Not everyone thinks that the new requirement for all public preschools in Illinois to offer bilingual education is a good idea, according to an article published this week by the Chicago Tribune. Some feel it’s an unnecessary burden for schools.
But some specialists in English-language learners both in Illinois and elsewhere have applauded the mandate because they think it will help preschoolers who speak a language other than English at home to get a better start.
School districts must provide a bilingual education class if they have 20 or more students share a native language other than English. If they don’t have 20, they can offer English-as-a-second-language classes instead.