immigration
status or zip code.
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