New York Education Crisis: New Rules Causing Schools To Struggle In Helping Students Learn English

When new education rules were introduced recently in New York schools, the goal was to help students learn English better. Unfortunately, New York schools are having a difficult time implementing these rules.

One of the new rules that many New York schools are struggling with is the bilingual education program -- which requires schools to create programs that use two languages in teaching classes. What makes this rule difficult for schools to implement is the shortage of bilingual teachers who have licenses in different subject areas.

"I have been talking to anybody who knows of a teacher who speaks the language so we can recruit," Education Department deputy chancellor Milady Baez told the New York Times. "It is very, very difficult."

New York Schools Struggle With New Rules to Help Students Learning English https://t.co/0OwmRUWws5 #education

— Language on the Move (@Lg_on_the_Move) May 13, 2016

Another significant change that was recently introduced is that schools are now required to have an English language teacher to teach in the classroom every week if there is even one student that needs to learn the language. So why is this rule causing problems for both the schools and students?

"In the past, students could receive English language instruction outside of the classroom, while spending the rest of their time in a regular class trying to puzzle out the words on their own," the New York Times explains. Schools are also struggling with the financial resources given to them in order to implement the new rules -- with only a $1 million budget allocated for the entire state.

United Federation of Teachers vice president Evelyn DeJesus told the New York Times that the whole city of New York is not complying with the new set of rules due to the problems it creates. Along with the students' difficulty in graduating high school due to five New York high school exit exams, many educators feel that the education system in New York is currently in disarray.